By Bill Roecker

“Our fishing was fine, just excellent,” said Royal Star skipper Brian Sims July 26 at Fisherman’s Landing. He had just returned from a five-day trip with 25 anglers.

“The fish were down yesterday, but that’s okay. They'll be back up shortly.”

George Green of San Clemente won the jackpot. His albacore weighed 39.5 pounds, one of many in the jumbo-size range taken by the Star’s anglers. Green said he got it with a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Flyliner hook. He used a 40-pound Shimano wind-on leader and 65-pound Line One Spectra. George had the first jackpot on the new Accurate B-2 500 reel and also used an Accurate seven-foot rod.



Baja Paddy Hoppers

The 16th anniversary of Sherman Lim’s charter group arrived July 26 aboard the Independence with skipper Jeff DeBuys at the helm. There were 29 Paddy Hoppers aboard the five-day trip with the boat tied up at Pt. Loma Sportfishing.

“We had good weather, and we saw some boomer albacore schools,” said DeBuys to dock reporter Bill Roecker at the scales. “We fished a bit at The Bush, Cedros and offshore.”

Mike Takaki of Torrance won first place for his 37-pound albacore. He used a sardine on a 3/0 Mustad hook, with 30-pound Izorline, and Avet JX reel and a Calstar 800 ML rod.

Takaki was tied by his son Rick, also of Torrance. Rick’s 37-pound fish was a bluefin tuna. The pair posed with third-place winner Mike Giardino of San Pedro, who got a 36.8-pound albacore.



Albacore Galore

Art Taylor docked his Searcher July 26 after a five-day trip with 24 passengers. He weighed the best of the catch on the certified scales at Fisherman’s Landing.

Kevin Weber of Cota de Caza won first place for a 40-pound albacore that took a sardine on a 3/0 Mustad hook, 30-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 30-pound Ande line. He fished with a Trinidad 40 reel and a seven-foot Calstar rod.

Gary Atkins of Palmer Lake CO won second place for a 39.6-pound albacore. Kim Day of Wilson took third in the jackpot for his 38-pound jumbo albacore.



Boy Cracks JP Lineup

Sixteen was a lucky number for at least one Intrepid angler when the boat arrived at Pt. Loma Sportfishing July 26.

“Another fun day on the Intrepid,” wrote skipper Kevin Osborne July 25. “Today was fun in a different way, as we chose to go kelp patty hopping around the ocean. We were rewarded with big bull Dorado and nice grade Yellows for our efforts. We found a spot of porpoise and picked up Yellowfin on the jigs as a bonus. We want to thank The Rod Rack and BloodyDecks.com for their support and a fun trip all around.”

Bluefin highlighted the jackpot spots. Joey Horvatch of Camarillo won first place for a 43.8-pounder, best fish of the day. Joey said he fished a sardine on a 3/0 Flyliner hook tied to 40-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 40-pound Izorline XXX mono, and Avet JX reel and a Calstar 700 H rod.

Glen Kennedy of Thermal got second place for a 42.4-pounder, and 16-year-old John Normoyle of Fremont tied him with an identical bluefin. John will actually turn 16 July 27, and he will be going to Washington High in Fremont.