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Being a Florida native, I have been able to fish the Florida waters my
whole life. I guess I have over 25 years experience fishing the
ponds, lakes, rivers, bays and Gulf of Mexico. My job as a first mate
on a 42 foot sportfish out of Sarasota really taught me a lot about
the guiding business. I spent 5 years working with families, business
partners, and friends that chartered this boat. The enjoyment of
meeting new people and being part of the memories made on these
fishing trips is what encouraged me to start my own business.
The Sarasota bay and near shore waters of the Gulf of Mexico have
became my back yard get a way for the past 12 years. Learning the
seasonal patterns of the fish and marine life has been intriguing to
me over these years. Fish such as the tarpon return to our waters
within the same 2 week period every year out of the blue. Snook came
out from their winter homes to take advantage of the incoming baitfish
in the Spring. It is this type of information that can really only
come from experience. The small details are so important to pay
attention to I have been so lucky to spend the time I have on the
waters here. What I have learned has become second nature. One thing
is for sure local knowledge make a good guide.
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Working out of the New Pass Bait Shop has given me the chance to work
with many other captains and meet all kinds of people. WE are lucky
to be able to work together and share information time to time.
I
feel like I have become a part of this community because of all the
people I have meet along the way. Knowing people like Fish and
Wildlife workers, Marine police officers, bait shop employees, and
other captains and fishermen. We all share a common interest and we
have good relationships. Some of these people have been fishing these
waters for over 40 years. |
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Out of a calendar year, most of my days
are spent on the Sarasota waters. The others are spent in my studio
where I work on paintings and drawings. The Ringling School of Art &
Design is what brought me to Sarasota. I have always been an artist
before anything else. My work has always been inspired by nature and
Florida environments. People always ask me how I became a fishing
guide. I always tell them, “just go to art school.”
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