There was a line waiting to buy tickets at the main gate when I arrived about 12:30, but it was moving along well, and it didn't look like anyone had to wait more than five or ten minutes to get in. I was anxious to see the main hall and hustled right along through the boats and snack vendors and truck sellers.

Things were laid out much the same as they have been for years, with major regional players in the center aisles. One of the first things to catch my attention was Vic Gamboa jigging some powered plastics. They darted this way and that, much like panicked baitfish, and every time Vic jerked the string they reversed direction. He had two of them on one rig with a three-way swivel. You'd swear they were alive.

John and Genie Ireland had their Rancho Leonero booth up front, near one of the Western Outdoor News counters, and both outfits seemed to be getting attention. Ireland was buried in questioners, so I cut over to talk with Brandon Hayward, who was selling copies of his new book, The Local Angler. He said he'd sent me a box of books. They'll go on sale at FishingVideos.com as soon as I can get the product up on my website.

Brandon showed me an astounding camera/phone shot of a stack of white seabass that passed through beneath his skiff as he fished off San Onofre last Tuesday in his skiff. The crazy things were piled up high, from the bottom to almost halfway to the surface.

"What happened?" I asked Hayward.

"They just came through," he said, "and they weren't there very long. I couldn't believe it, but we only had one bite, and the hook fell out."

It was good to know the biscuits are running again. I asked Brandon and the guys at Dana Point Sportfishing, but no one had seen any yellowtail so far. I'm thinking if the whites are running the yellows may not be far behind. They surely are running at the Coronados, where San Diego landings pulled up 29 on Friday, and Seaforth had 16 for their ?? day boat. That bite could bust wide open any time. The word from the Seaforth booth was the fish are feeding on market squid, with a few willing to glom a yoyoed jig.

Gary Graham was manning the IGFA booth, where I learned that John Petrescue's giant 445-pound yellowfin is to gain official recognition, though it wasn't eligible by organization rules to make the world record book. That booth is on the center aisle, right in the middle of the major manufacturers of rods, reels, line, lures and other central fishing apparatus.

The boys in the Seeker display stood off the stern of their "boat" to show off some of the new rods from that company, for surf fishing and inshore salt water angling. The surf rod was S glass and the salt water line graphite composite. Both were extremely light in weight, so they should be easy to fish all day without tiring the angler. Tony Garza of Soft Steel was helping out, and headman Darin Dohi was also there.

Caesar Chang of Calstar was fishing with an even better bait than Vic Gamboa was showing off. Chang, known for his ability to slingshot small plastic baits off the tip of a rod blank into other locations, was employing the oldest trick in the book, using a kiddies' outfit to cast and fish a dollar bill like a jerk bait into the adjoining aisle. As I watched, he found a biter who hadn't seen that particular ploy, and while the youngster's dad grinned, Chang fished the boy right over to the booth. He let the child keep the bill after the trick was made obvious.

I had to stop in my tracks when I passed the AFTCO booth. There was a young man there who was the spittin' image of owner Bill Shedd. I introduced myself, after recovering, and we had a brief and pleasant conversation. The company has recently moved, and seems to be doing very well with anglers on a world-wide basis. You can always count on quality when you buy products from this well-established, family company.

I missed seeing the diving dogs and the racing ducks this year. No doubt they'll be the same big draw they usually are on the weekend, when the Del Mar Fairgrounds will be festive and a bit more crowded. If you go, (and you don't want to miss it this Saturday and Sunday), be sure to get a gander at the fresh water tank, which has some truly impressive largemouth bass and two kinds of crappie swimming in the far end from the bass lecturers.

Holly the model was showing off some new wahoo plugs and various jigs from HighTideSportfishing.com. Having spent most of the last three weeks down with a head cold and two shots of 24-hour intestinal flu, I had to cut it off after three or four hours this year. I went home to ice my arthritic knee and watch the NCAA tournament. The Fred Hall Show in Del Mar is our one big event, and a great one for the whole family. Better get over there before it's done for another year.