Excel returned to Fisherman's Landing August 13 after the four-day Southern California Tuna Club charter with skipper Justin Fleck and chartermaster Wes Working. There were 32 anglers aboard, and during a brief period when Fleck dropped anchor in a stiff breeze some two dozen white seabass were encountered along with a big catch of yellowtail.

"They were all around the boat," said Fleck, "but they all took off when the hook went down. I learned from that."

With the hard breeze blowing Fleck likely didn't have any other choice but to try to stop on the school. Two of the whites weighed 27 pounds, and one came into the lineup shot.

White seabass are not exactly rare, but taking more than a couple is uncommon on most long range trips.

Ed Cox of Long Beach won first place for a 31.8-pound yellowtail. He said he got it with a sardine on a 4/0 hook of unknown make, 25-pound Big Game line, an old Penn 259 reel and a six and a half-foot Fenwick rod.

Alan Hermer of Huntington Beach won second place for a 30-pounder, and Steven Gammer of Seal Beach was third, for a 35-pound halibut. Ron Herbst of Long Beach got honorable mention for a 27-pound white seabass and stood in with the winners.