Super Cows on the Excel

Report by Bill Roecker for fishingvideos.com & the San Diego Sportfishing Council

Brace of Super Cows

Excel arrived at Fisherman’s Landing May 19 after a 17-day Ralph Mikkelsen trip with 24 anglers. Skipper Justin Fleck took the boat to the Hurricane Bank and the Buffer Zone off Clarion Island, where an excellent catch of wahoo and tuna was made. Two of the tuna made the magic 300-pound mark, and the third-place fish, caught by David Choate of Torrance, just missed, when it hung out at 297 pounds. 

David Choate, a pro staffer for Accurate and Seeker from Torrance, took a 297.6-pounder for third place. He also caught a 203 and a 206-pounder. Dave got the big one on a Braid Yummee Flyer on a Mustad 20/0 circle hook, 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One

 Spectra backing. He used an Accurate 50 W reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod, also known as the “Rail Rod.”

Lawrence Nelson of Orange and Young’s Tackle bagged a 263.8 and a 228-pounder. He fished with 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Accurate 50 reel. The larger fish came on a Calstar 665 XXH rod and the smaller one on a Seeker 6455 XXH rod. 

The hugely successful Excel trip was the last of the 2007-2008 big tuna season for the boat. She’s out now, fishing on a shorter trip scheduled to arrive May 27.