Burroughs Catches 404-Pound Marlin

Jeff Burroughs, the Toronto Blue Jays’ designated hitter, was the fishing star of a recent long-range trip to the Revillagigedo Islands, 300 miles south of the tip of Baja, Calif. Burroughs, the 1974 American League’s most valuable player at Texas, caught a 404-pound black marlin after a 2 1/2-hour fight aboard the San Diego-based Royal Polaris, skippered by Frank LoPreste.

Burroughs and 16 other fishermen on the trip Jan. 17-Feb. 2 also caught 525 yellowfin tuna and 226 wahoo. Thirty-four of the tuna, estimated at better than 100 pounds, were tagged and released, as were 123 that were thought to be under 100 pounds.

Freshwater

Vail Lake fishermen, locked out of their favorite reservoir since November because of a recently solved insurance liability problem, are making up for lost time.

Two pairs of largemouth bass fishermen this week brought in double limits of bass, one weighing 82 pounds 9 ounces, the other 50 pounds 13 ounces. The two biggest fish of the 20: 11 pounds 14 ounces and 8 pounds 4 ounces . The four fishermen were Mike Tomaselli and Bill Beckum of Corona, and Steve Turgliatto and Bob Bartlet of Stanton.