How I Got Started

Captain Austin McWhorter

- Tarpon caught in Tampa Bay

Here’s a little info about myself. I'm Texas born, Florida Gulf-Coast raised, and have spent the last eleven years as a local fishing guide in Clearwater and the Tampa Bay area. My journey to becoming a guide was not something I dreamt of as a child and spent years preparing for, but rather something that fell in my lap in my 20’s while I was trying to find my way into a career I would enjoy. I had been working in the construction industry and had decided to go back to school for something different. During that time, I found myself working at a local restaurant in the Clearwater Beach marina. It was there that I met many local captains and was given the opportunity to start guiding. Since then, I have spent countless days each year pursuing our local fish. While I do provide charter fishing with live bait, my real passion is fly fishing. There is something incredibly addicting to me about sight casting to a fish.

I don't consider myself a writer by any means, so bear with me through this blog. I'll do my best to keep you entertained, informed, and hopefully on a journey to catching more of the fish you love to pursue. This won't be a weekly report or a "how to" but rather a peek into the mind and thoughts of someone who fishes for a living. I'll share stories and experiences from the water and my thoughts on the ever changing industry that we are currently in.

Let’s get out there!

Captain Austin