This year we were hyper focused on delivering more kayak mothership trips to San Clemente Island than ever before. You guys demanded more when we

sold out in three (3) hours. So we added another trip… and then one more. In total, we were blessed to run six (6) trips. Considering the challenges… we found a way to deliver six (6) great fishing trips.

Once the Fresh n Salty group came back from their Field Trips w/ Robert Field at San Clemente Island trip, we had another group (6/20) waiting to leave that night. Since these trips are relatively local to some of us, we like to head down to the landing and mingle with each departing group. It was nice doing the drive on a Sunday versus the middle of the week during rush hour.

We love this part of our job. This is where we hear about how freaking excited you are to go on these trips. Many of you are returning customers and share your favorite fish tales with us… WE LOVE IT. Then we get fired up, then you get fired up… it is contagious.

Next up is the 6/24 group. Now these guys were vibing hard from the get-go. Some of the guys on this trip were friends of mine, Fish Village team member Frank Roznos and the one and only Tim Boyer of Pure Watersports Dana Point & Oceanside. Let\’s just say that when we all get together… we all have a damn good time. These guys knew they were in for a challenge with the winds and weather, but that didn\’t stop anyone from having a good time. We left there a little sideways and may have slept on the way home… I can neither confirm nor deny that fact. All I know… is that we had a damn good time.

The 7/1 trip, led by Fish Village team member Jesse Landry was nearly cancelled due to super high winds at the islands. Once again the Islander gave us the option to run an offshore tuna trip and based on the results of the last trip… the vote was nearly unanimous to target bluefin and leave the kayaks behind. Since the first bluefin trip failed to yield me a BFT… I had a score to settle. I also knew that we were about to embark on a special trip… I knew it down to my bones. So Fish Village team member Bryan Hildebrandt and I joined Jesse… and we are so glad that we did.

What I witnessed was an incredible display of mother nature, pure joy and elation from our guests and the stoke that comes from watching your friends catch a fish of a lifetime. All but two (2) anglers hooked and landed at least one (1) bluefin tuna. In some cases, folks limited out on their two (2) day bag limits. Most of these anglers don\’t fish for beasts like this normally… well, they do now.

Mark McCracken had a special moment after he landed a stud of a 100 lb. + bluefin tuna at night on the heavy flat fall. After his hero shot, he let out a big smile, jumped up and nearly ran around the boat. Gosh darn it… that was rad! That is just ONE (1) moment of the many that took place on that trip.

LOOK AT THAT FACE!

Last but not least comes our first ever 3.5 day kayak mothership trip departing 4th of July night right as the fireworks show gets going. This trip was different because… I was exhausted for staying up for nearly 3 days straight chasing tuna, my Pop\’s was on this trip, it was a holiday (my personal favorite), I was away from my wife and I was freaking pumped to fish with some friends that love Pliny as much as I do. So with mixed emotions we pushed off and charged out to sea with expected terrible conditions. We knew that wind would be a factor… but Captain Pete did his homework and found the only spots that didn\’t have wind to give us the most time on the water in safe conditions.

If fishing with my Pop\’s, good friends and Tim Boyer of Pure Watersports wasn\’t reason enough to have a blast… I had the distinct pleasure to facilitate a wedding ceremony for Steve and Felicia Miller. Did someone say… WEDDING VIBES? The moment the guests realized that we were having a wedding onboard… I heard comments like \”F Yea\”, \”Dope\”, \”So cool\”. Instantly the whole boat was into the wedding and then the crew showed a little extra love to make the moment and following dinner special. From Jake taking pics and his relentless kindness and chef Michael with his incredible story telling and even more incredible cooking skills. Our dinner on the last night (right after a sunset wedding on the water) was some crazy duck breast meal that had people swearing like a sailor. Simply over the top.

So… do our trips have a vibe? Thanks to folks like you… we absolutely believe that our trips have a vibe. We intend to keep it that way.

One thing that has remained consistent across almost all of our trips, international and domestic… there is vibe to Fish Village trips. Sure, you can argue that there is a vibe to any trip, but multiple experiences throughout the June/July kayak mothership season really drove this point home.

For starters our season kicked off with shit kayak fishing weather, bad enough to cancel the mothership trip. The Islander offered to take us bluefin fishing instead… an option that had not presented itself in the past. Did our group of anglers want to say no and throw in the towel? F*&* NO. Each and everyone of them said… let\’s go offshore in terrible conditions and fish for a fish of a lifetime with Captain Pete at the helm of the Islander and Fish Village.

This group had a freaking blast. I saw people get worked by pissed off bluefin, I saw people tear up when they landed a 20 pounder and then I saw people literally cheering on their compadres when hooked up to a bluefin for the first time. Foul fishing weather… no one except me and Charlie noticed (LOL). I was able to fish with Fish Village team members Ryan Howell of CCKF, Jesse Landry and Charlie Wardle… if that wasn\’t enough our friends Andy O\’Brien and Zach Clift joined in on the fun as well. We laughed as much as we fished… but that didn\’t stop Andy from landing a beast, Jesse sticking a few including a big one and Ryan showing us how to stick em and land them. The Fish Village vibe was mentioned by others multiple times. I left this trip worked, but so satisfied.

Onto the following week when the Fresh n Salty crew rolled into San Diego and took over the landing for a short bit before heading off to San Clemente Island for the 2nd trip of the season… but the first kayak mothership trip of the season. One of the first things that Robert Field said was… \”they are so organized.\” For reals. Fresh n Salty knows how to roll. They show up in the same shirts, organized, minimal gear and HAPPY AF to head offshore with the host of Field Trips. Everyone was vibing hard… and that was just at the docks. Once they got to the island they absolutely killed it. Set a record for most halibut caught by a kayak group and put 50 yellows on the deck. If that ain\’t vibing… I don\’t know what is.

So is the Fish Village vibe a real thing? Apparently so. The vibe continues through four (4) more trips, culminating with an on the water kayak fishing wedding… WHAT? Stay tuned for Pt. 2.

I appreciate every person that helped reignite the passion for what we do and every person that shared what the Fish Village vibe means to you. Thank you!