Brian Sims brought Royal Star home to her berth at Fisherman’s Landing January 5 after a ten-day trip that produced ten tuna over 200 pounds, including one that weighed 300.5 pounds on the boat’s scales.

The big fish was caught by Tim Ziegler of Palos Verdes, who told Bill Roecker, “he was a hard fish. He broke the ring on my hook.”

Fortunately the line didn’t find that hole until the fish was gaffed. The ring broke next to the weld.

Tim said he baited a chunk on a 9/0 Eagle claw ringed hook tied to 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 70 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod. The supercow fought for an hour and a half.

Steve Busch of Poway won second place for a 281-pounder that came on a sardine and a 7/0 Hayabusa hook on 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 100-pound Yo-Zuri line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod.

Jaime Pryzbyla of Alhambra won third place for a 260-pound tuna he bagged with a sardine on a 6/0 Mustad J Hook, 100-pound Seaguard fluorocarbon, 100-pound Ande line and 100-pound Izorline Spectra backing. E used a Penn 50 S reel and a rod lent by the boat.

Nate Luginbuhl of Ellington, CT took a 255-pounder on a sardine and a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 100-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 S reel and a Shimano Talus rod.

Robert Hirsch of Santa Cruz got a 240-pound tuna with a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook on 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra. He fished with a Penn 30 SW modified by Larry Cofeen (Cofe) and a Calstar 765 H rod. The fish fought for 35 minutes.

Doug Taylor of Oak Park bagged a 220.5-pound tuna with a sardine on 9/0 Mustad hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Penn 80 N modified by Baker and Sheets, and a new Seeker 2 x 4 rod.

“That’s a great rod and reel combo,” he said. “It just murdered that fish, in 15 minutes.”

Ron Hobson matched Taylor with another 220.5-pounder. He said it bit a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izor Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 700 XH rod. He also got a 207.4-pounder on 60-pound fluorocarbon and a Penn 30 S reel on a Calstar 765 H rod.

Father and son team Don and Derek Bolser of Gainseville, FL caught a brace at 204 and 202 pounds. Don got his first cow with a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook on 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Tiagra 50 W reel and a boat rod. Son Derek, 16, used a boat rig for his first cow.



Two Potential Records

by Paul Sweeney

Shauna Barton for Izorline and David Choate for Accurate were the chartermasters aboard the Intrepid when she returned for a ten-day trip January 5.


"We spent four days down on the lower banks," Intrepid captain Kevin Osborne said after docking at Point Loma Sportfishing January 5, 2010. "We also spent a day on the Ridge for some wide-open yellowtail, and maybe a potential world record grouper."

Osborne plans on submitting two potential world records: a Junior All-Tackle record for 16-year old Jeff Tedmori and his 206.4-pound yellowfin tuna, and chartermaster David Choate's 125.6-pound gulf grouper.

The ten-day charter returned with 12 tuna over 200 pounds total.

Javier Salguero of Inglewood won first place after a two and a half hour fight with a 291.4-pound yellowfin. Javier fished a sardine on a 4/0 Owner super Mutu hook, 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, a Daiwa 50 two-speed reel and a Calstar 768 rod.

"We were catching 80 to 100-pounders when I hooked it," Javier said.

Dane Barriault of Lake Havasu won second place for a 261.2-pound tuna. He said, “It just about spooled me." Dane used a 4/0 Owner hook on 130-pound Izorline, an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2x4 rod. He also caught a 218-pounder.

Bill Jamison of Bakersfield caught his best fish, a 260.2-pound tuna, good for third place in the jackpot. Bill fished a sardine on a 6/0 Owner hook, 130-pound Blackwater top-shot, an Accurate 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXX rod.

Honorable mention goes to Terry Williamson of Pine Mountain, CA, who caught a 264.2-pound tuna. Terry used a 5/0 Owner circle hook, 100-pound JB Line One spectra, 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, a Penn 30 reel and an unknown rod. Terry also caught a 201-pound cow.

"It was 80 degrees that day," Terry said, "and my buddy just caught a dorado. So I threw a bait out there trying to catch a dorado!"

Sixteen-year old Jeff Tedmori of Newport Beach caught a 216.4-pound tuna on the kite as well as his potential Junior All-tackle record 206.4-pound tuna. Jeff flylined a sardine on a 6/0 Owner Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Seaguar Premier line, an Accurate BX2-50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXX rod.

Jimmy Biondo of Valencia caught a 209.4-pound yellowfin on a 6/0 Owner circle hook, 130-pound Seaguar, an Accurate 30 W reel and a Super Seeker XXH rod.

Nicholas Rekrut caught two cows: a 237 and a 202-pounder.

Alex Reknut caught a 201-pound yellowfin.

Chartermaster David Choate's potential 125.6-pound World Record gulf grouper was caught using a Mustad hook, 130-pound Seaguar using Sato Crimps and Jerry Brown glue, 100-pound JB Line One Hollow Spectra, an Accurate ATD 30 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXX rod.

"You don't have time to click into a harness," David said after describing getting bit by a grouper.



Impressive Feat for Gardena Angler

by Paul Sweeney

Owner skipper Sam Patella returned American Angler to Point Loma Sportfishing January 5, 2010 after a ten-day Calstar charter. The trip returned with one cow; a 287.6-pound yellowfin for angler Greg Lee.


Most of the catch was 70 to 100-pounds, but the standout tuna, a 287.6-pounder caught by Lee, was good for first place in the jackpot. His catch is an impressive feat considering that Lee is deaf. The Gardena angler used a 5/0 hook, 130-pound fluorocarbon, a 50-size reel, and a Calstar 760 H rod.

Dan Federoff of Dana Point won second place for a 175-pound tuna. Dan used a 5/0 Owner gorilla hook, 80-pound pink Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon, 80-pound P-Line wind-on by Basil, 80-pound Berkley Big Game spectra, a Penn VSX 16 reel and a Calstar 700 XH rod.

American Angler regular Nacho Camarena of Oceanside took third place for a 144-pound yellowfin caught down at the lower banks.

"We pretty much had glass seas the whole trip," Nacho stated, then pointed at the calm water. "It was just like this here at the dock."



Foursome For Joe’s Guys

Joe D’Aquisto docked Red Rooster III at H&M Landing January 5 after a ten-day trip with 15 anglers, who bagged four cows along with a good catch of other tuna.


Michael Rosenthal won first place for a 231.7-pound tuna that bit his sardine on a 3/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he fished with 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 30 reel and an “Armbreaker” short rod of five feet made by Calstar.

Hans Rueckert of LA took an hour and a half and a skiff ride to bag the larger of his two cows for second place. That one weighed 220.7 pounds. The smaller one went 202.6 pounds. He used the same outfit: a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 80-pound Big Game on a Tiagra 30 reel and a Calstar 7670 H rod.

Terry Marx of Las Vegas won third place for his 220.5-pounder, which he got with a sardine on a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Yo-Zuri line and 130-pound Line One backing on a Penn 50 SW reel and a Lamiglass acid wrap 5110 rod.

Ed Scheenstra of LA bagged a 205.4-pound tuna.



Eight Over 200

“We spent all our time down there on the southern banks,” said Excel skipper Justin Fleck at Fisherman’s Landing January 5. He had just finished a ten-day trip with 33 anglers.

“The water’s still at 75 degrees,” he noted, “and the 40 to 90-pounders were really biting good. We got near-limits of tuna. We also had great yellowtail fishing on the beach.”

Dave Parker of Rossmoor won first place for a 218-pound tuna. He said he got it with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu and 80-pound Bass Pro Shops line tied to 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a TLD 30 reel and a Calstar 6465 H rod.

“It took two hours,” commented Parker. “For 25 minutes of that time he stayed up on the surface with his fin out.”

Ken Mayer of Reno, NV won second place for a 214-pound yellowfin. He got his with a sardine on a 7/0 Super Mutu and 80-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 30 W reel treated by Cal Sheets on a Calstar 6465 H rod. This fish also stayed on the surface for about half the fight, he said, and it duked it out with him for an hour and 20 minutes.

Jim Beck of Huntington Beach took an hour to beat his third-place winner, a 209-pound tuna. He said he put his sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook on 130-pound Yo-Zuri line and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel by Sheets and a Calstar 6460 XH rod.

Gary Kramer of Willows bagged a 201-pound tuna with a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 80-pound Izorline on a Penn 50 W reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.

“It took an hour and 40 minutes,” he said. “It’s my best fish ever and my first cow.”



“Got Some, Lost Some”

Jeff DeBuys brought the Independence home January 5 with 29 anglers and a couple of cows aboard. It was the Baja Fish Gear trip and chartermaster Ed Tschernoscha was also aboard.

“We had a great group,” said Ed. “Lots of the guys got their best fish ever.”

“There’s still good sign down there,” said Jeff. “We got some and we lost some. We had great fishing on tuna of 50 to 120 pounds.”

James Gollaher of Carlsbad won first place for a 238.8-pound yellowfin tuna that took a sardine on a 5/0 Hayabusa hook under the kite, on the boat’s kite rig.

Kevin Dubler of Julian won second place for a 230-pounder he bagged with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu tied to 80-pound Yo-Zuri pink line and 100-pound Line One Spectra on a Tiagra 30 W and a Fenwick six-foot rod.

Jim Stevens won third place for a 184.8-pound tuna.