Captain Shawn Smith
Captain / Owner / Operator
Captain Shawn here! I specialize in light tackle, near shore and backwater, guided fishing charters around beautiful Naples, Marco Island, and the Ten Thousands Islands. Artificial or live bait. Big rods to 6 pound test. Tailing Redfish on the flats, Snook in the pass, Tarpon off the beaches, and 200 pound Goliath Grouper and trophy Permit on the wrecks. I do it all, and love it all! I’m a self-professed fishing addict!
I’ve moved from Pennsylvania, to Louisiana, to California, to Illinois, to New Jersey, to New York, to Ohio, to Texas, and now to Florida, and I cannot cure myself. I’ve even had moves within those moves and can’t shake this problem. There seems to always be some water, a rod and reel nearby, and some fish of some species that need to be caught. I need some help, and perhaps some professional counseling!
In all serious now, I have moved that many times in my life, and I have lived in that many places, but they were all due to growing up in a house hold with my Mother, my younger Sister and whose Father seemed like he was always a move ahead of us, a real“corporate gypsy”. This was tough growing up; leaving friends behind, meeting new ones, learning the lay of the land, and the mentalities of the people. However, now looking back, I had opportunities that most kids never received. I caught my first fish, a Blue Cat, in the Mississippi, at three years old, and have been hooked since. I’ve caught Bass and Blue Gill in every golf course I could sneak onto, or anywhere I could drive any type of transportation to. I’ve trolled for Marlin in Maui, Dolphin in the Gulf stream, and Rooster fish in Costa Rica. I’ve caught “Bull” Reds and “Doormat” Flounder in the Carolinas, and Blues and Stripers on the Jersey Shore. I’ve fished for Walleye and Smallmouth in the Finger Lakes of New York, and taught myself to cast a fly for Trout in the many small streams all throughout Pennsylvania and Delaware. I know it sounds like I’ve only fished my whole life, but I was also an avid downhill skier, and a fairly decent golfer all through high school, until I hit college.
I graduated from Alfred University in 1996 with a B.S. in Business Administration. My parents actually believed I majored in Fraternity. I even met my very loving and understanding wife there, even though we didn’t marry until 2008. I’ve had a few various jobs coming out of school, until I fell into, and was trapped by, the restaurant business while living in Ohio. I guess it was the social aptitude of fraternity life that lured me. I didn’t see any room for serious advancement in my career there, hence, my move to the booming hospitality economy of Naples in 1999. I’ve been General Manager of several, well known, restaurants in town, and even bought one with my family in 2003, only to sell before the economy collapsed. The hospitality business was great to me, and met some wonderful people along way, however the long hours and late nights were paying its toll on family life, and we now have an unbelievable son to look out for. It was time for a career change!
I had now been fishing the waters of Naples, Marco Island, Estero Bay, and the Ten Thousand Islands regularly for Snook, Redfish, Tarpon, Trout, Grouper, Snapper, Cobia, Permit, Sharks, and more since I’ve moved here. I’d even occasionally hit Pine Island Sound and make a yearly trip to the keys for the myriad of aquatic offerings. I had entered several local tournaments over the years, and finished with better results each one. With some serious persuasion from some friends, and after fishing 5th in the Southern Back Water Series Redfish Tournament Grand Championships, and fishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, in a few charity tournaments the same year, I had the confidence in my fishing ability to take it to the public. I’m now a fully licensed and insured USCG Captain, and have been guiding full time now for the past 4 years. I couldn’t have made a better decision to do what I truly love to do. Actually, I’m feeding my addiction every day now! I get the same enjoyment watching someone catch their first species, or that fish of a lifetime, as though I was on the rod myself. I love to share what I know with anyone, even fellow guides, and make it a point to learn something new every day. I take pride in the fact that I offer the best equipment available to my customers, as it is the same equipment I use personally. They always say, “Any day on the water is better than no day on the water at all”, and I’m blessed to have the ability share that with people from around the world now.
Hope to see you all on the water! Tight lines and great fishing everyone!
Capt. Shawn