Crush Station

No, but I wish. Anyone who says this is their full-time gig is probably stretching it. There simply is not enough volume in this business to sustain a livable wage year-round. In order to survive as a surf fishing guide, you need a flexible schedule and a significant secondary source of income — which is not always easy to maintain.

Not the fun or fortune-producing kind.

I’ve caught fish of all sizes, but this is yet another category where size does not equate to accomplishment. That said, my best catch to date was a big one — hitting the scales at 110 lbs and measuring 64 inches in length. She often joins my charter trips as first mate.

Yes. I’ve fished the beaches of every coast in Florida, and there are many fine surf fishing destinations among them, offering a variety of beauty, novelty, and abundant fishing opportunity. However, when considering all factors — access, pressure, success rate, species availability, scenery, and the presence of other unique marine life and wildlife — I find that the surf of Melbourne Beach stands in a class of its own.

Many customers are staying in and around the Cocoa Beach area. Cocoa Beach is a great location, mostly due to convenience being located a straight shot East down the Beach Line from Orlando INT and also due to its close proximity to Port Canaveral and the Cruise Ships. However, Cocoa Beach's actual "beach" leaves a lot to be desired -- they are crowded, industrialized, and highly pressured. This is why we ask customers to make the 40-45 minute drive south down A1A to Melbourne Beach and the pristine shores of Archie Carr National Wild Life Refuge. The beaches are cleaner, uncrowded, with more beautiful water and better fishing. Whether you're going surf fishing or jus to enjoy a beautiful day at the beach, the trip is worth it. Every. Single. Time.

We are a shore-based operation, and as such, believe our rates are in line with the value of the services we provide. Chartered trips on boats are, and should be, much more expensive. These fishing captains carry a lot of additional overhead, from the cost of owning and maintaining a boat and trailer, insurance, additional licenture, and the rising cost of fuel, among other expenses. As a from-shore surf fishing operation, these are expenses we don't have; nonetheless, some guides in this space think they are entitled to +$1000 4 hour excursions -- and it's absurd.

Timing certainly matters and is a significant matter. Sure, you can catch a trophy at a historically "poor" period of fishing, but you ideally want to play the best odds available. Even then, opinions vary widely on the subject. I always prefer fishing incoming tide, the period of 2-3 hours before hightide. The fish are pushing in to the beach and you don't have to cast 100 yards to reach them.

As for time, the early and late hours always produce the most activity in the surf. In the summer season in Central Florida, I prefer the evening because it has cooled down a bit after a scorching day and we have until 9pm to dark. In the winer, first light through noon tends to be pretty good, but can be a little nippy out there! If dawn or dusks align with my preferred tide, I will try to target those windows accordingly. Fortunately, these windows can be identified months or years in advance, so I welcome customers to schedule accordingly -- then just hope other forces of nature when the date comes due.

No, this is false, but it's understandable why many might assume that. They're both super rad dudes that are practically nextdoor neighbors. But legend has it that after Doug Flutie led the Hoover Hawks to a state title, the team went +20 years without mustering a single victory -- not until Johnny led the W hungry hawks over our rivals in Palm Bay at Stone Jr high.