With 33 years of experience in the fishing and boating industry, Barry Brightenburg is widely recognized for his wealth of knowledge of inshore and offshore fishing from the Channel Islands to the Baja Peninsula . His passion for the ocean began at the age of 10, when he spent one full year of his early life sailing from San Diego to Venezuela . On this trip, he gained fishing and navigational experience that developed into a raw instinct for him.

After high school, Barry landed his first job as a fishing guide in the Sea of Cortez. After graduating from SDSU, Barry worked in Cabo San Lucas running a charter boat and refurbishing yachts. In 1993, Barry acquired Fish Trap Lures, a tackle manufacturing company. Since the acquisition, he has been a highly sought after seminar speaker for his expertise of inshore and offshore fishing. He has been featured in numerous fishing and boating publications as well as popular fishing television shows. Barry has also been very instrumental in field testing and product development for major tackle companies and boat manufacturers.

In 2007, Barry became the team captain of the Contender West team, fishing marlin tournaments up and down the coast, placing 4th in their first team event. In 2008 he continues his ventures with the Contender West team, as well as joining Sundance Marine as the general manager.