Mark Pisano docked his Independence September 20 at Pt. Loma Sportfishing, after a five-day trip to Guadalupe Island.

“We experienced slower ‘Lupe fishing,” he said, “and the lighter gear worked better. The white sharks were bad up the side of the island. When we tried Westy’s Hole they were actually jumping out of the water to come down on the hooked tuna. They got 14 out of 15, so we moved.”

Enrique Cienfuegos of Moreno Valley scored on a huge, 80.2-pound yellowtail as he was fishing a mackerel on the dropper loop on the big island’s windward side. Small yellows of ten pounds or so were biting there, said the anglers, and Enrique’s monster homeguard came up right out of the middle of that pack.

Guadalupe Island put out this giant 80-pound yellowtail for Enrique Cienfuegos, on the dropper loop.

Enrique said he pinned his mackerel to a 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hook on 80-pound Maxima line on a Penn 6/0 reel and a Calstar 660 rod.

“He bit it three times while I was letting it out,” said Enrique, “and then he ran with it. I knew he was big when he went down. He almost spooled me on the 80-pound.”

Some 20 minutes later, Enrique had his fish aboard, the fifth-largest yellowtail caught by a San Diego sportboat.

Enrique's huge homeguard hogged the spotlight with Goeff D'Sena's tuna.

Geoff D’Sena of Redondo Beach won second place for a 75-pound yellowfin tuna, and Bruce Stewart of Paso Robles was third for a 70-pounder.

“Ran Like A Train”

Excel returned to Fisherman’s Landing after the five-day Colonello trip September 20 with skipper Shawn Steward.

“It was scratchy fishing at Guadalupe,” said Shawn, “but we had very good yellowtail fishing at Cedros Island, and good fishing for bottom fish and calico bass at San Martin Island, and we had flat calm weather.”

John Anderson of Minneola, NY took first place for a 77-pound yellowfin tuna. He said he fished a sardine with a Super Mutu 4/0 hook, 50-pound P-Line on a Saltist 50 reel and a Seeker 6465 H rod.

Fishing was scratchy, but big tuna were taken at Guadalupe by these Excel anglers.

Barry Norton of Las Vegas won second place for a 74.2-pound tuna. He said he tossed out a mackerel bait with a 9/0 94150 Mustad hook in it, and then fought the fish for 20 minutes on 50-pound P-Line, a TLD 30 reel and a Calstar 765 ML rod. “He ran like a train,” said Barry.

Brian Abramowitz of San Diego won third place for a 73.8-pound tuna.

The Biggest Dog

Sam Patella brought American Angler home after a five-day trip, docking at Pt. Loma Sportfishing September 20.

Aaron Plugge of El Segundo found the biggest dog among the tuna caught at Guadalupe Island, a 125-pounder that ate a flylined squid. He stuck the squid on a 7/0 Mustad hook, he said, and used 40-pound Big Game line, a Penn 4/0 reel and a Calstar 610 rod.

A "squish" was the downfall of the 125-pound tuna taking first place aboard American Angler.

Robert Barnhill of Hemet won second place for a 106-pounder, and Fred Latasa of Oceanside was third, for a 77-pound yellowfin tuna.

“He Pulled Hard”

Sato Crimps Work

“We had scratch fishing at Guadalupe,” said Royal Star skipper Randy Toussaint at the dock September 20.

Fluoro On Fire: The 45-pound stuff was just right for these North County firefighters.

Firefighters Tim Marshall of Escondido and Jim Mickelson of Carlsbad fished aboard the rig. The Royal Star regulars used Sato crimps to catch their tuna, and said the system worked especially well with the new Seaguar Premier 45-pound fluorocarbon leader. They posed with a pair of typical Guadalupe tuna.

Matt Wilson's tuna was 81 pounds of first-place fun.

Matt Wilson of Santa Barbara won first place for an 81.7-pound tuna. Brett Merrell of Laguna Niguel and Tony Teague of Carlsbad were second and third for tuna of 80.5 and 78 pounds.

LA Rod & Reel

The Rod and Reel club of Los Angeles returned to Pt. Loma Sportfishing September 20, after fishing eight days aboard the Qualifier 105 with skipper Brian Sims.

“This is a great group,” said Sims, “they all get along and they fish well. That makes for a good trip.”

Zeric Martinez of Las Vegas won first place on the trip, which visited both Alijos Rocks and Guadalupe Island.

“I was letting my line out with a squid on it,” said Zeric, “when he hit it.” When the dust settled some 20 minutes later, Martinez had an 81-pound tuna on the deck. He said he used an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook, 60-pound Big Game line pm an Accurate 50 reel, and a 6460 H rod.

Qualifier 105 winners visited both Alijos and Guadalupe on their eight-day trip with LA Rod & Reel Club.

Ben Susman of Dana Point was second, for a 73.6-pounder, and Loren Martinez won third place for a 70.6-pound yellowfin tuna.

Writer Likes Videos

“Dear Bill,

I just wanted to drop you a note, and tell you how much I enjoyed watching your fishing videos.

Last week I bought from your office both seven-disc sets from your 1st and 2nd TV show seasons; also a copy of the one-hour DVD, “Baja Tuna Cowtown.” The DVD’s were well worth the $130 I spent, and I am sure they will be great entertainment to some of my fishing friends.

My compliments to you on the great clear picture quality and the good editing on your videos. I have made a few fishing videos on my own boat, and I know how hard it is to get good steady images, and good lighting. My videos were just homemade tapes for my own family to view, but it taught me how hard it is to get good images.

Writer Michael McAlear liked Bill Roecker's "Cowtown" DVD; and all the shows.

You probably don’t recognize my name, but I used to write articles about Mexico tuna fishing for California Angler Magazine in the 1980’s. I was a friend of Bill Ray & Holly Ray, and I grew up in Newport Beach. In the 1970’s & 1980’s I did a lot of local So Calif. Marlin & Albacore fishing on my father’s boat, and later on my own boat; but my favorite kind of fishing during those years was making 16-day trips on the Royal Polaris and the Polaris Supreme. I have been away from that kind of fishing for the last 15 years, but watching your DVDs brought back many enjoyable memories. For the last 10 years I was living in New York City, but I am now back here living in Los Angeles, and I may even do some San Diego Long Range Fishing.

I have fished in dozens of different spots on the Pacific & Atlantic, and tuna fishing in Southern Mexico is really one of the best adventures! Keep up the good work.”

Sincerely,
Michael McAlear, by USPS September 18, 2006

Dear Michael:

Thank you so much for your kindness. I couldn’t be more pleased that a writer such as yourself can find enjoyment in my work. I remember Holly Ray well; she was my boss when I ran South Coast and CA Angler magazines (simultaneously, for a while). I hope she is doing well these days.

It’s good to hear you may be doing some fishing again. As Bill Poole likes to say, “These are the good old days.” I hope to meet you on the dock sometime.
Best,
Bill Roecker