Capt. Kris Bacen

As a young boy, I remember learning south Florida’s backcountry one piece at a time (some lessons learned harder that others!). I continued to explore further and further, fascinated then, as I am now, by the beauty and complexity of this wilderness.

I attended Eckerd College in St Petersburg on a music scholarship where I took the opportunity to study and to Snook fish on Florida’s west coast. I graduated with a degree in environmental studies, which taught me the scientific explanations for what I had been witnessing in nature throughout my life. Everything fit together as I gained a deeper understanding of what exactly was happening at my favorite fishing spots, and why. It seems that I still use and build on that knowledge every day as a guide.

I received my One Hundred Ton US Coast Guard Captain’s license while I was still attending college. Afterwards, I moved to Islamorada permanently, where I played music and worked on boats until starting my own charter business.

Ever since, I’ve guided full time, and I have learned how enjoyable it is providing other anglers with experiences similar to those which have shaped my own life.