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Captain Mike’s Blog

Father’s Day morning report

June 21st, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog, Trip Reports|

Good morning anglers,

We spent our morning scratching away at 8-15lb yellowtail this morning on kelps. We have had a few opportunities at some nice grade dorado as well, but have yet to boat one.

Here is Dong with his first ever yellowtail!

We have been looking at bluefin tuna all morning as well. They seem to be in a funky mood however, and have yet to respond to the bait. We currently have a school sitting under us but they are not biting. It seems like they may be starting to move up in the water column, so we’re hoping for a big afternoon. Plenty of time left to fish. We will check back later.

Captain Mike and the boys

 

 

 

 

 

Good evening anglers,

The bluefin tuna and yellowfin tuna did not want to cooperate today. They stayed down all day. We did see a couple nice schools but they did not cooperate. We were able to scratch up some more yellowtail this afternoon, including Keith’s jackpot pending one seen here which looks to be about 18lbs.

Captain Mike and the boys

1.5 day Trip (June 18-20)

June 19th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog, Trip Reports|

Good morning anglers,

We are having a fun morning here, scratching away at  bluefin, yellowfin and dorado, and it’s pretty fun fishing right now. It is finesse fishing, using 25lb and small hooks. We are currently in a bluefin stop with a couple on deck and a couple hanging. We’re hoping we can plunk away on them here.

Here is Sheri with a dorado she caught flylining a sardine this morning. Nice work!

Captain Mike and the boys

Good evening anglers,

Our plunker drift from lunchtime turned into quite a stop. We drifted until we had our limit of 25-40lb bluefin. The go-to set up was a 25lb set up with a #1 or #2 hook. If you fished the right tackle and used a little finesse, it was game on. We did catch a few more yellowfin in the mix as well. All and all, we had a great trip, all smiles and high fives here. Here’s Captain Armando and Kevin with a 30lb bluefin he caught on a fly lined sardine.

Captain Mike and the boys

 

Catching up with Anglers!

June 19th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog|

Welcome to a new segment we are calling “Catching up with Anglers!”

We love to stay in touch with our Searcher family to share 🎣fish stories, recreate the excitement, swap tackle tips, reunite with old friends and maybe make new ones. We thought it would be fun to see how our anglers are holding up and share some of their stories. Hopefully they can give you ideas of things we can be doing with your time or help you feel better. Let’s catch an angler.⁠

Today we have a special angler a long time Searcher family member. Plus he is a rep for Izorline and is always so willing to education and share his knowledge. We had to check in with him and see how he is doing.

Name: Howard Folmer

From:  Gardena, CA

Job Titles: Son, Dad, Husband, Grandfather (Really loving being a Grandfather!),  Electrician, Project Specialist, Pro-Staff for Izorline

  • Day in the life during quarantine: Still working 6 or 7 days a week.  It’s been a huge blessing to be support for essential services like Hospitals. 

  • Challenges during quarantine: Not liking wearing the masks.  Not fishing.

  • Tackle Tip: Keep your rods, reels, terminal tackle and line in top shape!  Change your topshot after a big fish, and after every trip.

  • Benefits of this tackle tip: LESS TRAFFIC!!

  • What’s on tv: I discovered Netflix just recently!  Finished Orange is the New Black, Watching Lucifer, and several fishing shows like Chasing Monsters and Hardliners.

  • New stuff you dig: Been experimenting with both tuna and beef jerky’s on the smoker.  Killing it!
  • Weird thing you’ve done: Tough question, there’s so many….(my friends call me How-weird for a reason)!   Several hundred things come to mind, but here is one: I was once on stage, dressed in drag and NOT part of the cast!
  • What’s in/must have in your tackle box: A few hooks, a few sinkers, LOTS OF JIGS!

  • Anything you have  stocked up on: Jigs, fishing line, toilet paper, and sanitizing wipes!

  • Favorite fish dish: Beer battered Halibut and chips!

  • Motivation: Family and friends.  Love makes life worth living, and I have more than I could have ever imagined!

  • Fish you are looking forward to catching: I really want an Opah and a Swordfish!

  • Positives: Watching one Son work from Home….he is amazing at his job! (I never knew)

Thank you so much Howard! We hope to see you on the water🌊soon!⁠

Tackle Tip Thursday Vol. 104 (Sinker rig fishing)

June 18th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog, Tackle Tip Thursday|

Tackle Tip Thursday is here! Today we have a special guest and his first appearance on Tackle Tip Thursday  Captain Armando talking bluefin fishing. Captain Armando gives us the run down on sinker rig fishing. Things you will need include line, rubber band, something to cut the line (can be nail clippers but anything you have) and a 6-8oz torpedo sinker. 

Thank you so much Captain Armando for the great Tackle Tip! 

We have been approved to Go FISHING! We have spots available let’s go on a fishing  trip today! Click the link to hook your spot lets go fishing!

Catching up with Anglers!

June 13th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog|

Welcome to a new segment we are calling “Catching up with Anglers!”

We love to stay in touch with our Searcher family to share 🎣fish stories, recreate the excitement, swap tackle tips, reunite with old friends and maybe make new ones. We thought it would be fun to see how our anglers are holding up and share some of their stories. Hopefully they can give you ideas of things we can be doing with your time or help you feel better. Let’s catch an angler.⁠

Today we have a special angler who is a staple on the Searcher. He is not only an incredible angler, but a first responder. We are so thankful for all you do and for being a part of the Searcher family. And thank you for your service, Kevin!

 

Name: Kevin Justen

From: Huntington Beach, California

Job Titles: Senior Administrative Analyst, Huntington Beach Fire Department

  • Day in the life during quarantine: Being in the Fire Department, there is too much to do to keep our City safe and our Firefighters safe.  Conditions change constantly but, fortunately, the infection and fatality rates in our city are not too high.  However, this has been an “All In” experience, one of the most intense of my life.

  • Challenges during quarantine: Doing everything differently.  Also, the days are are long and the days off few.
  • Tackle Tip: 1. Always listen to the crew. They know best.  2. Enough can’t be said about the importance of a lively bait.  The extra time spent selecting a good bait is well worth it.
  • Benefits of this tackle tip:  You catch more fish!
  • What’s on tv: Big Bang Theory is always good for a laugh.  I’m looking forward to the History Channel special on U.S. Grant.  The book it is based on was great.
  • New stuff you dig:  I’ve learned to value the little things and to treasure my family and friends more.  A phone call with a friend or a walk with my wife are much more meaningful now.
  • Weird thing you’ve done: Watched the Tiger King documentary.  Those guys are nuts!
     
     
  • What’s in/must have in your tackle box:  Lots of hook sizes and types. I prefer ringed hooks.  Fluorocarbon, of course.
     
     
  • Anything you have  stocked up on:  Plants and seeds for getting my vegetable garden in.
     
     
  • Favorite fish dish: Grilled Yellowtail for fish tacos.  I use Italian dressing for marinade.
     
     
  • Motivation: Getting through this time with my family and coworkers okay in the end.  This disease is scary!  
     
     

  • Fish you are looking forward to catching:  Wahoo, the great gamefish.  Yellowtail and Yellowfin are great too!  However, any time on the Searcher is fun, enjoyable, exciting and full of laughs.

Thank you so much Kevin! We hope to see you on the water🌊soon!⁠

2020 Fishing Season Begins!

June 12th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog|

Trip A: 1.5Day (June 11-13)

Hello anglers,

We are on the bluefin tuna grounds today! We departed on our first trip of 2020!

We have our first fish of the season as well! Norm Fujimoto from Izorline hooked a fish at daylight using 100 pound test and a torpedo sinker and a live sardine. He definitely had the right gear and it didn’t take long to land the fish. Here is a photo of Norm and his 75 pound Bluefin tuna!!!!!

Tackle Tip Thursday Vol. 103 (Surface Irons)

June 11th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog, Tackle Tip Thursday|

Tackle Tip Thursday is here!  We have Captain Art who gives us all the must-have  Tackle Tip  for your tackle box. We are talking surface iron fishing and the two must-have lures. The Tady 45 (Blue, green and white mackerel color) and the Salas 7X (Sardine green and white.) 

We have been approved to Go FISHING! We have our first trip today! Click the link to hook your spot lets go fishing!

Did you miss our Tackle Talk Live? We have the full video posted on our YouTube channel or click here to hook all the Tackle tips. 

Thank you so much Captain Art for the great Tackle Tip and Fisherman’s Landing Tackle Shop for letting us use your products. Want more tackle tips, hook them here!

 

Let’s Go Fishing!

June 7th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog|

The time we’ll all been waiting for has arrived! We got the green light for re-opening and our fishing operations will begin this week, just in time to get offshore for some tuna and yellowtail fishing. Thank you for your patience while we waited until we had something to report, and now we suggest that all passengers review these two documents so you can see how we plan to keep you safe with us aboard Searcher. Some things will feel different, but the fishing, crew and our vessel will feel just like you remember.

Procedures for Passenger Safety

Passenger Information on Covid-19 (signature required at check-in)

We have scheduled some open-party trips through Fishermans Landing here:  Fishermans Landing trips on Searcher

For these trips, the landing does all the booking, check-in, and their payment and post-Covid procedures apply.

We will reach out to all anglers booked for our 2020 season just as soon as we can. Land crew are still working remotely. Thank you for your patience!

Mystery Outing

June 7th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog|

Hello anglers,
Celia organized an outing for us over Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday, May 24.  She didn’t say where we were going until we got in the car. We were heading to Costa Mesa and Newport Beach to explore where Searcher (original name Cape Polaris) was built 50 years ago, and then retrace the journey from the boatyard to the launching. For general directions, we were going by remembered information from those that were there, old photos, and information from a journalist who was writing a column about the local maritime activities in Orange County back then. He comes from a sportfishing family who operated a large landing in Newport through the 1950’s.

Things have changed since 1970, but it was great to see the street where the Dittmar and Donaldson marine architects and boat builders had their boat yard (Sea Boat Co) on 16th Street in Costa Mesa. Then we drove down Newport Blvd to Lido Isle and imagined Cape Polaris on the back of a truck at night, arriving to its launch site at Lido Shipyard (now Newport Harbor Shipyard). I got to walk beside the ways where she may have been launched into the water for the first time. The photo at the top of this post is her launch day.

It was a great day with lots of nostalgia. We may be learning even more as time goes on. We are so privileged to be a part of this great boat’s history and we are looking forward to the future years of being its owners and caretakers!
Capt Art

More information and fun facts:

Obituary for Don Donaldson

Costa Mesa’s notoriety for boat building

 Dittmar and Donaldson scrapbook, including smaller original Searcher

Catching up with Anglers!

June 6th, 2020|Captain Mike's Blog|

Welcome to a new segment we are calling “Catching up with Anglers!”

We love stay in touch with our Searcher family aka anglers, to share 🎣fish stories, recreate the excitement, swap tackle tips, reunite with old friends and maybe make new ones. We thought it would be fun to see how our anglers are holding up and share some of their stories. Hopefully they can give you ideas of things we can be doing with your time or help you feel better. Let’s catch an angler.⁠

Today we have a special angler who is a staple on the Searcher. She is a great angler and she knows what she is doing on deck.
⁠
Name: Anne
From: Redondo, CA
Job Titles: Former Doc

  • Day in the life during quarantine: Checking fishing chit chat and landing sites; thinking about next trip
    ⁠

  • Challenges during quarantine: Patience while waiting to get back out to sea.
    ⁠

  • Tackle Tip: Sharping hooks, fresh line.
    ⁠

  • Benefits: Confidence when you get hit.
    ⁠

  • What’s on tv: Ozark
    ⁠

  • New stuff you dig: still looking online for the “ultimate” jig stick.

    ⁠

  • Positives: Getting Enough sleep
    ⁠

  • Weird thing you’ve done: Will not overshare, thanks for asking.
    ⁠

  • What’s in/must have in your tackle box: Blue tape and sunscreen.
    ⁠

  • Anything you are stocked up on: ⁠Iron (way overstocked)
    ⁠

  • Favorite fish dish: Grilled yellowtail with salsa
    ⁠

  • Motivation: Surviving intact with family and friends
    ⁠

  • Fish you are looking forward to catching: WAHOO, crazy fun!
    ⁠

Thank you so much Anne! We hope to see you on the water🌊soon!⁠

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