Mike Ramirez docked Excel at Fisherman's landing September 11, following the Patrick Gallagher eight-day trip with 29 anglers. The angler disembarked with a fine catch that included near-limits of yellowtail, a huge bluefin tuna (best so far this year) and some exotics: two escolar and one big oilfish.

The big bluefin was caught by fireboat skipper Gary Schall of Huntington Beach. The fish taped out at 192 pounds, said Mike in an interview with dock reporter Bill Roecker. On the scales it weighed 192.8 pounds, so Ramirez did a good job with his estimate.

Schall said he hooked the monster on the drift with a flylined squid in the dark or pre-dawn. The tuna behaved in a squirrely manner, dashing toward and away from the boat at first, prompting those at hand to think it might be a marlin or some other sort of fish. But later it went straight up and down, and Gary knew he was on a big tuna. The fireboat captain has a best yellowfin of 202 pounds, but he thought this fish fought harder. It was obviously a tuna. After an hour and 20 minutes it came to gaff, hooked on a Mustad 12/0 7691 J hook. He said he crimped the Mustad to an 80-pound Seaguar Premier wind-on leader and 80-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate ATD 12 reel and a self-wrapped Phenix 700 2X rod. The big tuna won first place.

Schall's buddy Landon Yacobucci of San Clemente, a recent hire at Hogan's Bait & Tackle in Dana Point, won second place for a feat that was astounding, a first for the fleet in modern times, at least. Just before Schall hooked his bluefin, Landon caught two oilfish and two escolar, by deep-dropping squid with five pounds of weight to 450 feet. Landon added an Owner Offshore 9/0 hook for a trailer or trap hook to the Mustad 12/0 7691 main hook on his rig, and won his spot for the biggest oilfish, a 55.6-pounder. He released one of his two oilfish. Jon Scobey of Bartlett, TN won third place for a 38.4-pound grouper.

Chartermaster Gallagher said the group made use of an R/C model boat to tow baits out during some of the fishing, and that the method met with success. He also remarked that two Avet reels were given away, as were many prizes from Eric's Tackle and Bob Sands Fishing Tackle in Van Nuys.