Royal Polaris docked at Fisherman's Landing under owner-skipper Frank LoPreste's hand June 24, following an eight-day trip to Alijos Rocks and other points south.

"We arrived at Alijos Rocks at 07:30," wrote skipper Frank LoPreste June 18. "Conditions are excellent with very blue water and a temperature of 69.2 degrees. The day can be described as good scratch fishing. We had 73 Yellowfin tuna, from 25 to 80 pounds and 10 nice Yellowtail. Once would think there might be a few Wahoo around, but we was no sign of the toothy critters. We are hoping tomorrow that they will bite even better and that we get a couple 100 pound plus fish, because we did see a few around today."

A 104.9-pound yellowfin was caught on the kite. The method isn't eligible for a jackpot spot on Royal Polaris.

On June 22, Frank wrote: "The weather is absolutely beautiful with calm seas. Fishing is also outstanding. We caught 81 Bluefin tuna, 12 Yellowfin, and 8 Yellowtail. The highlight of our day was a sonar school of bigger Bluefin. We hooked about 35 fish and landed 18 Bluefin from 60 to 75 pounds. Tomorrow we are hoping to catch some Albacore and a few more Bluefin. For anyone interested there are two spots on the June 29th, 8-day trip, one on the July 7th, 5-day trip, and one on the July 12th, 5-day trip."

At the dock, David Broder had the best tuna eligible for first place, a 71-pound bluefin. That weight made it the best to come in so far this season. Broder said he got the tuna with a sardine on a 2/0 Super Mutu hook, on 40-pound Izorline, with a Torsa 16 reel and a six-foot Calstar rod.

"It's my best fish," noted Broder. "I thought all the fish we caught were big." It was his first long range trip.

Long-time long ranger Bob Yoshimoto of Thousand Oaks won second place for a 66.8-pound yellowfin.

Shawn McDermot was third, for a 64-pound yellowfin.