How a Middle School Vice Principal ended up as a Fishing Captain in the Florida Keys: Meet Captain Fred
You’d never know it, but Captain Freddie is not a Florida Keys native. While he has called Islamorada home for the past two decades, Fred’s love of fishing started back in his hometown of Martha’s Vineyard – an island located off the coast of Massachusetts.
With the Atlantic Ocean as his backyard, Fred developed an early and steadfast passion for fishing. He began shell fishing and hook and line fishing for stripers, blue fish, fluke, bonito, and albacore tuna along the shores and beaches of the Vineyard.
As Freddie came into his teen years, he pursued more offshore fishing for catch like white marlin, yellowfin tuna, swordfish, and different species of sharks that inhabit the New England waters. Fred’s passion for fishing never waned, yet, his father still encouraged him to get a “real job” which lead Freddie to pursue a career in education.
For many years, Freddie spent the school year working with handicapped youth, ultimately becoming the Vice Principal of a middle school. This profession allowed him to continue enjoying his passion for fishing in the summer months, a seasonal arrangement that worked out quite well.
Fred fished all over New England from Maine to Rhode Island and of course in the waters around Martha’s Vineyard. Eventually, his first passion for fishing called Fred to retire and devote himself fully to the thrill of the catch. Fred had an offshore charter boat appropriately named “Reel Job”, a nod to his father’s urgencies many years ago.
A partnership with a local tackle shop allowed guests to book fishing charters to experience the best of New England fishing with Fred as their trusted guide. While this certainly was fulfilling, the seasonal nature of New England fishing left Freddie with a lot of time on his hands in the winter months. What’s an avid fisherman to do with a few free weeks in the dead of a cold northern winter? Fish the Florida Keys, of course! Soon enough, Captain Freddie sold everything and settled in Islamorada – The Sport Fishing Capital of the World.
For the past 20 years Freddie has combined his experience in education and his passion for fishing to deliver one of the best charter experiences in Islamorada. He is patient with novice anglers, but not so much with the fish! Freddie moves around and uses his knowledge of the area and different species to make sure his guests are catching fish – if you’ve ever thought fishing was boring, you’ve never fished with Fred! His previous work with children shows, with many families entrusting Fred to take their younger ones on a fun, kids-only fishing adventure while the parents enjoy some adult time on land.
Families, celebrities, avid fisherman and anglers of all ages and levels of experience are guaranteed a good time with Captain Freddie as he has experience with all of them. He tailors the charter to exactly what you’re looking for, whether that’s hunting for tarpon, hitting up the famous Islamorada sandbar or fishing the backcountry waters. Like any good business, a sure sign of success is recurring customers and that’s something Captain Freddie has in spades. Families, friend groups, and serious anglers come back to Fred year after year for annual or seasonal trips. So, if you’re looking for a worthwhile experience next time you need a break from your “real job”, put your precious time off in the hands of someone who has done it all – Captain Freddie.
