Ep. 100: Time on the Water’s 100th Episode Live at Tackle Meet

Guests: Steve (Tackle Meet) & Nick Trujillo (VikingHeads) Hosts: Daniel Dahlin ([FISH]rx), El Charly, Luke Dean (Bait Slingers / Artemis Charters)

Episode 100 was recorded live at Tackle Meet on September 14, 2025 — the show’s first in-person live episode from an event floor. Daniel and Luke hit the milestone at the [FISH]rx, VikingHeads, and Bait Slingers booths, with Nick Trujillo and Steve from Tackle Meet both present. A mix of milestone reflection, live fishing talk, and a community gathering that captured what the show has become over three years.

In This Episode

• 100th episode at Tackle Meet — the show’s first live-from-event episode. Recorded at the [FISH]rx, VikingHeads, and Bait Slingers booths. The milestone happening in the community environment rather than a studio — fitting for a show that’s always been about the fishing community
• Luke’s wall fishing setup breakdown — Luke’s go-to for the wall: 5-inch paddle tail as search bait, 1 oz go-to for the island and big sand bass, hay rig as an alternative when the standard setup isn’t producing. The framework that covers the range of wall conditions
• Small bait and flash logic continued — with small bait prevalent, Luke goes 5-inch with flash. The bait doesn’t need to match the exact size of the forage — it needs to be visible in a dense bait school. Flash and profile over size-matching when bait is everywhere
• Surf bait approach — Luke’s surf bait: slip bait style like the Deka Backdrop. The surf as a different environment requiring a different fall and presentation than harbor structure fishing
• Spotty fishing simplicity — Luke’s spotty setup: quarter ounce, straight braid. No complexity, no overthinking. The stripped-down approach that produces consistently
• VikingHeads and [FISH]rx at the same event — Nick Trujillo present with his VikingHeads booth alongside [FISH]rx and Bait Slingers. The community brands that have grown up alongside the show all in the same room for the 100th episode

Beyond the Rod & Reel with Time on the Water

Getting to 100 episodes of anything is an achievement. Getting to 100 with the same three hosts, a growing community, multiple brand partnerships, and a YouTube channel that generates technique content the SoCal inshore fishing community actually uses — that’s a different kind of achievement. The show started as three friends on FaceTime. By Ep. 100, it had a community, sponsors, and an event floor presence.

The live-from-Tackle-Meet format was appropriate for the milestone. The show has always been most itself when it’s in the community rather than reporting on it. Having Daniel and Luke talking fishing with Nick Trujillo next to them, booths around them, and Steve from Tackle Meet hosting the venue — that’s the show in its natural habitat.

Watch the full episode on the Time On The Water YouTube channel. New episodes every Tuesday at 6 PM.