Ali can’t pass up an opportunity for a trip of a lifetime to the remote area of the Great Barrier Reef to fish with Nomad Sport fishing while Rush stays home to clean up from Hurricane Irma and keep tabs on the new boat build at Andros Boatworks.

The guy’s head out in Key West Florida armed with new lures from Nomad, with the intention to “create” a bite they can fish with artificial baits. Skyrocketing acrobatic fish make Ali uneasy after a recent close call with the king of kings in the Coral Sea.

Rush takes on a young apprentice and gives him the opportunity to test his skills as a Florida Keys captain. Ali comes along to give the young grasshopper a hard time and know what it’s like to manage a more difficult client.

Dave Salazar, owner of Casa Vieja Lodge, invites Ali and Rush down to his place for some relaxation and fishing. While enjoying great sailfish fishing, the guys learn about the vision and journey of how Dave built the lodge and marina into one of the best fishing destinations in the world.

One man’s trash is Rush’s treasure, and he is going to need a bunch of it to show his old friend Dave Salazar a good time fishing the Gulf of Mexico out of Key West.

With the completion of the 32’ Andros boat build, Ali and Rush move it to the West Coast. Stopping along the way to rig the boat and fish in Louisiana, with friends Eric and Monique Newman of Journey South Outfitters. They break in the new ride, in one of the fishiest places in the nation.

With 1700 miles of road ahead, Rush and Ali continue their cross-country roadie from Florida to California with the new 32’ Andros in tow. Once the driving is done, it’s time to fish, and they guys are hoping to get the new ride dialed in right at the start of the SoCal fishing season.

Ali and Rush hitch up and haul down to Baja, Mexico to meet with up with their old friend Julio Meza, and fish the diverse Sea of Cortez & Isla Encantada. With a mother ship close behind, the guys will work up and down the coast, seeking some of Baja’s prized species.

The journey along the Sea of Cortez midriff continues as the guys head further south, fishing the enchanted islands off Baja for grouper, marlin, and yellowtail. Taking advantage of a bait opportunity and a tip from a local legend, the guys quickly upgrade their bite.

Ali and Rush head to Cape Cod to ride along and experience what it takes to harpoon a giant bluefin tuna from a stick boat. Only the right conditions will get the job done, and until it all lines up, Ali and Rush deviate from the course for a lobster roll and some striped bass fishing.

Ali and Rush fish the San Diego waters in search for floating piles of kelp (kelp paddy) that serve as structure for many bait fish and pelagic species such as tuna, dorado (dolphin) and yellowtail. These kelp paddy’s are an iconic staple of the California fishery and when you find them, the action can be impressive.

Season 3 is a wrap, and it has been a hell of a ride, full of fishing adventures and surprises for both Ali and Rush. As we recap some of the moments and milestones of this 3rd season of Local Knowledge, our hosts reflect on their favorite moments of the season and what they learned. Sometimes it comes easy and sometimes you have to work for it, but back-to-back & coast-to-coast, the reward is always worth it.