Hello All, 

  Royal Polaris filled it's holds and is headed back to San Diego! We had a super great trip and will be home a day early. Travel weather north is comfortable, light breeze and no seas. The Line One gang knocked it out of the park with 28 Yellowfin Tuna over 200 pounds. Sub Charter master, chunk master general and all around awesome guy (big daddy) Don Burnside finished the trip by snagging Jerry's money and landing a 246 pounder! We also spent some time thinking about and remembering longtime RP charter master and fisherman Terry Koike RIP. More tomorrow! Thanks for checking in! 

 P.S. Happy Happy Birthday (Jan29) To sweet Karen Oba SOKO!

For a complete season schedule on the Royal Polaris CLICK HERE then call 619-226-8030 for more information and to book your trip.

Some boats contribute nothing to SAC so please support SAC boats and help to protect your fishing future

Topped off

What a way to end the trip, good tuna fishing and excellent wahoo fishing. I know that a good wahoo count isn't going to make the headlines but it is still one of my favorite fish to eat and catch. After a few more bingos today, that puts our wahoo tally over the 200 mark for the trip. Not to mention the fact that the tuna bite went full speed at the end topping off our fish holds and making a lot of people very happy. We picked off two more cows and lots of fish from 100-170 pounds that all went directly into the rsw well. Doctor Mike got his third cow of the trip on a mackerel weighing 245 pounds. Paul Corbitt picked off a 220 out of the chunk line right at the end of the the day. We are now heading up the line in flat calm seas and sunny skies. Justin

We made it here to the Buffer Zone in the early a.m hours and were able to get a tank of big baits before sunrise to use throughout the day. The morning was pretty slow for us with very little sign around, but the afternoon gave up some scratch fishing on Tuna in the 70-120 lb. range along with a couple dozen Wahoo. Conditions are pretty good, just not much big fish sign around, although we did hook into one Tuna that looked like the real deal, but it swam away after earning it's freedom. We made the most of our first day and will see what day two brings along for us tomorrow. The weather is perfect with a slight breeze to keep you cool and keep the kites flying high. Wish us luck. "The Intrepid Team"

Come one come all!,

Deuces Wild on the Casino Royale Polaris! Pit boss Rose and his dealers are givin it away in crazy fashion. From tuna roulette to 5 bait poker and Wahoo slots we're breakin the bank. It seems every ones a winner. Even the rockfish craps are payin off. "This place is loose!", say big pot winners Steve Oba (202) and Richard Keeley (216), with 26 over 200 they're goin broke! It's hot, the lounge acts are great and the food is to die for! One day left before we call it quits! The hotel is all almost full! If you aren't here now make reservations soon and you too can be a winner!

For a complete season schedule on the Royal Polaris CLICK HERE then call 619-226-8030 for more information and to book your trip.

Some boats contribute nothing to SAC so please support SAC boats and help to protect your fishing future

And just like that, they were gone. Virtually zero sign of jumbos today, despite continued fantastic action on 70 - 120 yellowfin, with a few standouts in the 160 - 185# class. We did have one shot at a giant early, but to our chagrin the brief skirmish ended with a bare hook coming back trailing only a small piece of skin. At least the skulking beast now has a pierced lip to remember us by.

Focusing on the positive however, all enjoyed the final full day of fishing logging in time at the rail, enjoying primo weather, and pulling with remarkable consistency on spirited tunas. In particular, the chunk fishermen were absolutely slaying the fish, by far the best chunk fishing I have ever seen, remaining steady on the big gear throughout the day. There were numerous times during the day when of the three or four fish that were hooked all were enticed with the chunk. And it has been this way for the past three days. For whatever reason all sizes of the fish around here appear to be keyed into to that type of feed; we'll take it.

And speaking of the chunk it is only right that I first feature "The Commander", long time Royal Star veteran and favorite Colonel (Ret.) Geoff Houck pulling on one of his countless tuna hooked and landed on the chunk during the past three
days. Showing grit, and tireless determination that one would expect from a United States Marine, Geoff has been kicking the daylights out of the tuna this voyage with his best thus far weighing in at 192#.

Photo number two features another of the Northern Albacoreman Wayne Waldron who is captured in a classic moment of agonizing ecstasy. No doubt this is a perfect example of the slight difference in brawn between the cool water, delicate albacore, and the warm water brawler yellowfin tuna; the extra one hundred twenty pounds the tuna on the other end of Wayne's pole was carrying over the average twenty two pound albacore didn't hurt either. Anyway it is fitting that another Northern Albacoreman, Captain Brett Rouintree, previously of the Royal Star, is at Wayne's side in this photo making his annual one or two winter cameo's on Royal Star far from his own albacore bait boat the Anna Maria.

With the final morning looming the stakes are gargantuan for a strong finish. With plenty of energy in reserve we are ready and willing to take everything they are willing to yield, and then some.

Still going strong

Conditions changed on us here but fishing was still good. Only one cow hit he deck caught by Mike Jennings on a chunk. His fish went 225 pounds and is his personal best. Mid grade tuna from 60-120 pounds were still plentiful and most of these guys are releasing their fish, still trying for that big one. We are now in the final rsw well with two more days to fish. Hopefully we use up the remaining space for biggins. Justin

Beautiful flat weather for our travels south. The day was spent relaxing and visiting with friends. Tomorrow we will be getting started with our seminars and rigging up the tackle. We are in high spirits with the fishing that's going on right now and can't wait to get into some big fish action. If you are considering joining us on one of our Panama trips we have a few spots left, so give us a call and come down for an adventure that you'll never forget. The activities we have planned for you are sure to fill you with excitement in a fishery that's full of surprises! "The Intrepid Team"

More cows

We had a big day here with 95 tuna and 45 more wahoo hitting the deck. Since I last checked in we've had five more cows come aboard. Phil Ruemmler got two at 208 and 210. Tim Turis has a 221, Nonon Alvarez 223, and Doc Gooing picked off a 224. What a great time to be fishing. I'll send pictures later. Justin

Every day during the daylight hours has had one consistency, that no two days have been the same as far as fish sign or fishing conditions. The nights have been our most valued time of the day by far, up until yesterday afternoon. Extremely good sign on Vacca all day with good steady fishing current and a legitimate shot for a "Good One" basiclly all day long. We made the most of the golden opportunity with an epic afternoon of Vacca fishing by hooking and landing a 298, 285,277, 243,222, 211 and a 207. This along with very good fishing for 120-180 pound fish and excellent light wire bait fishing for wahoo made for a day that no one aboard will forget any time soon. We are getting very close and have room for maybe two more good ones in our fish storage tanks, along with a little more skin to fill in the cracks. We are waiting to see what today has to offers as I type this report, obviously in great anticipation at another shot at a good one or two.

The pictures today are of Mike Burkman with a mid day 243 kite fish. Scott Harper and the Red Rooster III crew with Scott's 298 at Sundown flying a squid under the kite. Jack Thrush and the crew with a 285 from the kite in the afternoon. Long time Red Rooster III passenger Dave Malmberg and a 222 pound Kite fish. Last but not least is Daniel Bliss with his first Solo light wire finesse wahoo, I must say Daniel was elated to master the art of light wire fishing for wahoo.

What a great way to finish our trip....four more fish over 200lbs (Robin LeMaster, Bill Randall, John Metcalf, Steve Leonhart) and then the last fish of the trip to hit the deck was a 320lb beast caught by regular veteran angler, Dennis "Red" Saylors. (He's fished a lot of long trips and earned that one).

We feel very fortunate to experience this level of big tuna fishing and can't wait to get home to begin eating fresh fish.

On our way home,

The Guys

Every day during the daylight hours has had one consistency, that no two days have been the same as far as fish sign or fishing conditions. The nights have been our most valued time of the day by far, up until yesterday afternoon. Extremely good sign on Vacca all day with good steady fishing current and a legitimate shot for a "Good One" basiclly all day long. We made the most of the golden opportunity with an epic afternoon of Vacca fishing by hooking and landing a 298, 285,277, 243,222, 211 and a 207. This along with very good fishing for 120-180 pound fish and excellent light wire bait fishing for wahoo made for a day that no one aboard will forget any time soon. We are getting very close and have room for maybe two more good ones in our fish storage tanks, along with a little more skin to fill in the cracks. We are waiting to see what today has to offers as I type this report, obviously in great anticipation at another shot at a good one or two.

The pictures today are of Mike Burkman with a mid day 243 kite fish. Scott Harper and the Red Rooster III crew with Scott's 298 at Sundown flying a squid under the kite. Jack Thrush and the crew with a 285 from the kite in the afternoon. Long time Red Rooster III passenger Dave Malmberg and a 222 pound Kite fish. Last but not least is Daniel Bliss with his first Solo light wire finesse wahoo, I must say Daniel was elated to master the art of light wire fishing for wahoo.

Another fine day that for us again peaked early with the morning hit yielding four more solid deuces and a couple of handfuls of 130 - 192's. Then there were the mid-graders that inserted themselves into the fray from the beginning and

unlike their larger brethren, that to our disappointments did not stay, remained with us the entire day.

Following our big morning the action tapered into plentiful catching on 70 - 110# yellowfin with only the occasional fish over 150. However, with the strongest emphasis possible, we are in no state to complain. And, wouldn't even

think of doing so on such a prosperous occasion.

In conversation today the subject of how this voyage relates to others on the scale of success came up. I considered the question from a variety of perspectives and commented that I would never depart on a voyage with expectations of anything better. Of course there could be a higher percentage of two hundred pounders, or three hundred pounders for that matter, but such high grading is pointless. Hoping for magic is exactly that. Hoping for what we have now is real.

We head into day six energized, enthusiastic, and well prepared to continue the established roll. Beyond the fishing we could not be out here among a better group of anglers who have melded into a production machine all while maintaining

a light atmosphere rife with camaraderie, a few hijinks, and all around good fun.

Doc gets a monster

We've been very busy here on on Big X with good action on this mid grade tuna. Most of the action comes before daylight on big baits and chunks. Al Merrick picked up a 222 pounder on a chunk. Doctor Gooing added on to his impressive resume with a 314.8 pound monster also caught on the chunk. There's no doubt about it, these big tuna are here and every bait that hits the water has a chance of producing a fish of a lifetime. Justin

It is Saturday morning and to be quite honest I'm not sure where I left off on the updates from the last report, the days are starting to blend together. WE continue to have excellent fishing and fantastic weather as you can see by the pictures we have sent along with today's report. We still have three day's of fishing and we are trying to be very selective on what is being put in the last hold, looking for more "GOOD ONES".

Our picture's today are of Bob Brower of Hixson Tennessee pulling on one of his better fish from yesterday (note the weather:). Mike Butler with a mid day 180 pound kite fish. Jack Thrush with a 207 pound fish right at daylight and Ray Broders with one of his two 200 pounders in the last twenty four hours, along with a few more fish waiting for a ride back to San Diego. We will continue to report on our progress as all of us aboard the Red Rooster III enjoy this great fishing and weather.

An early wake up call today as the wee hours of the morning produced the lion's share of the day's excitement. I won't classify the action as hot and heavy, things were far more reasonable than a few days prior, but the pace was worthy
and the tuna were game.

As well the mixed bag size average continues with one bait producing a 75 pound yellowfin, the next perhaps a 120 - 150, and the next a 200 - 250. Other than fishing a big bait in the early dawn, or perhaps sticking to the chunks, there
is no explanation other than odds; those odds favoring one who is in the water, fishing with the big gear, the vast majority of the time.

Other than a few tuna here and there, in addition to more sporadic excitement provided by the ever present striped, speedy hooligans, the day passed in abundant leisure with anglers worn down by the early start and baking sun
grabbing liberal siestas and enjoying the calm. It was a fine day in every respect. Another four over the 200 mark in the hatch, and plentiful action in between.

Photos today first feature the northern contingent again with a quick correction from day one. Washingtonian Albacoreman Todd Girtz, I originally incorrectly identified as Oregon Albacoreman, landed his first deuce this morning coming in just over the mark at 205. Photo number two features an incredibly stoked Royal Star veteran David Sumethasorn with a porky 219 that was so big around when landed it appeared as though it would explode. After the official weigh in, we flushed about five pounds of chunks and various "giblets" from prior dressings from it's belly. It was living high on the hog for awhile, and at least went down fighting with a full belly! This one, fresh from the RSW upon return, will undoubtedly be a delicacy.