During the voyage, I made mention of the fact that we evolved our method of lifting the specimens to be tagged to include the boom and winch. With a reasonable amount of rigging and plenty of consideration before fishing began we eagerly awaited the opportunity to test the new system that we knew had the potential to dramatically alter the tagging process. When at last the opportunity arrived during our first afternoon at Isla San Benedicto the new method proved to be near perfect and the once grueling task of heaving the giant yellowfin on board became history. In today's round of photos, I hope to entertain you with a few before and after shots to demonstrate the dramatic difference in how we accomplish the act of safely hauling these big tuna on board.

I have to admit that the one shot of Capt. Brian Sims and scientist Dan Fuller with thumbs up and smiling faces is contrived. I was so struck by the huge disparity between lifting methods between this year's two excursions, best demonstrated by these two in an incredible photo taken during our February 2009 Revillagigedo voyage, that I had to set up a photo to highlight the difference. In the classic before and after format one can certainly appreciate the difference and see that there was a glaring need for this advance. Like I said in a report during the voyage, as proud as I am for figuring it out, I am equally embarrassed that we weren't doing this in the first place. It just goes to show how one can miss even the most obvious things. Regardless, we now have evolved and every aspect of the Revillagigedo tagging project is better for it.

In addition to the before and after shots, I am sending a sequence of Royal Star angler Warren Sakamoto's 250 pound trophy throughout the entire tagging process. I have another great series of Warren's 303 that I will share on another day. Suffice to say that Warren had a trip that most anglers can only imagine with two personal bests and a extraordinary number of fish tagged overall. 43 yellowfin tuna, most of which were sixty to ninety pounds with about ten of those from one twenty to one seventy five. Include the two giants and you get an idea of just how spectacular Warren's trip was, and how incredible the fishing on these tagging adventures can be. Enjoy today's photos and look for plenty more throughout the month.

Tim

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