“We fished west of San Martin,” said Searcher skipper Kevin Ward at Fisherman’s Landing July 15, “and we found good yellowtail fishing on paddies, with yellows to 30 pounds or so. There’s schools of albacore out there mixed with yellowfin; good sign of fish. We got limits of yellowtail.”

Jerry Teles of Needles won first place on the four-day trip, for a 35-pound albacore. He said he got his longfin with a sardine on a 2/0 ringed Super Mutu hook, 40-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 30-pound P-Line on an Avet JX reel and a Calstar 700 M rod.

An albacore won the Searcher jackpot after a four-day trip with Kevin Ward.

“Thanks to the crew,” he said, “I got my fish in 15 minutes.”

Greg Jacobson of San Luis Opisbo won second place for a 33.6-pound yellowtail.Eric Ott of Lathrop tied with Bill Boid of Modesto for third place. Gary had a 29.8-pound albacore, and Bill had a 29.8-pound yellowtail.

Dylan Haste of Palm Desert got a nice yelowtail on the Searcher.

Ten-year-old Dylan Haste of Palm Desert goes to Carter Elementary School, and posed with a nice 20-pound class yellowtail.

Like Bobble-Head Doll

“It’s been a little rough out there,” said Mike Keating of the Spirit of Adventure after docking his vessel July 15 at H&M Landing. “I feel like a bobble-head doll.”

Even so, his 23 anglers made a good catch of mixed fish on their four-day trip

Rick Keeley of Carlsbad won first place for a 43.9-pound yellowfin he caught with a sardine on a 2/0 Mustad hook, 30-pound P-Line on a Pro Gear 650 reel and a Calstar 6465 rod.

Spirit winners were joined by Ricky Cookson, 13, of Highland, and Ricky's first tuna.

Evan Jones of Santa Barbara was second, for a 43.5-pound yellowfin, and Al Hirst of Highland won third place for a 40-pound albacore. The winners were joined in the lineup shot by Ricky Cookson of Highland, 13. Cookson goes to Beattie Middle School, and showed off his first tuna, a 21-pounder.