Royal Polaris docked at Fisherman’s Landing under owner-skipper Frank LoPreste’s hand June 24, following an eight-day trip to Alijos Rocks and other points south.

“We arrived at Alijos Rocks at 07:30,” wrote skipper Frank LoPreste June 18. “Conditions are excellent with very blue water and a temperature of 69.2 degrees. The day can be described as good scratch fishing. We had 73 Yellowfin tuna, from 25 to 80 pounds and 10 nice Yellowtail. Once would think there might be a few Wahoo around, but we saw no sign of the toothy critters. We are hoping tomorrow that they will bite even better and that we get a couple 100 pound plus fish, because we did see a few around today.”

David Adamson of Anaheim Hills got this nice yellowfin at Alijos Rocks on Royal Polaris.

A 104.9-pound yellowfin was caught on the kite. The method isn’t eligible for a jackpot spot on Royal Polaris.

On June 22, Frank wrote: “The weather is absolutely beautiful with calm seas. Fishing is also outstanding. We caught 81 Bluefin tuna, 12 Yellowfin, and 8 Yellowtail. The highlight of our day was a sonar school of bigger Bluefin. We hooked about 35 fish and landed 18 Bluefin from 60 to 75 pounds. Tomorrow we are hoping to catch some Albacore and a few more Bluefin. For anyone interested there are two spots on the June 29th, 8-day trip, one on the July 7th, 5-day trip, and one on the July 12th, 5-day trip.”

At the dock, David Broder had the best tuna eligible for first place, a 71-pound bluefin. That weight made it the best to come in so far this season. Broder said he got the tuna with a sardine on a 2/0 Super Mutu hook, on 40-pound Izorline, with a Torsa 16 reel and a six-foot Calstar rod.

“It’s my best fish,” noted Broder. “I thought all the fish we caught were big.” It was his first long range trip.

Bob Yoshimoto nabbed this dandy 66.8-pound bluefin on the eight-day Royal Polaris trip.

Long-time long ranger Bob Yoshimoto of Thousand Oaks won second place for a 66.8-pound yellowfin.

Shawn McDermot was third, for a 64-pound yellowfin.

Eight Is Enough

Skipper Mark Pisano brought his Independence home to Pt. Loma Sportfishing June 24 after a three-day trip with eight youngsters among the 28 anglers on the boat. On June 22, he wrote, “Today we had a great day of fishing for albacore and bluefin tuna. By day’s end the parents and kids managed limits of albacore and 36 bluefin with most fish in the 15 to 30 lb. range, with just a small percentage of fish in the 10 to 15-pound range. The weather is as good as it gets; no wind and very mild seas.

“We had perfect weather,” said Mark, “and very good fishing on mixed bluefin and albacore. We didn’t have to go very far; only 60 miles or so.”

Mike Griffin of Capistrano Beach got the first-place albacore aboard Independence.

Mike Griffin of Capistrano Beach won first place for a 39-pound albacore, likely the best one so far for a multi-day boat. Mike said he used a sardine bait on a 1/0 Gorilla hook, with 25-pound P-Line on a Torium 20 reel and a Calstar 810 rod.

Three young ladies took the top spots for kids. Jeanne Kelber, 15, of Carlsbad won first place for a 38.6-pound albie. She said it came on a sardine pinned to a 2/0 Mustad hook, on 20-pound Big Game line on an Avet SX reel and a Sabre seven-foot rod.

Feminine Fisherpersons: These girls swept the kid's jackpot spots aboard Independence.

Riley Barilla, 12, of Santa Barbara was second, for a 37.4-pounder, and Robyn Ozaki (Rep Rick Ozaki’s 11-year-old daughter) of Gardena won third place for a 36.6-pound albacore.