Jason Flores of Rancho Cucamonga won first place for his biggest fish ever on a five-day trip with skipper Justin Fleck aboard the Excel. The boat docked July 10 after the Seeker trip, which featured rod designer Randy Penny as chartermaster, and 32 anglers aboard. "This crew was amazing," commented Penny to dock reporter Bill Roecker, "and the service level was the best I've seen." Penny described some events at Cedros Island. "We got four calico bass at once, with an Alabama rig! We fished for everything on the trip, and we apprehended all species."

Jason's bluefin tuna weighed in at 70.8 pounds. He said it bit a sardine on a 2/0 Mutu ringed hook from Owner, tied to 40-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 70-pound Daiwa braid. He used a Torsa 20 reel and a Calstar 700 M rod. Jason said the big tuna had him going hard for 45 minutes.

Second place and the Seeker Trophy for the best fish on a Seeker rod went to Jamie McCloud of LaVerne, for a 31.2-pound bluefin. He posed with Penny and the trophy.

Gavin Rousso of Palm Springs won third place, for a 30.5-pound bluefin tuna.

Skipper Fleck commented, "We had one good day on the bluefin. Then the weather got sour and we fished at Cedros Island, which is coming around well. We saw good sign of yellowtail there and had a good bite. There are market squid and white seabass moving in."