Pro Team

Angler Name: Ray Sharifi (Dirty Hooker)
Hometown: Camarillo California
Favorite fishing moment: 
I lost my best friend to leukemia. After he passed I had a surface iron custom wrapped with a picture of him holding a 20lb yellowtail, with the goal of catching a quality size yellowtail on that very jig. After 15+ trips without the right conditions, I finally had my opportunity. While I was scanning the water I noticed boils off to my right. As soon as I saw the yellows blow up, I made my cast and was rewarded with a 23lb yellowtail. Since that day, that surface iron is hanging next to a picture of my best friend and I, on our first yellowtail trip. 
Favorite technique:
surface irons
Favorite knot: San diego knot for all hooks and lures. RP knot for connection
Any pro tips or superstitions?
My superstition is if the gaff is grabbed before color I will lose the fish. I refuse to let anyone touch a gaff until I’m at color.
 
Angler Name: Will Birdo
Hometown: Anaheim CA 
Favorite fishing moment: The first triple digit bluefin to hit the deck of my Parker.
Favorite technique: I'm basic. I love catching fish on a hot fly-lined sardine.
Favorite knot: San Diego Jam
Any pro tips or superstitions:
Sinker rig below the fly lines can reduce tangles 
Angler Name: Mason Perry
Hometown: Big Bear Lake CA 
Favorite fishing moment: getting spooled in 60 seconds by a monster tuna, also helping my 10 year old son catch his first ocean fish.
Favorite technique: I didn't earn the nickname "Sinker Rig King" for no reason 
Favorite knot: San Diego Jam for hooks, Alberto for line to line 
Any pro tips or superstitions: I don't spiral the rubber band around my sinker rigs because they tend to spin as they descend and can wrap the bait and leader up. I larks foot the band to both the leader and the weight, also easier to remove when you're ready to gaff the fish. Also I don't tie the first knots on my gear on any trip, I think it's good luck to have a crew member do it, after the first setup I rerig my own tackle. 
Angler Name: Jeremiah Steele
Hometown: Rialto, Ca
Favorite fishing moment: Catching Blue Fin on Slay Day self guided skiff
Favorite technique: Fly-line 
Favorite knot: Palomar knot 
Any pro tips or superstitions: Never bring a banana on a Sportfishing boat 
Angler Name: Matthew Dye
Hometown: Riverside CA 
Favorite fishing moment: Just landed a Dorado and after the hook was removed the fish flopped out scupper so catch and release? 
Favorite technique: Flat Falling 
Favorite knot: San Diego Jam and RP knot 
Any pro tips or superstitions: Never drink a banana protein smoothie 48 hours before I go fishing. 
Angler Name: Israel de la cruz
Hometown: Ramona,ca
Favorite fishing moment: I went on the daily double for a birthday trip and I managed to land 10 yellowtail. That was a birthday trip to remember 
Favorite technique: flyline
Favorite knot: San Diego Jam
Any pro tips or superstitions:
Always bring an assortment of hook sizes you never know if the fish are gonna be finicky.
Angler Name:Casey Johnson
Hometown: Valley Center
Favorite fishing moment: Recently while out on the Alicia We had a repeat charter group that requested a big fish trip. We pulled out all the stops.As galley chef on the specific Charter between meals I was in charge of operating the kite set up. Captain Ping put us on a massive school, of 200 pound plus breezing blue fin. Our crew member Tyler shoveled five heavy scoops in and the ocean exploded! Within the first three minutes of the eruption we had three hook ups, one on a jig, one on the sinker rig, at this point the kite was up in the flying fish had just hit the water. With the kite rod mounted in the rod holders at the back of the house I walked the bait rod up to the bow. At this point I was standing on the upper bow deck bouncing the flying fish and Frank Sinatra came over the stereo. Fly me to the moon was playing and I was singing thinking about my grandfather, The flying fish got blown up on, I screamed at the top of my lungs jumped off the upper deck hit the rail and wound as fast as I possibly could, the rod went full bendo, Lines screaming off the real. I looked left and looked right and screamed who wants it! For an hour and a half the kite rod along with two other big fish win around the boat being passed between passengers, there was only eight guys on this charter and their arms and knees were becoming weak. The charter master looked at me and told me we can't kill this fish, I looked at him and asked him May I? At half a spool I took a knee on the bow and started hand lining and cranking foot by foot. Deep color we had three gaffs standing by, This fish had one big circle at the top and the amazing crew of the Alisha hit it with three hooks right to the head, the fish kicked like crazy and slam the side of the boat. It was over! I proceeded to grab a fourth gaff, and as a crew pulled a 200 pound bluefin onto the mighty Alicia. 
Favorite technique: Fly line, kite fishing the double trouble.
Favorite knot: uni
Any hacks, tips tricks or superstitions: always wet your knots! 
Fish light drags you can always tighten it up, but if your drags too tight you always break them off! Let that tuna take its first hard run then adjust up from there. Trust your deck hands!