Sam Patella docked his American Angler at Pt. Loma Sportfishing December 18 after an 11-day Tiburon trip with Skip Stenbro as chartermaster and 20 anglers aboard. Fishing was good in the Buffer Zone.“We had two good days,” said Patella, “and one day when it was slow we made a move and found some smaller biting fish.”
Bryan Kistler of Escondido won first place for his 226-pound tuna.
“My third cow,” he told dock reporter Bill Roecker, “and my best baitfish. Those fish down there are very strong. He fought for 50 minutes.”
Kistler said he baited a sardine on a 6/0 Gamakatsu hook tied to 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon (a topshot by Basil) and 130-pound Line One spectra. He fished with a Tiagra 30 W reel and a Calstar 6455 XXH rod wrapped by M&M.
Geoff Dsena of Palos Verdes won second place for a 201-pounder. It ate a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook on 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra. He used an Accurate ATD 30 reel and a Super Seeker 2 x 4 rod by The Rusty Hook.
Dan Spiegel of Santa Monica won third place for a 193-pound yellowfin tuna, a fish he bagged with a sardine and 100-pound line.
Cow Of The Day
“One bite today,” noted the report from Red Rooster III December 16, “and one fish 240 pounds. We worked at it until 2:30 and then headed up. Joe Dubler was the lucky angler that tied into the cow. Good visual on decent-sized fish but only the one bite. Now we are headed up and the weather is great. I hope it holds up for the next two days.”
“Last Full Day”
“Today was our last full day of fishing,” said the report by Larry Eilbot from Royal Polaris December 18, “we'll give it all we got for a few hours tomorrow morning, then head for home. Today was another day that saw quality fish continue to come on board. Yours truly got a taped 204, Ben Okazaki got two tuna in the very upper 190's, Neil Campbell who I think has been hooked up more than any other passenger this trip got a 195, Tom Benedetti scored back to back tuna on chunks, the largest taping at 185. Howard Hada was on a very large fish for a very long time when the hook pulled just a few yards down. Steve "Cookie Monster" James got a personal best 180.
“There was another apparent personal best today (dock weight pending) and I must stress here that those of you that have followed me on the web site in the past, know that I take my reporting responsibilities very seriously in an attempt to be unbiased and not dwell on me, me, me. It could have been any one of the other sixteen passengers on the kite this morning when the fish of a lifetime crashed a salami mackerel, but it was me, me, me! The fish was landed after putting up a strong fight, and taped out at 318! My previous high mark was a 304 twelve years ago. The dock scales will again be the final judge.
“Weather continues to be perfect, a good ride home is also predicted as of now. We hope (no promises) to post some pictures when we get closer to home and the satellite connection is more reliable. Here's hoping that in the hours we have to fish in the morning (and tonight for that matter as I hear there's a few going right now) that somebody catches a tuna that dwarfs the one I got today."
Star On The Star“Our photo today,” announced the report from Royal Star December 17, “features yet another long range master, Dr. Andy Cooperman, who in addition to catching numerous big deuces over the years, including this two hundred sixty pound beauty, is the equivalent of "all the king's horses and all the king's men" putting the long range fleet's crew's and Captains back together again. Dr. Cooperman is the North County San Diego orthopedic specialist who has earned our highest respect as a fisherman, and more importantly, performing his profession. He has set more than a few of our ails right over the past fifteen years. We are here, strong and capable as ever, because of it. Thanks Andy, from all of us still swinging gaffs and fish over the rail from your efforts.”
