Hello Independence Friends,
As we come to a close on 2020 thankfully, we start anew in 2021. If you asked me at the start of 2020 what are the 10 things that could be the biggest challenges to our fishing season, a pandemic would not have been on my long list of challenges that could have disrupted the  2020 Sportfishing season! With all the challenges we have gone through in the past, recessions, huge fuel price increases, poor oceanic conditions, bad weather, lack of live bait, poor fish migrations... I could go on and on what challenges we have faced and overcome in the past. This has been an unprecedented event in our lifetimes and hopefully we are headed for the backside of it. The fishing season again produced some epic Bluefin tuna fishing for sure but was also inconsistent with non biting fish all the while seeing huge schools with lock jaw. The longer range trips also were more inconsistent this year with water conditions less than perfect. For those of you that fished with us this year we want to send a heartfelt thanks for helping us survive the year. When we were shut down for three months, it was the first time in the 40 plus years in the sportfishing business that I became unsure of the future of our business. Thankfully, we got going as a fleet and made a season of it. We are praying for our fellow businessmen who are still unable to open and maintain their businesses during California’s extended lockdowns. The ocean gives us the escape, the solitude, the adventure, the therapy, the release of tension, and the pure enjoyment of getting away from everyday life!!! Personally for me 2020 saw the passing of my father just short of his 92nd birthday! He lived a long heathy life. The man who started my love for the ocean, taking me fishing at the age of 9 on a commercial trip to fish for giant bluefin tuna is one of my fondest memories as a child. I spent three days sea sick as hell, puking in a box while 15 tons of 100 to 200 pound Bluefin went into the hatch before the boat retuned to San Diego to drop me off so they could return to finish the trip. We finish the 2020 season on a high note in the fishing department, the after Christmas 5 day special we run yearly returned with an Epic catch of Bluefin tuna with over 60 tuna landed of which 40 were over a 100 pounds and many 150-180 pound fish. As we grind through the winter surge of COVID please stay Healthy, stay safe and God willing 2021 will be a great new year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR,
Mark Pisano and the entire staff of Independence Sportfishing.