The Waterman's Life Capt. Tony Bozzella knows fish and he knows fishing. He should -- he literally grew up on the water, near Montauk, at the eastern end of Long Island. By age 8 he had a small seafood route, supplying local houses with fish, crabs and eel. As a teenager, he was a commercial bayman with a 24-foot Garvey running the great South Bay to the Hamptons, digging clams, dredging scallops, and tonging mussels.
When a massive red tide slowed commercial fishing, Tony joined the Navy and spent the next 20 years sailing and fishing the waters of the world. He retired as Chief Bosun. Based at Mayport, Tony fished mostly offshore, ranging the Gulf Stream from Georgia through the Keys for marlin, wahoo, tuna, and dolphin. Later, while fishing the Keys, Tony learned to love two things: bonefishing and the backcountry. He now spends most of his time fishing or guiding the North Florida tidal flats and backcountry, fishing for Seatrout, Redfish, Flounder, or whatever the First Coast backcountry has to offer. In the last decade, Tony started making high-quality jigs under the name TBS Lures and Jigs – stocked in stores throughout North Florida. An interest in tournament fishing led Tony to the next level – three top-10 finishes in the Professional Redfish Tour against some of the world’s best anglers and a 1st-place in the Mitzi Skiff Redfish Shootout. Tony also won 1st place in the the prestigious Key Largo Backcountry Challenge and Top Guide Award. Tony has been featured in many national publications and on national television programs like FOX Sports, ESPN, OLN, and Sunshine Network. If you like catching fish, if you want to learn how to fish North Florida's backcountry and flats from the best, give Capt. Tony Bozzella a call today, you won’t regret it! (904) 651-0182 |