Hello, Searcher friends! It’s Jen, back to share more about my first season with the Searcher team!
Well, I’ve observed my first season of San Diego sportfishing, and I have learned so much.
As I look back on my experience, what is the aspect of sportfishing that stands out most?
It’s definitely the camaraderie that exists between anglers and crew! Our Searcher crew is always eager to provide support and assistance to our guests, and a great example of that practice is “Hook and Hand.” For those who are unfamiliar with the term (like I was), it describes the process whereby a crew member prepares a rod, reel, line and terminal tackle and works to hook a targeted gamefish. The crew member then hands off the rod to an angler–like a teammate passing the baton in a relay race–giving that angler the opportunity to work hard and get that fish on deck! When I learned about “Hook and Hand,” I was delighted to see that our crew has that opportunity to pass along that special blend of expertise, proper equipment and good fortune to a lucky angler aboard Searcher.
Jack Nilsen, owner of Accurate Fishing Products, recently contacted us about a new “Hook and Hand” program they were piloting. We were thrilled to be selected to participate in this partnership! Jack said,
Let’s put Accurate reels into the hands of anglers, and make sure there’s a fish on the end of the line! Especially when you are new to the sport, the real fun begins when you get hooked up.
So we selected our new Boss Extreme TwinDrag BX2 series, and we sent three models to cover all line classes from 20-50#. Seeker Rods helped us out with some great rods to complement the reels, and Izorline filled them up with Spectra so that the Searcher crew could change the topshot depending on the day’s conditions. The reels for this program will always be the latest and greatest – these are 2-speed reels – the angler will see the big difference when they push that button and bring that fish to the boat!”
Pro-staffer Gary Gillingham brought the “Hook and Hand” gear down to Fisherman’s Landing at the start of our recent Accurate-sponsored 7-day trip to Alijos Rocks. Captain Art Taylor said, “It’s great to have the support of tackle manufacturers like Accurate, Seeker and Izorline who are willing to supply us with quality gear that enhances the experience of anglers aboard Searcher. “
A crew member who was able to put the “Hook and Hand” gear in the hands of anglers during the trip shared the following comment:
“Hook and Hand doesn’t always occur with a new angler, but it often does. It’s great to be able to start them out with a fish on the line so that they can get a feel for the process. It’s definitely a part of developing a one-on-one relationship with them on the deck, which is one of the best parts of my job.”
On that trip, Brian Meadows of New York was the first one to land a “Hook and Hand” fish, and it was a wahoo! Anglers agree that the wahoo is not the easiest fish to land, so it was definitely a triumph. It was his first wahoo, and it happened during his first long-range trip! Captain Joe Soares was there for the assist.
I’m looking forward to more photos documenting that passing of the lucky “Hook and Hand” baton to other Searcher anglers! All Searcher trips in 2016 will have the Accurate “Hook and Hand” gear on board and the crew will be ready to get YOU hooked up!
Special thanks to Jack Nilsen and Gary Gillingham, Accurate Fishing Products, Eric Maulhardt from Seeker Rods and Steve Ichinokuchi of Izorline for the gear!
Check out our Accurate-sponsored trips on the 2016 schedule!
Kudos to Ken Franke and The Sportfishing Association of California for gaining permission for our fleet to catch bluefin in Mexico.
