By Dan Carrier

Let’s Talk Hook-up listeners and Searcher
Sportfishing have been fishing together since the
earliest days of the radio show. The Let’s Talk Hook-
up/Gamakatsu 1.5-day Searcher trip of September
10-12, 2025 is the most recent collaboration. If you
missed it, you missed a great trip. Captain Mike
Todter, Chef Josh Evens and the entire Searcher
crew worked hard to make sure this trip was another
success.
The Searcher left Fisherman’s Landing around 4 PM
on Wednesday, September 10, 2025. Many of the 28
passengers are trip returnees, and most are well-
seasoned anglers. Spirits are high as we rigged up
and prepare ourselves for a bumpy boat ride and
choppy Thursday fishing for bluefin tuna on the
Tanner Bank.
After the Captain’s safety meeting, there is a
welcome aboard meet and greet in the galley. Every
angler receives a pack of Gamakatsu hooks and a
microfiber towels. There is a raffle and everyone is a
winner of a incredible prize from Costa, Shimano,
Seaguar, AFTCO or another show sponsor.

Daylight on Thursday, the Searcher sets up on the
Bank. Captain Mike recommends flying a sardine
using 20-lb fluorocarbon and a #4 circle hook.
Anglers find it is tough to get past the voracious
bonito bite. Only a half-dozen, small bluefin sized 15
pounds or less, and one yellowtail are caught.
Early afternoon, the Searcher moves in the direction
of San Clemente Island. There is an opportunity for
night fishing near the island if the bite does not pick
up. Fighting the winds and swells, anglers manage
to scratch a few 20-lb bluefin along the way.
At 5:30 PM, with San Clemente Island within sight,
the Searcher stops on a school of 20 to 40-lb
bluefin. Ten minutes into the stop, a hungry school of
40 to 60-lb bluefin crash the party. The fishing is
awesome. At dark, the fish are still biting, but
everyone on the boat has their limit. The largest
bluefins caught are around 40-lbs. Great effort,
Captain Mike.
Coast Guard to the Rescue. No one expects a
medical emergency on a fishing trip. If that happens

in U.S. water, like it did on the Searcher Thursday
morning, it is good to know the Coast Guard will


quickly respond. Although the boat is one-hundred
miles away from the Coast Guard base, in only two
hours, the patient is in the helicopter and on the way
to vital medical treatment. Good news, our fishing
buddy is released and home before the Searcher
docks in San Diego on September 12. Thank you,
Coast Guard.

In 2026, the autumn Let’s Talk hook-up Searcher trip
will expand to a two-day trip, September 23-25. On
the Searcher’s schedule it is listed as trip 43-26.