Boat Searcher Sportfishing Boat Big Yellowtail Sunset Crew and Wahoo Crew and sunset Fish off the boat
San Diego Long Range Fishing | Searcher Sportfishing

Searcher Sportfishing | San Diego Long Range Fishing

Searcher Sportfishing BoatSearcher Sportfishing offers premier San Diego Long Range fishing trips departing from Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego, California. Join Captain Mike, Chef Josh, and the Searcher Crew on our 95-foot double-planked mahogany wood sportfishing boat for 2-day to 8-day long-range trip to offshore fishing locations in Southern California and Baja California, Mexico, targeting tuna, yellowtail, wahoo, dorado, and more.

View Searcher’s 2026 & Partial 2027 Schedule

Searcher is docked at Fisherman’s Landing, 2838 Garrison Street San Diego, CA 92106.

Interested in chartering a trip, send an email, office@searchersportfishing.com or call the office, 619-226-2403.

For the latest Southern California fishing reports check out Fisherman’s Landing YouTube Page. If you have tackle questions, give Fisherman’s Landing Tackle Shop a call, 619-221-8500.

Trip Report

Jun 262016

Trip 1 (3 day) June 25

Hello anglers: We worked hard today with not much luck. It was the ol’ “should have been here yesterday” scenario with good reports from the day before. Unfortunately the conditions changed and the yellowtail wouldn’t bite. After trying for yellowtail we went offshore and found some groups of common dolphin that had signs of small yellowfin tuna. We caught 4 12-pounders on the troll, but nothing on the bait. The conditions were great with 67.5 degree blue water. We anticipate catching something in the same area in the future.
We end this trip with an “E for effort” with lots of hard work but not much to show for it. One really great thing is the new bait tank worked really well! Lots of room back there and the bait thrived. The hand wells allow for multiple people to access baits at the same time. Lots of positive feedback from the anglers.
Looking forward to the next trip! There is space on the Izorline-sponsored 4-day leaving June 30th.

Team Searcher

Captain’s Blog

Jul 92014

Long-range forecast from Capt Art

Hello anglers: So far on the long-range front has been some interesting. There is warm water already at Alijos Rocks and the Ridge and sea surface temperatures are in the mid 70’s. There are signs of wahoo and dorado on kelp paddies which unusual for this time of year. Generally we think about looking for kelps in October and some years into November.
What does this all mean? In my humble opinion it could mean a longer season, and it could also bring warm water fish further north. Two years ago we were catching and seeing wahoo north of San Benito island along with plenty of yellowfin tuna and dorado.
We are hopeful the warm water keeps moving north. It might provide us with more fishing time and less travel time. We had a seven day trip two years ago where we fished 6 out of the 7 days in the trip. That doesn’t happen very often but it could happen this year.
We are excited about the prospects for the whole season! Things are looking great with good signs of fish in several different areas. Don’t wait to make your reservation too long we only have a few trips that have room so call Celia or book online now!
Team Searcher

Searcher Crew

Searcher Crew Profile


Captain Kenny Merrell
Captain Kenny grew up in the San Diego sportfishing business and progressed from a pinhead to captain. Kenny is a dedicated member of Team Searcher having worked on the boat for over 30 years and is an angler favorite for his expertise and friendly attitude.

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Did You Know?

Searcher Offers 12-Day Whale Watching Cruises & Guided Tours!

Whale tail

As you’ve experienced and enjoyed being aboard the Searcher, fishing and spending time with our crew, we’d like to introduce you to another type of trip we offer, Whale Watching through Baja.

We have a 12-day cruise and guided tour from Fisherman’s Landing in San Diego to Cabo San Lucas, B.C.S., Mexico, scheduled for February 6 – 17, 2027. We would be thrilled to share one of the most exciting wildlife destinations with you, guided by our expert leadership team.

This is the perfect opportunity to not only spot gray, blue, fin, humpback, sperm, Bryde’s, and pilot whales but also sharpen your photography skills!

For more details, view Baja Whale’s website www.bajawhale.com

Review the detailed itinerary and additional trip information: Baja Whale Tour Itinerary

If you have any questions, please feel free to email searcher.tours@bajawhale.com or call 619-226-2403.

Tackle Tip Thursday

What Our Anglers Say

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel and we are able to rebook your spot, or if we receive your cancellation more than 120 days prior to departure, your deposit is refundable less a 10% cancellation fee based on the trip price.

If you cancel less than 120 days prior to departure, the trip is non-refundable unless the spot is rebooked. If the spot is rebooked, a refund will be issued less the 10% cancellation fee based on the trip price.

No refunds will be issued after the trip departs.

We recommend purchasing trip insurance to help protect your vacation investment in the event you need to cancel your trip. For pricing, benefits, and assistance from an agent, please visit Safari Global Travel. https://safariglobaltravel.com/

All trips require a valid passport book or passport card. Cancellation due to not having a valid passport book or passport card is still considered a cancellation and is subject to the same cancellation policy outlined above. Passport books or passport cards must be valid for the duration of the trip and will not expire during the duration of the trip and must meet the Mexican immigration requirements. Please verify your passport expiration date and ensure it meets all travel requirements before making your deposit.

All passengers are required to carry a valid passport (Passport Book or Passport Card) for all trips. Trip itineraries and fishing locations are subject to change based on weather, fishing conditions, and operational needs. Failure to possess a valid passport does not exempt a passenger from the cancellation policy.

Passengers are responsible for ensuring their passport is valid at the time of travel and meets all applicable U.S. and Mexican entry requirements. No refunds will be issued due to a passenger’s failure to provide the required travel documentation.

If a trip requires Mexican immigration documents (such as an FMM or similar visitor authorization), a valid passport or passport card is required.

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