Vagabond Sportfishing

The Vagabond lands the Best Yellow Of The Year

10-1-2011
Bill Roecker
Mike Lackey docked his Vagabond at Pt. Loma Sportfishing October 1 following a six-day trip that fished two days at the San Benitos Islands (where anglers made squid to take to the big island) and a day at Guadalupe Island, where his 25 fishermen accounted for some big tuna and a giant yellowtail of 74 pounds.

Tom Stevenson of Riverside won first place for an 82.8-pound yellowfin tuna. He said it bit a sardine on a 3/0 Mustad 91450 hook and 40-pound Maxima fluorocarbon, 40-pound Izorline and 65-pound Power Pro spectra on an Avet JX reel and a Calstar 610 rod.

Bryan Sweet of Whittier won second place for a 79-pound Guadalupe Island yellowfin tuna. Apparently the largest yellowtail of the year, the 74-pound whopper mossback caught by James Stubblefield of Mission Viejo won third place. James said the giant critter bit on a sardine and a 2/0 Owner ringed Gorilla hook and 40-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon. He used 40-pound Izorline and 65-pound Power Pro spectra on an Accurate BX-2 600 reel and a Calstar 700 H rod. "He bit on the surface,"James told dock reporter Bill Roecker, "and he fought hard for 25 minutes after he pulled out a hundred yards of line. He took me from the stern to the bow."