Story by Robert Wroblewski | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Going into my 11th year as a full-time guide, I sometimes sit back and can’t believe the path that’s brought me here. I was just a small-town kid from Naples, Florida, spending every free minute fishing the canals, lakes, and backwaters of the Everglades. I never imagined that passion would turn into a full-blown career that would take me from the salt flats of southwest Florida to the river systems of Tennessee—and just about everywhere in between.
I grew up with a rod in my hand. From chasing snook and redfish in Estero Bay to exploring the mangroves of Fort Myers, fishing was never just a hobby. It was life. Early on, I knew I wanted to make a living doing what I love. The idea of taking people out and showing them the beauty of a fishery—watching their reactions, helping them catch their first fish, or their biggest—was always the dream…