FISH!

As the saying goes, a bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work. Or, as outdoorsman and angler Fennel Hudson, puts it: “Having a fishing rod in your hand is merely an excuse to explore out-of-sight depths and reveal mysteries that previously only existed in dreams.”

Whether you’re in it for the relaxation, the challenge, or the mystery, here’s a quick overview to get your local fishing adventures started.

Fish can be hard to catch. Fishing fever, on the other hand, is amazingly easy to catch. It can also be a lifelong condition — and highly communicable. Those who feel the fever love to pass it on.

Just ask Matt Scanlon. He’s been casting off area piers his entire life and has worked nearly every job in the business, starting with a high school gig peeling shrimp at New Pass Grill and Bait Shop and, later, as a cook there. Today, he runs the bait shop and co-owns Dreams Reelized, a local fishing charter business.

According to Scanlon, the fever was intense in his youth — to the extent that he and his friends went out shark hunting in a flimsy inner tube one afternoon. Not the smartest idea, but he shrugs it off.

“You have to risk it for the biscuit,” he laughs, adding that good fishing opportunities are worth whatever it takes. As it turns out, Scanlon and his buddies didn’t catch Jaws that day — but Jaws didn’t catch them, either. They all had a great day being out on the water, and the risk made the experience even more memorable.

For Scanlon and so many others, the happiness that fishing brings is the greatest catch of all. Why does fishing put a smile on their faces? For them, the list includes the excitement of the challenge, close contact with nature, times of contemplative solitude as well as times of camaraderie. They also talk about fishing’s mental and physical health benefits — and many studies back them up.

If you’re already a seasoned fishing pro, you

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Continued from Page 74 know all about it. If you want to get started, we’re happy to help. Here’s a quick guide to some of our area’s fishing experiences.

Offshore Fishing

Offshore fishing means what it says. About 10 miles from our shores, the depth is about 60 feet; at 30 miles, it’s around 100 feet. Depending on the time of year, the fish that make their home in these waters include grouper, snapper, cobia, amberjack, shark, mackerel, snook, trout, redfish and flounder.

To learn more, we spoke with Capt. Sam Ramey, who heads up Suncoast Fishing Adventures. Ramey is one of a handful of area-based captains with a federal fishing permit that allows him to fish up to 100 miles from the shore. Originally from the Washington, D.C. area, Ramey attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg and soon fell in love with the life aquatic. For him, the experience was such a game-changer that he finished his schooling while living on a sailboat. After graduating from Eckerd, Ramey went on attend the Chapman School of Seamanship. He now holds a USCG 50-ton Master’s License.

“I didn’t know that being a fishing guide was even an option as a career,” Ramey says. “No one in D.C. does that. As soon as I heard you could make money doing it, that became my focus.”

Ramey customizes his fishing expeditions to his clients’ needs. His 28-foot Contender vessel comes equipped with a 40-gallon live bait well, 20 rod holders and two GPS systems with sonar and radar — all the better to track down the perfect fish.

If You Go: Six hours is $1,125; eight hours is $1,500; and 10 hours is $1,875. Those prices apply for up to four people; additional guests are $50 each. Info: 301-775-0306; SuncoastFishingAdventures.com.