This past year, Ryan and I instated a family choice (or rule, depending on how you look at it) that our kids have for each birthday. They can choose physical gifts to celebrate their special day, or they can choose experiential gifts. For his 9th birthday this year, Porter decided he wanted to go on a fishing charter and, as luck would have it, we have our very own avid fisherman right here in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, who makes this little guy’s wish possible. So, after much forethought, planning, and scheduling, Ryan and Porter embarked on a yellowtail fishing charter to Busan this past weekend.
A Yellowtail Fishing Charter to Busan
Right outside the gate of Camp Humphreys lies the ville – a city in its own right that plays host to restaurants, bars, shops, and all hosts of different things. One of those shops is Uncle G’s, a full-service bait, tackle, and fishing shop, and having that here in Pyeongtaek is a fisherman’s dream. Porter discovered his love of fishing in Alaska, and after our fishing charter in Valdez, he really wanted to try his proverbial hand at bigger, deep water sport fishing. So we scoured the lineup, and here’s what we found.
Uncle G’s plays host to a veritable fishing club right in our backyard, and he charters trips both locally and further away. From shore fishing, to water house trips for bluegill, to red seabream charters, mahi, and yellowtail, he offers a little bit of everything. Porter wanted to go big, so go big, we did! We booked a Yellowtail fishing charter to Busan, which we knew would be a fun and exciting adventure and challenge for both our boys.
The Itinerary
For those unfamiliar with South Korea’s geography, Busan isn’t exactly close, per se. It’s about a 4+ hour drive, which we’ve done once before for our Thanksgiving in Busan. For this trip, however, it was a quick overnight, and we knew it would be busy and jam-packed. The boys’ charter included shuttle transportation, so they arrived at Uncle G’s at about 5:30 PM on Friday evening and departed for Busan at 6 PM. They made it to their guest house (also included) at about 11:30 PM for a quick sleep/rest for the day of fishing ahead.
Dark and early, they departed the guest house at 03:30 AM, were on the boat at about 04:00 AM, and they were fishing by 04:45 AM with a cutoff time at about 4 PM. Needless to say – the boys were successful. Though Porter was by far the youngest on the charter and was actually not quite strong enough to jig his line properly (they’re heavy!), the captain of the boat and Uncle G kept him busy reeling catches in and giving those two him. By the end of 8 hours on the water, the guys had reeled in 6 fish and came home with 7. After a lunch on board, a quick evening meal, fish cleaning, and loading up, they were on their way back. And, in the wee hours of the morning, I picked up two stinky men from the Ville with about 60+ lbs of fish to take home.
The Pros and Cons of This Trip
Honestly, on the whole, this trip was a huge win. Ryan and Porter had quality 1-on-1 time, they caught a ton of fish, and they got a quick trip to Busan together! They came home exhausted, and it was so hot even on the wide open ocean, but they have some killer memories despite the hardships. And, though Porter is still recovering from a lack of sleep last weekend, they loved it!
What to Know About Their Yellowtail Fishing Charter to Busan
Cost: We paid $250 per person for this trip, and that included food, drinks, shuttle, and the guest house. They also brought KRW cash to pay for fish processing in Busan.
How to Contact Uncle G: Text or call this number – 010-8382-2697
What to Bring on Your Charter: If taking a trip on the ocean, bring sunscreen, close-toed shoes, rain jacket, hat, and dramamine/motion sickness medication. No alcohol is allowed.
Notes: If you’re used to traditional fish processing at hotspots like Valdez, AK, this is very different. They scaled, gutted, and took the heads of the fish, but they did not filet it here, which was something we were unprepared for. If this is the charter you choose, make sure you have a 20-inch plus cooler (we used this Igloo) to ensure you have space.
