Intrepid 11 Day Long Range Trip

The 116' foot long range boat "Intrepid" is the newest Long Range sportfishing boat in the San Diego fleet. She has an unmatched level of luxury and performance that makes for a very special big game fishing experience.

Captain Kevin Osborne runs the helm of the "Intrepid", and is reputed as one of the most knowledgable long range skippers in Southern California.

In the game of long range fishing, arriving at the the boat early before your trip will insure that your gear gets a prime spot in the boat's holders. Bring enough gear to handle all species, because you never know which pelagics may show up next to the boat during your trip.

After everyone loads up their gear, the first stop is the bait barge. The locals are always hanging out.

Sardines, sardines and more sardines. The "Intrepid" holds an amazing 700 scoops of live bait. An ample supply of bait is the key ingredient on the long range trips, and taking good care of the bait supply on the way to the fishing grounds is essential to a successful trip.

While traveling South for the first few days, anglers slowly start to organize gear for the fishing ahead.

During the Southern trek to the fishing grounds, pods of curious dolphins entertain anglers as they surf the wake of the "Intrepid".

Make sure to check you drags on the way down before you fish. You do not want to be messing around with your drag system on your reel when you get bit by a 200lb tuna.

...Or you can just kick back, sip drinks on the back deck, and enjoy the epic Fall weather.

Fishing day arrives, and the morning sun blasts you as you walk out on the deck. Make sure to load up on the sunscreen, or you will pay for it at the end of the day.

First things first. Make sure to get some wrapping for your fingers. It saves you from line cuts and blisters.

Early bird anglers can't wait to get a bait in the water.

Shoulder hooking a sardine is a good bet when the bite is picky. Notice the circle hook...Each and every angler has their own preference when it comes to using the right hook for the job.

This angler likes the green mackerel shoulder hook.

Hold on! Once you hook into one of these bulldog yellowfin tuna they will put you to the test. The corner of the boat is one of the best spots to be when fighting the big yellowfin tuna.

When more than one angler is hooked up, the skilled crew aboard "Intrepid" is always watching for fish going under or over the next. Without the crew you will lose most of these fish.

Another angler finds his comfort zone in the wedge of the corner rail. The corner of the rail allows you to pull/pump the fish up and down.

This angler prefers the one knee technique. If you have never tried this fish fighting stance, it is a good idea to practice at home or on the way down to the fishing grounds. It sounds funny, but perfecting this stance is an important part of preparation. Most rookies tend to scramble around, struggling to find the most comfortable way to fight these yellowfin. When you scramble you lose the energy that you need when the fish gets close to the boat. It is always a brawl to the bitter end.

Some of the guys like the harness because it takes pressure off their backs. Despite this advantage, there is a downside to this device. These big fish get really fired up when they see the boat and make unpredictable runs, shooting under the boat or wrapping around the anchor. When this happens, you better unbuckle that harness quickly or you will lose that fish.e to the boat. No doubt it's a brawl to the bitter end.

This photo gives you a pretty good idea of the amount of weight these fish have when pulling back down deep in the currents. You must have the right gear when it comes to fishing for these big yellowfin tuna. If you don't you will lose the battle every time.

"Intrepid" deckhand Ryan helps out a fellow angler by pulling line up with his right hand while keeping the rod in place with his left. This technique is very popular when the fish gets close to the boat and losing energy. Again, if it wasn't for the crew most fish would be long gone.

When the fish finally does make it to the surface, it's all hands on deck. These fish need more than just one gaff to get them to the boat.

Bringing these big fish in the boat is not an easy task.

Alright...everyone pull!

There were smiles all around when this 125lb tuna came over the rail!

Not everyone was fishing for yellowfin tuna. Shea McIntee dropped a green mackerel down to the bottom and came up with a nice grouper.

When you're fishing for tuna it's only a matter of time before a few dorado come snooping around.

If you're a wahoo fisherman, then you have probably purchased one or more of these lures. The unpredictable and speedy antics of the wahoo make it one of the toughest and most fun pelagics to catch in the ocean.

This happy angler just caught his first wahoo.

As the evening sky arrives, this determined angler holds on for dear life as a big yellowfin makes a hard run into the depths.

It's all about the evening bite!

This angler fought this fish into the night. At night, spectra and mono are very tough to see. When fishing for these big fish late or early in the morning, it is a good idea to have white spectra or a color that the deckhands can see.

Dark spectra wrapped around the anchor line on a big fish usually doesn't work out. Don't ever get up on the bow at night...let the deckhands handle that one for you. They are the pros.

After a long day of fishing at the rail of the "Intrepid", anglers enjoy the comfort of the giant air conditioned galley.

The "Intrepid" has 5 star dining onboard. This was just one of many epic dishes.

SEAFOOD BUFFET NIGHT!! The seafood buffet was huge, featuring Alaskan king crab legs, crab claws, shrimp cocktail, oysters in the half shelf, king salmon fillet, smoked ham, beef stroganoff, lemon caper chicken, vegetable medley, cheesecake, chocolate mouse cake, and some fresh fruit cocktail. Throw in some fine wine and it's 5 star dining here on the "Intrepid"!

More shrimp anyone?

Sweet fishing makes for a sweet tooth aboard the "Intrepid".

After an amazing 11 days on the water, the "Intrepid" hits the docks back in San Diego and unloads the big yellowfin tuna.

From left to right: Scott Di Giuseppe with his personel best 230lb Yellowfin, Josh Dinkle and his personel best 270lber, and Mark Shimozaki with his 314lb Cow. Marks fish was landed using an AVET Pro EXW 50/2 speed reel on a Super Seeker 6463XXXX rod. The reel was backed with 130lb JB Hollow Spectra and Seaguar 130lb Flourocarbon with a 10/0 #7691 Mustad hook.

Shea McIntee captures some highlights of Stan Vanderburg's Rod & Reel Radio charter aboard the "Intrepid".