Ask an Angler

Catching up with Anglers

March 21st, 2021|Ask an Angler, Captain Mike's Blog|

Welcome to a 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. Let’s catch up with an angler, a special, long-time Searcher family member, Chris Flaxington!

Name:Chris Flaxington
From: La Mirada, CA
Job Title: Logistics manager at T&J Sausage Inc

  • What’s your typical day like?: On  weekdays, I get up for work at 3:00am and go to bed at 11:00 pm.  Spend day at work then go home and take care of my 27 year old handicapped son and then proceed with my late  afternoons. Prior to Covid I used to coach club soccer. With Covid here, Logan and I spend lots of time working on our boat.

  • Share your best tackle tip: My best tackle tip is don’t get caught up in all the hype of new expensive gear. Fish don’t know what make of gear you’re using.

  • Who or what got you into fishing? I truly got into hard core fishing when my neighbor got me into fishing freshwater bass tournaments.  Then I met my wife and she told me if I buy an ocean boat she would go with me.  Well my wife comes from the Midwest.  After I bought a ocean boat and she went out twice. She realized she gets too seasick to ever want  to go again. In the last 18 years she has not stepped foot on my boat.
  • A “must have” in your tackle box is: Must have in my tackle box is, having enough tackle for my kid while we are fishing.  The true must have in my tackle box is basic weights and hooks for bait fishing, I don’t care for all the lures and jigs unless they are the only thing working.
  • Favorite fish dish? Any fish that is fried with lots of vinegar and tartar sauce.
  • What kind of fish is inside your fish taco? Rockfish, Is there any other type?
  • Favorite hobby other than fishing: My other hobby besides fishing is working on boats. I love to install and fabric custom items for private boats.
  • What Searcher trip are you most excited about? The ones I’m booked on!  On the Searecher,  I rate trips all the same from 1.5 days to 8 days as they are all good and I really enjoy hanging with the crew members of the Searcher. So much that I spend more time talking with them then I do fishing on some trips.
  • Favorite fishing memory: This actually happened  on the Searcher trip we did September 2020.  Captain Ryan told Logan he could troll, but Captain Mondo did not know there were any trolling lines in the water. Logan hooked up with a marlin! Captain Mondo tried to turn the boat for Logan and the fish spit the hook. While stopping for the marlin, a school of BF swam under us and no one got hooked up until Captain said  “Ok let’s move.” Then Logan yelled  “Fish on!”  Little did Mondo know that Logan had grabbed his bass fishing rod and ended up hooking into a 38lb BF tuna.  This fish ended up tangling almost every fisherman on the boat and 1.5 hours to reel in the fish. Logan was lucky it was slow day and every fish counted.  
  • Fish you are looking forward to catching: A cow yellowfin once the island opens back up.
  • What motivates you? Watching a plan in action that works!
  • Favorite thing to do in your spare time? Work with my son on his fishing knowledge and watching him become one of the better fishermen around.   
  • Bucketlist fish/fish you haven’t caught but want to? Opah 

Catching up with Anglers

February 20th, 2021|Ask an Angler, Captain Mike's Blog|

Welcome to a 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 up with an angler.⁠

Today we have a special, long-time Searcher family member and co-star of our Tackle Talk Live, Logan Flaxington!

Name: Logan Flaxington
From: La Mirada California
Job Title: Son, Fish Taco Chronicles Writer

  • What’s your typical day like?:On a typical day, I get up at 7:30, eat breakfast, maybe mess with some of my fishing equipment, then hop on my first zoom call at 8:30. From 8:30 until noon I’m on zoom for my school. After class, I eat a small lunch then go work on more fishing equipment, either experiment with new things, learn new knots, or learn different techniques. After that, I either clean out boat or wash my truck. From there, it usually gets close to dark so I end my day with eating dinner with my family, and watch TV.

  • Share your best tackle tip:Always feel/check your line, make sure it’s in good shape. You don’t want to hook that once in a lifetime fish after spending thousands of dollars to get the opportunity, and lose it due to a simple knot or line failure.

  • Who or what got you into fishing? My dad got me into fishing. Ever since I was 3 years old, I would head out on our boat with him and learned a little something every trip. Also, the fact that you never know what you may see or experience out on the ocean keeps me hooked as well.
  • A “must have” in your tackle box is:Pre made heavy leader. I never leave the dock without a heavy leader in case I come across a big shark or swordfish on the surface.
  • Favorite fish dish?Poki bowl
  • What kind of fish is inside your fish taco?Vermillion rockcod, or calico bass
  • Favorite hobby other than fishing: I run cross country for my school when I’m not fishing.
  • What Searcher trip are you most excited about? The annual Penn-sponsored trip in September, always been one of my favorite trips to do.

  • Favorite fishing memory:2 years ago, I was on a charter boat going for yellow fin tuna. It was me and a couple of my buddies and we went out to the butterfly bank. From 3:30am till 8am we had seen no sign of life. Then at 8:30, the ocean suddenly came alive and 30-40 pound yellowfin were boiling everywhere, then the big bluefin started boiling. We set the kite out and witness 200-300pound freight trains jumping out of the water at that dead flyer. Of course we only hooked the 150 pounder, no 200-300 pounders but it was a sight unimaginably cool.
  • Fish you are looking forward to catching: Roosterfish

Catching up with Anglers!

June 13th, 2020|Ask an Angler, 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!⁠

Catching up with Anglers!

May 16th, 2020|Ask an Angler, 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 board member of the Inland Empire CCA and comes to support the Searcher family whenever he can.

Name: Darren @onehanded_angler⁠
From: Lake Elsinore⁠
Titles: Inland Empire CCA chapter board member⁠
Rep: Phantom outdoors and amphibia eye-gear⁠

  • Day in the life during quarantine: Remodeling the house.⁠

  • Challenges during quarantine: staying positive and trying to keep my business going.⁠

  • Tackle Tip: I’ve taken this time to do reel maintenance and restring them with new line (thanks for the tip Art.)⁠

  • Benefits: getting work done on the house⁠

  • Positives: trying new recipes on the smoker⁠

  • What’s on tv: Last man standing ⁠

  • New stuff you dig: started pouring my own plastic baits⁠

  • Weird thing you’ve done: can’t say in public ⁠

  • What’s in/must have in your tackle box: flat falls and surface irons ⁠

  • Anything you are stocked up on: ⁠Hooks you can never have enough and beer.

  • Favorite fish dish: yellow tail tacos with the beer batter from fisherman’s processing

  • Motivation: my son⁠

  • Fish you are looking forward to catching: rooster fish in Mexico this year. I’m really stoked to be heading to bay of LA in Mexico in September ⁠

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

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