“We had some pretty rough weather,” allowed Sims, “but this group of guys was great. They kept on fishing and had a good time. We’ll be pleased to have them back again next year.”
The best tuna was just short of 200 pounds. Harold Holsted of La Palma caught his 197-pounder on a chunk and an 8/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 100-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Spectra backing. He used a Penn 50 W reel and “…an old Sabre rod.”“He was a strong fish,” said Holsted, “I had 25-plus pounds of drag.”
John Fike of Chatsworth won second place for a 192-pound yellowfin He bagged it with a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 80-pound Izorline. He used 130-pound Big Game Spectra on a Penn 12 T reel with a Baker topless conversion, on a 6460 XH rod.
Fike also got the trip’s best yellowtail, a 39.4-pounder.
Tom Kellcher of Corona del Mar won third place for a 169-pound tuna. It took a chunk, he said, on an Eagle Claw 8/0 circle hook. He said he used 130-pound line of unknown make, 130-pound Spectra, a Penn 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Seeker custom 6460 XXH rod.
Red Rooster III Report
“Our first day fishing ended up pretty good,” wrote skipper John Grabowski January 25, “with an evening rally to encourage are interest for the week to come. We ended the day with 16 fish 100 to 140 pounds and a 256-pound beauty for Steve Morse that came on the kite to start are evening bite which lasted into the dark. With this late rally we have high hopes for things to come. Our weather continues to hold and the short term forecast is favorable. We will report again tomorrow, thanks for following the fishing reports from the Red Rooster III.”
Royal Polaris Report
The report from skipper Billy Santiago Jr. January 24 read, “…Overcast skies, with a stiff breeze out of the northeast at 18 to 22 knots, with 6 to 8 foot seas. We arrived to Hurricane bank at 02:00 hours, just in time to catch a tank of flying fish, and it didn't take long. Our morning started out at 05:30 hours, with our first fish being hooked. It didn't talk long for the fish to find us, and we were bendo. We had 6 fish going, but that didn’t last for long. We lost 3 of the 6 fish.
“The 3 fish that we lost were all nice fish, but you can't catch them all. The hooks pulled on all 3 fish. We had a steady pick most of the morning. Most of the Yellowfin were in the 50 to 70-pound range, with 8 fish over the century mark, and one lucky angler got the first fish over 200 pounds; Mr. Frank Harbin.
“Frank was also the lucky angler to win the Accurate Boss 665 reel. We did manage a few Wahoo and Dorado. Mike Oblas was on the kite, when a very large Blue Marlin inhaled his Squid. The fight lasted only 15 minutes, before the fish won his freedom. The estimated weight of the fish was around 500 pounds.
“The afternoon would be on the slow side, with only a handful of Yellowfin caught. The hot bait today would be, the Sardine, but we did catch a few fish on the chunk's, Squid, and Flying fish. We did hook on fish on the Skipjack. It was a tough night on the bait-making. The Flyers didn't cooperate tonight, but we did catch enough to fish tomorrow.”
Penn Bought Out
The Penn reel company, makers of the reels used by almost all southland anglers at one time in their fishing careers, has been sold to K2, Inc. , a leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of premier branded sporting equipment, including fishing brands such as Shakespeare, Ugly Stik, All Star, Pflueger, XTools, Cajun Line, SOSpenders and Stearns. Penn is still based in Philadelphia, Penn., and is expected to retain its factory there, according to Pat McDonell, editor at Western Outdoor News. Thanks also to Harry Morgan at Arizona Hunter & Angler for additional information above.
