Insane Calico Bass Bite on the Unbridled with Capt. Tom Durr – 100+ Fish + White Seabass | El Niño 2026 Update
Captain Tom Durr and deckhand Cliff Hughes just put a private group of four anglers on an absolute calico bass tear fishing locally on the Unbridled.
The bite was insane. The vast majority of the bass were just barely short — hanging right around 13½ inches — but the action never slowed down. Cliff said every time he threw a scoop of pinhead anchovies over the side for chum, literally hundreds of bass would boil and fight over the bait. When it was all said and done the group put well over 100 calico bass in the boat plus one solid 29-inch white seabass.
Bait is still a challenge right now, but Tom and the crew are doing everything they can to stay on the fish. They’re packing frozen squid and throwing the full arsenal of artificials — plastics, surface iron, yo-yo iron, and even poppers.
There’s still a real shot at yellowtail on the local grounds, and a few hit-and-miss yellowtail have already been put on ice. Meanwhile, more small yellowfin tuna continue pushing up the coast and should be within range of the Unbridled any day now. We’ve also seen the occasional dorado show up, and if you’ve ever wanted to catch a marlin in Southern California, this is the time. Captain Tom Durr is a proven winner of the prestigious Catalina Gold Cup Marlin Tournament — the man knows how to put clients on billfish.
This El Niño 2026 has been bringing all kinds of unusual visitors into our waters, and it looks like the pattern is going to hang around well into the new year. That means there’s still plenty of time (and a whole lot of opportunity) to get out on the Unbridled.
The best part? You’re not jammed onto a sportboat with 50, 60, or 70 people. It’s a true 4-pack charter — just you and three of your friends. You pick the trip, you set the pace, and you get the full attention of Tom and Cliff.
Unbridled 4-Pack Charter Rates (San Pedro / Huntington Beach):
• 4 Hours – $1,050
• 7 Hours – $1,600
• 10 Hours Catalina Island – $2,400
• All-Day Marlin – $4,500
Call or text Captain Tom Durr directly at 310-877-1257 and lock in your date.
Whether you want to hammer the local calicos, chase yellowtail and yellowfin, or go for a marlin, the Unbridled is ready when you are.
See you on the water!
— Phil Friedman
Friedman Adventures
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