Meet Your Captain

 After growing up in Thomasville, AL and graduating from Troy State University, he went to work in Gulf Shores at the Claude Peteet Mariculture Center in 1988.  Soon thereafter, he married his college sweetheart, Vicky Lind, who grew up in Saraland.  They have 3 children.  Kelley is the oldest, he recently graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson,MS and is currently enrolled at University of South Alabama to continue his education as a Physician's Assistant or a PA. Grady is currently attending Auburn University and is Majoring in Agriculture Education, is a AG ambassador, and shoots skeet and sporting clays on the War Damn Clay Team.  Mary Katherine (MK) is a upcoming freshman at Elberta High School, is active at the South Baldwin Community Theatre in Gulf Shores, and lives to play the ukulele and trumpet, paint, craft, read, and bake (she's left-handed)!

   He worked side by side with the fisherman of the Alabama coast during his career.  His career involved fisheries research and sampling for the bulk of his career.  His major accomplishment was to enhance methods previously used to spawn spotted sea trout to artificially spawn red snapper.  Among his other duties were the inspection of artificial reef materials for fish habitat enhancement offshore and overseeing construction of several inshore fishing reefs inshore.  He helped to develop a catch and release fishing program at the hatchery for the handicapped and others without access to fishing.  Throughout his time with the state he gave tours of the facility and did classroom visits helping to educate others about our coastal resources.

   After a 25 year career with the Alabama Marine Resource Division, he seized the opportunity to retire and start a second career as an inshore fishing guide.  Having built a healthy clientele of returning customers over the previous 6 years, he now enjoys fishing full-time from March through early November.  Though he loves the inshore fishing, he still feels the lure of the blue water, offshore fishing and for many years has worked for his longtime friend Capt. Johnny Greene aboard the 62' Custom Sportfisherman Intimidator.  They chase AND CATCH everything from red snapper to amberjack, deepwater grouper, tuna and swordfish. Find them at both www.fishororangebeach.com and www.gulfshoresdeepseafishing.com.  

   When he isn't working, he can be found spending family time chasing anything from white trout (Miss Vicky's favorite) to sheephead (MK's favorite) to tripletail (the boys favorite), at he Cold Hole in Magnolia River escaping the heat, or running Mary Katherine everywhere from theater rehearsal, to track practice, and voice lessons!  And after fishing season you can find them together in the Mississippi Delta chasing down Specklebelly geese (and ducks when available).  He is a former (semi-retired) World Championship level duck caller.  Having qualified for the World's Championship in Stuttgart, AR by winning the Alabama State and regional championships using calls made by his very oldest buddy David Gaston (www.gastoncustomcalls.com), he finished as high as 3rd runner up in 2003.