Sportfishing – Ranger 85 adds new skipper prior to returning to CISCO’s from San Diego

November 2, 2022

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The well-reputed 85-foot sportfisher splits its fishing season each year between Channel Islands Sportfishing in Oxnard and H&M Landing in San Diego, and just concluded this year’s run out of Point Loma in fine style, having just whacked boat limits of yellowfin tuna for 25 anglers on a 3.5-day trip while adding 17 bruiser bluefin ranging from 100 to 237 pounds for good measure.

CAPTAIN MIKE NICKERSON is the newest skipper to join the Ranger 85 team alongside owner/operator Capt. Jake Hensley after spending the last four years in the same role aboard the Pacific Dawn.

“That was our last trip in San Diego for the year, but it was definitely an epic one and a great way to end the season down there,” Nickerson told Western Outdoor News. “Fishing for both (yellowfin and bluefin) is still pretty darn good. We are now heading up to Oxnard with three more trips left on the books, and that will end the fishing season for us.

“I’m super excited to be joining the Ranger 85 family,” he continued. “Me and Jake work really well together, the crew is awesome and it’s a really fun environment to be around. I’m really looking forward to a full season on the boat next year and even doing some whale watching, something I’ve never done before. Just excited to be joining such a great team and really looking forward to what’s to come.”

One of those three remaining trips on the books for the Ranger 85 that Nickerson mentioned is among the last couple of WON charters of the year, a late-fall 2-day freelance trip out of CISCO’s targeting the best available bite, likely a bag-filling rockfish bonanza with some opportunities for exotics. There are still a few spots available for the trip, which departs at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6 and returns at 6 p.m. on Nov. 8.

THE RANGER 85’S final trip of the season out of H&M Landing couldn’t have gone much better, with 25 anglers scoring boat limits of yellowfin tuna along with 17 bruiser bluefin from 100 to 237 pounds on a recent 3.5-day run. The sportfisher will now close its 2022 fishing season with three more trips out of CISCO’s this month, one of which being a WON-sponsored 2-day freelance trip departing at 9 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6. To book one of the few remaining spots on the trip, visit WONews.com and click on the ‘Charters’ tab on the home page.

Each angler aboard will receive a free WON supply pack with a $100 HUK gift card going to the trip’s jackpot winner. While the boat’s newest captain won’t be running the boat for the trip as he’s taking a well-earned break in the Eastern Sierra, Capt. Hensley is all but sure to put this charter’s anglers on the solid and steady fishing and overall numbers the sportfisher’s customers are accustomed to.

The trip is $500 pp including meals and offers a great opportunity to fill the freezer before the off-season. To sign up for the trip visit WONews.com and click on the ‘Charters’ tab or call WON’s Landon Thomas at (949) 366-0726.