I just returned from the Searcher 5-day trip and, for the seventh year in a row, had a successful trip.  The boat’s total catch for 22 anglers was:

  • 212 Albacore
  • 53 Yellowfin Tuna      
  • 14 Bluefin Tuna       
  • 15 Dorado
  • 294 Total

The nice thing about the count was that 80% of the fish were 30+ pounds, and the Yellowfin went up to 55 pounds.  My biggest was a 50 pounder, and I also had a nice Bluefin.  Also, almost all of the Albacore were 30-40 pounds.  A typical size is shown in the picture below.
 
We fished three days on the Tuna grounds, 120 miles SW of Point Loma, and one day at Guadalupe Island.  At the island we chased Black Porpoise to find the Yellowfin.  Amazingly, we landed 19 of 21 hooked.  Most anglers got one, and two anglers got two.  My friend Georg from Utah managed two and was only disappointed that he didn’t beat the 88 pounder he caught last year.  Since we never anchored we never had trouble with the White Sharks taking our fish.  We saw two, but they never got near the boat when we were on a bite.  
 
Most fish were taken on 25#, 30# or 40# line and most of the larger Yellowfin were caught on 40#, with a few on 50#.  At the Island we mostly used circle hooks, and a 2/0 ringed version worked well.  On the tuna grounds a 2/0 ringed flyliner “J” hook worked well.  Our bait was all sardines and only one fish was caught on a jig.  My friend Jim got it on a Salas 4/0 in Dorado colors.  On the troll another friend, Tanner, used a Braid Speedster in yellow and green and got hooked up almost every rotation.  I also did very well with an orange/yellow/brown cedar plug and got bit on about half of the rotations.  Zucchini and Mexican Flag feathers were also productive.
 
A personal highlight was catching a 40 pound Bluefin Tuna on 20# line.  It took me around the boat one and a half times and was one tough fish.  Captain Art Taylor doesn’t like anglers using 20# on his boat and was justifiably irritated at first that I was taking so much time during the prime bite hours (3 p.m. until dark).  However, after a while the Albacore came through and people started hooking fish again.  After landing the Bluefin I went back to 25# line, except on the slide where I got a number of fish on 30# and 40#.  My 50 pound Yellowfin at the island was caught on 40# using a Torium 30.  It would have been much nicer to have had a smaller version of a two-speed reel and I think I’ll get one before the next trip.
 
My friend Jim brought his friend Mike from Chicago on the trip.  It was his first trip and he got 19 fish.  All but the big Yellowfin were caught on spinning reels.  At first everyone thought he was crazy, but since he had the second highest count it was hard to argue with his success.  Who knows, maybe he’s onto something.
 
The service level and fishing on the Searcher are excellent and have brought me back year after year.  Captain Art Taylor, his wife Celia, and his crew are seasoned professionals and they definitely go the extra mile to make sure that everyone has fun and catches fish.  With 600 pounds of fish this was the second highest amount I have brought home.  Each year it has been between 200 and 1,000 pounds and none of it has ever gone to waste.  I’ll be going on another Searcher 5-day next August if anyone wants to join me.  Pictures of the trip and other related information are on their web site at:  www.searchersportfishing.com.
 
Kevin Justen