Richard Hightower chartermastered the five-day Newell Charter aboard the Red Rooster III that returned July 20, with skipper Andy Cates at the helm.

"We fished offshore coming and going, and we had limits of yellowtail for the days we fished at Cedros Island," said Cates. "And one of the guys got a bluefin tuna at the Five-Fathom Spot! Nobody anywhere ever heard of a bluefin in the shallows at the island."

Hightower summed it up this way: "We brought 52 loaner rigs along, rods and reels, and they got a great workout. The guys liked the 500 series reels for jigging the yellows, and they liked the Seaguar fluorocarbon. The Sea Strike 33 jigs in blue and white and green and yellow were so popular with the fish that we ran out of those.

"Wait until you see the new Yo-Zuri baits, the Sashimi plugs and poppers coming out in October," said Hightower. "You won't believe the colors and how they change."

Al Jackson of Buena Park won first place in the jackpot. He likely took over first place for the fish story of the year as well. Al got a 40.8-pound bluefin at the South End of Cedros on a mackerel bait he was flylining on 50-pound Izorline for yellowtail.

"He bit out there at 150 yards," said Al, "and then he ripped off 200 more yards of line. It took 20 minutes to get him to gaff. Nobody ever saw a bluefin there before."

Chuck Turgeon Jr. of Downey won second place for a 33.3-pound yellowtail, and Pasul Hatcher of Rancho Cordova was third, for a 32-pounder. Chuck Turgeon senior of Downey won the trolling jackpot for a 17-pound dorado.