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When creating an annual issue themed as the best in big-game fishing, with a focus on exploring the world’s best bucket-list destinations, we’d be grossly remiss if we didn’t cover the ongoing adventures of the Bad Company World Tour. Simply put, there’s no other sport-fishing program on Earth quite like it.
Founded and led by Anthony Hsieh—the self-made entrepreneur behind LoanDepot and one of modern angling’s most recognizable personalities—Bad Company has redefined what’s possible in the sport. What began decades ago in Southern California has evolved into the largest private sport-fishing operation in history—a moving armada of meticulously outfitted vessels spanning the globe in pursuit of the ocean’s biggest marlin.
Since the launch of the World Tour in 2022, the program has logged an incredible 391 days on the water, typically fishing 14 to 18 days in each location, or “leg.” Along the way, the team has deployed 41 pop-up satellite and tow tags, released an astounding 436 billfish, including 181 over 500 pounds and 29 over 900, while taking only four fish in total. In 2025 alone, they completed six distinct legs across four truly bucket-list destinations.
Speaking with Hsieh and the renowned Capt. Steve Lassley about the past year, they summed it up identically: The only constant is change. From mothership overhauls and shifting schedules to unpredictable weather and bite patterns, adaptation has become the defining characteristic of the Bad Company program. Every season presents new variables, and 2025 was no different—boats diverted for maintenance, plans were rewritten on the fly, and logistics got reengineered overnight. Yet under Hsieh and Lassley’s leadership, and the crew’s unshakable teamwork, they made it all look effortless.
Although the surface goal of the World Tour has always been to pursue and catch the biggest fish any of the team members have ever seen, it goes deeper than that. It’s a pursuit defined by scale, intention and perspective—equal parts adventure, diplomacy, logistics and research. It’s also backed by a media engine that rivals professional production companies, sharing each triumph and trial with a loyal fan base across the globe. From motherships with helicopter pads to a fleet of battle-ready vessels set to deploy around the planet, the magnitude of this program defies comparison.
Those who follow the World Tour may know that Hsieh’s business commitments have increased—a reminder of that ever-present theme of change. However, the Bad Company World Tour shows no signs of slowing down. The 2026 schedule is already shaping up, and it’s packed with more adventure and bucket-list destinations. Rumor has it that even Easter Island—yes, the remote Pacific outpost with the giant stone statues and disappearing civilization that you learned about in school—could soon see the Bad Company fleet offshore.
What follows is a visual expose of legs 13 to 16 of the 2025 World Tour, told through breathtaking photography by Tanner Matthews and David Lassley, and the direct words of tour leaders Anthony Hsieh and Capt. Steve Lassley. Together, we aim to capture what makes this program unlike anything else on the water: a rare blend of adventure, endurance, resources, and an unwavering passion for the pursuit of the world’s largest marlin.
The Locations
Leg 13: Seychelles
Dates: January 2025
Boats: BCS 175’, BC 43’
Captain’s Log: Released three black marlin and five blue marlin. Found really good blue marlin fishing 200 miles north of Farquhar on banks that weren’t on any chart or GPS, probably never been fished before.
“The Seychelles wasn’t great marlin fishing for us, but it was spectacular. Absolutely spectacular. The other fish, you could walk on them. If you got a lure to the bottom, you’d catch fish you’d never seen—with colors you’d never seen.” —Anthony Hsieh
Leg 14: Ascension Island
Dates: March 2025
Boats: BCS 150’, BC 38’
Captain’s Log: Numbers were down from our first trip, but we still experienced world-class blue marlin fishing.
“In Ascension you literally cannot go inside of 200 feet because you just get covered up with yellowfin, wahoo, mahi, skipjack, rainbow runners… plus the sharks. It was National Geographic country.” —Anthony Hsieh
Legs 15A & 15B: Cape Verde
Dates: May & July 2025
Boats: BCS 150’, BC 57’
Captain’s Log: Released 101 blue marlin between the two legs. Numbers were off the charts, but fewer big fish this year for us
“Everywhere we go now, we’re invited—people make sure we have logistics, approvals, fuel. We get invited into people’s homes. And we go.” —Anthony Hsieh
Legs 16A & 16B: Azores
Dates: August & September 2025
Boats: BCS 150’, BC 57’
Captain’s Log: When we arrived, the Azores’ high hadn’t set up. Fishing was slow, and it started heating up when we were leaving the first leg. When we returned, we found the fish we were looking for—a real one.
“We’ve seen big ones everywhere, but the Azores—man, there are some absolute giants there. Four of the seven biggest fish we’ve caught have been in the Azores.” —Capt. Steve Lassley
The Team
- Antony Hsieh, Owner/Angler
- Steve Lassley, Captain
- Ryan Howlker, Engineer
- OB O’Bryan & James David, Cockpit
- David Lassley & Tanner Matthews, Film Crew
“I would not have the courage to carry this out if it wasn’t for having Steve. His management and leadership—hiring and managing personnel—gave me a ton of confidence. He’s very knowledgeable with boats and manages them very well. I know how he operates; he knows how I operate. We have a real rhythm.” —Anthony Hsieh
“We are operating at breakneck speed, and at any second we’re on the edge of eating it. All it takes is one knucklehead to kick one of those tires and the whole thing falls apart. Luckily, my guys all get it, and I love these guys—they’re a pleasure to work with. True professionals.” —Capt. Steve Lassley
The Mission
“The World Tour has a particular objective: to see the biggest fish we’ve dreamed about. And if I could do it all over, I’d only change one thing: I wish I’d started earlier.” —Anthony Hsieh
