January 2025
UC Rod 16 Day
Our United Composite Rod 16-Day adventure kicked off this morning with a fantastic start! We departed with a good load of bait and were blessed with beautiful weather. Once settled in, Johnny from UC treated us to some awesome giveaways and a raffle for incredible big-fish rods that we'll be using throughout the trip. The excitement continued as Soda Pop brought out his famous wheel of fortune, giving the crew a chance to win amazing prizes. To top it all off, we're all looking forward to a delicious prime rib dinner prepared by Chef Ed.
Photos for 1-06-2025
UC Rod 16 Day
Our journey south continues, and today was a productive day of preparation. After breakfast, Capt. Brian held an informative tackle seminar, covering the techniques and setups for targeting those massive yellowfin tuna and wahoo. We're still a few days from our fishing grounds, but the guys are slowly but surely getting their gear rigged and ready for the adventure ahead!
Photos for 1-07-2025
UC Rod 16 Day
Another day of preparation! Today, we focused on fine-tuning our kite gear and making new leaders. The crew has been busy wrapping new gaffs and ensuring we're ready for anything. Between rigging and relaxing, the guys have been enjoying movies and a friendly game of poker. Just one more day of travel before we put a line in the water!
UC Rod 16 Day
After four days of intense preparation, we're bursting with excitement to finally start fishing tomorrow morning! We've heard reports of other boats catching wahoo and yellowfin tuna, and we're eager to get a piece of that action!
UC Rod 16 Day
The morning started slow with a few nice tuna, but once Chef Ed announced lunch, it was like the fish heard the call! The bite exploded, and the afternoon fishing was a blast for everyone. Let's do it again tomorrow!
Photos for 1-11-2025
UC Rod 16 Day
The fishing down below continues to be fantastic! We've enjoyed steady action throughout the day, with consistent bites on both fly-lined sardines and kite rigs.
Photos for 1-12-2025
Uc
Yesterday, the tuna were playing hide-and-seek, but today they're back on the menu! We're enjoying some nice fish coming over the rail.
Photos for 1-14-2025
UC Rod 16 Day
Conditions weren't ideal today, but we still landed some quality fish during brief windows of opportunity. Tomorrow's our last day, and we're hoping for a strong finish!
Photos for 1-16-2025
Uc
We capped off the trip with some excellent fishing, landing nice yellowfin tuna and wahoo today. We're now heading back to San Diego with memories of a fantastic trip in tow.
Photos for 1-17-2025
UC Rod 16 Day
As we navigate through the rough weather on the final 400 miles of our 950-mile journey back to San Diego, we're all enjoying a well-deserved break after days of intense fishing. The Indy Sushi Party, NFL Playoffs, College Championship, movie marathons, friendly poker games, and gear breakdown are keeping our spirits high.
UC Rod 16 Day
We've finally reached flat calm weather after a long 4-day journey! The 16-Day United Composite Rod trip arrives tomorrow morning at 5:00 AM. It was a fantastic trip, with consistent catches of 80-160lb yellowfin tuna, along with some smaller and larger fish mixed in. We also managed to land a few wahoo, keeping everyone entertained. Huge thanks to UC Rods, John Basmadjian, our sponsors, and everyone who made this year's trip so memorable!Â
Photos for 1-21-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
Gorgeous weather continues to accompany us on our journey south. The excitement is mounting as everyone meticulously rigs their setups, preparing for the fishing ahead. We're all eager to get lines in the water, but also relishing the camaraderie and the fantastic meals prepared by Ed and Chuck.
Photos for 1-25-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
Tomorrow, the fishing begins! Everyone is putting the final touches on their gear, tying hooks, and setting drags. We've been diligently feeding the bait to ensure they're strong and cured for the 78° water. And to add a bit of friendly competition, we have a couple of football pools going today for the games!
Photos for 1-26-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
Spectacular fishing on our first day! We arrived just before 8am and wasted no time getting into the action. Everyone started hooking up and landing 80-160lb tuna. We're staying put for the night, hoping to replicate this incredible success tomorrow.
Photos for 1-27-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
Today, the tuna seemed to have gone into hiding. While the fishing was slower, everyone still gave it their all. Hoping for a more productive day tomorrow!
Photos for 1-28-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
Despite the tough tuna fishing we've experienced the last few days, everyone's been giving it their all at the rail. The 20-25 knot winds and the swinging anchor aren't ideal, but we're hoping things will turn around tomorrow. We'll reassess our strategy after one more day.
Photos for 1-29-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
Today, the fishing was a bit sporadic, with brief periods of action where we were able to catch some tuna and wahoo. Roger had the catch of the day, landing a massive cow tuna after a long and epic battle.
Photos for 1-30-2025
Roger Eckhardt 16 Day
The day began with a flurry of excitement as we hooked four monsters. We landed two absolute beasts â Dane with a 290 and Phil with a 255 â but unfortunately had a few heart breaks as well. The bite slowed down dramatically afterward, but we're not giving up. We'll be back at it tomorrow.
Photos for 1-31-2025
