LIVIN’ THE DREAM IN SOUTHEAST FLORIDA

Family and Fishing Are My Life

I was born and raised in my great grandfather’s house in Miami Beach on the shoreline of Biscayne Bay. I grew up watching Capt. Rick Murphy on TV. My dad put a fishing rod in my hand when I was two, and it’s been there ever since. I did the same when my son was that age and he’s hooked, too.

Family includes my wife, son, our dog (who’s just as cute as the day we got her 17 years ago) and my parents, who live nearby. We travel, hike, explore Florida’s amazing sandbars and, of course, fish together.

When I’m not guiding, I spend my time being the best dad, husband and business owner I can be. I also play the guitar, surf, dive and explore the Everglades.

Catching the Dream

Fishing was my hobby until I graduated from Miami Beach High School in 2007. Then it became my life. From 2005-2020, I trained under the legendary Capt. Bouncer Smith. We fished dozens of tournaments and won quite a few, but more importantly, we built lasting relationships with other anglers and shared countless, incredible catches.

When Capt. Bouncer retired, I bought a 26’ C-Hawk with a 300 YAMAHA, and launched my own guide business — Go Hard in the Paint. I specialize in light tackle and primarily fish with live bait and artificials for everything that bites out on the reef and in the Bay.

My favorite part of guiding is meeting people from all walks of life and helping them catch their dream fish. Offshore we chase sailfish, kingfish, tuna, mahi, snapper and grouper. Inshore we look for sea trout, snook, tarpon, jacks, snappers — anything to bend a rod.

A Boatload of Gratitude

Filling the deck shoes of Capt. Jimbo Thomas for Florida Insider Fishing Report’s Southeast Region is a tall task, but certainly doable with Capt. Rick and his crew behind me.

Thank you to all the captains who’ve guided me along the way — especially Capt. Bouncer. Thank you to my beautiful wife, Yudith, and my parents for believing in me, and for my son, Ryder, for keeping me honest. Thank you to Rick and the crew at Florida Insider Fishing Report. It truly is an honor.

And, a huge thank you to my sponsors Star brite, Pure Fishing, Capt Harry’s Fishing Supply and Yamaha Motors for having my back all these years.