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ABOUT CAPTAIN LOCKLEAR

Click here read an article about Captain Mike from Sport Fishing Magazine

I learned about salt water fishing first from my grandfather, Hiram, who took me fishing on the gulf flats at age 6. We fished for trout, and a cane pole was used to catch pinfish for bait. Hiram was also a guide on the Homosassa River from the late 20's to the early 60's, and he built his own boats to fish out of--as did many Crackers back in those days.

While still a young boy, I fished from the docks around old Homosassa using a hand line to catch bluegill, largemouth bass, and mangrove snapper. At age 10, I began plying the river with a 10 foot aluminum boat with a 6 H.P. Evinrude, catching trout and redfish. This is when I fell in love with fishing and the Homosassa River. 

Dad aka Skip was a well known fishing guide in the 50's through the 70's, took me fishing every chance he got and showed me the lay of the land (river) and the secret fishing holes that were teeming with redfish and trout during the winter months. One freezing cold winter morning he pulled me out of bed at 5:00 am and said, "Let's go catch some redfish." We boated 123 redfish. My father showed me the famed Homosassa tarpon flats in 1971, where we landed 4 giant tarpon between 138-184 pounds and a 63 pound cobia. Back then it was all show and tell.

After graduating from high school in 1973, I decided to pursue my dream of becoming a guide while working as a painter and going fishing every weekend. In 1976, I passed the United States Coast Guard Examination and began guiding immediately for the Coquina Island Club of Chattanooga on the Homosassa River. Then a "break" in guiding around Homosassa occurred in 1977, when I began operating a 50 foot Huckins based in Clearwater, Florida (60 miles south of Homosassa). Diving and fishing trips to the Florida Middle Grounds (85 miles offshore), the Florida Keys, and the Bahamas were taken for 2 years. These were the most enjoyable days of my young adulthood. They were my "college days" --without attending the university!

Then in 1979, I became Captain of a 46 foot Bertram Sportfisherman from Key West to Ft. Lauderdale, which only lasted about 6 months. Uncertain of my future, I began free-lancing by making yacht deliveries up and down the east coast of the United States. I returned home in 1981 and was hired by Duncan MacRae as a yard man, then later was moved up to run the bait shop, where I began building my guide business.

After several years of part-time guiding and thousands of hours on the water, I became the premier Homosassa guide in the mid-to-late 80's & 90's. None of this success would have been possible without a marriage to my beautiful wife Sherry in 1985. We are blessed with two beautiful children--first born a daughter, Courtney (19) and two years later a son, John (17).  Both are smarter than me.

Since 1987, I have guided full time and have built a name that is well respected in the guide community and the fishing industry. I have attended many fishing shows across the state where I held seminars about fishing. I have become friends with many folks like Karl Wickstrom of Florida Sportsman Magazine, Vic Dunaway and Frank Sargeant.  More recent friends are Doug Kelly and Tommy Thompson of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association.

I joined the Coastal Conservation Association (the old Florida Conservation Association), the International Game Fish Association, the Florida Wildlife Federation, the Florida Guides Association and the Homosassa Guides Association.

Through seminars, I have become friends with experts in the fishing industry like founding editor of Florida Sportsman Magazine, Vic Dunaway. Stu Apte fished with me and taught me a few fighting methods for the "fly fishing for tarpon scene." Billy Pate also shared his vast knowledge of the sport of kings while fishing with me. Frank Sargeant, of the Tampa Tribune's Outdoors column and Florida Sportsman feature writer, has wrote about our trips and several books where he mentioned my name.  We fished numerous times successfully for trout, redfish, and tarpon all along the west coast of Florida.

I could not have total success over the years without the promotional consideration from my sponsors including Pro-Line Boats, Mercury Motors, Motorguide, Mirrolure, Cotee Industries, Daiwa, Sage, Tibor Reels, and Triple Fish International. I promote and endorse products of these companies at my seminars and through my fishing reports on the Internet.

It is my goal every day for my clients to catch fish, but most of all to have a great and fun time on the water while doing it. It is their vacation and it is treated as such. I will do whatever is best to make the day the most enjoyable and will keep a smiling face and happy attitude.

Through a number of associate member guides, I put together large company group outings. I can handle parties up to 30 persons comfortably and professionally. We network together and help each other to be the best guides we can be. So...

...LET'S GO FISHING!

Captain Mike uses the following products and recommends them:

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Copyright@ 2000-2008 Captain Mike Locklear. All rights reserved.