Shawn Steward brought Excel home to Fisherman's Landing September 14, after a six-day trip that toured all the usual spots for a trip of that length: Guadalupe Island, the San Benitos Islands, Cedros Island and San Martin Island. Many species were encountered, including a large black sea bass of perhaps 100 pounds; released after its air bladder was deflated to allow it to swim back down to its home.

"Today started out with a bang," wrote Shawn September 12, "with a good bite on 18 to 25-pound yellowtail, which bit up until 1130. We picked up just under 100 of those good fish and then ran up to Benitos for another 50 fish. Thirty-five of those fish were 25 to 50 pounds, which was a good way to end the day. Tomorrow we are going to try the beach for misc. fish."

Two of the big yellowtail weighed 48 and 46 pounds, caught by Chris Seabourn of Valencia and Greg Sharp of Newbury Park, respectively. The pair posed with their mossbacks in the jackpot lineup. Seabourn said his yellowtail bit on a flylined sardine, and beat him up for an hour.

Ron Volmer of Hermosa Beach won first place for a 78-pound yellowfin tuna he caught at Guadalupe Island on a sardine and a 1/0 Mutu hook. He said he tied 40-pound pink Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon leader to 40-pound Izorline to draw the bite, and fished with 60-pound Spectra backing on an Avet LX reel and a Calstar 765 XL rod.

William Lopez of Chino Hills was second, for a 74-pound tuna. Larry Diamant of Malibu won third place for a 72-pounder.

Owner Bill Poole's daughter-in-law Sarah Poole fished aboard the Excel on the trip, and got some nice tuna, yellowtail and bottom species. She remarked on how hard the Guadalupe yellowfin fought.

"I don't know if I'd like to pull on tuna that were any bigger than that," she said. "These just pulled me right over to the rail!"