MEET THE CAPTAIN

I believe when you hire a skipper, it is good to know with whom you are dealing with and what their background is. After all, you will be stuck with me on a boat for 8 hours.
Your Captain was born in Erie, PA in 1965. I have logged over 36 years of open water trolling experience on Lake Erie, Ontario, Michigan and Huron. I started trolling in Lake Erie in 1980 near the beginning of the highly successful Coho Salmon in Erie, PA and have been trolling around ever since. I have seen the start and end to many things on Lake Erie. I obtained my captains license in 1987 and started my charter career in 1988. 

I am a very competitive person. I love to beat the fish and find it very rewarding to provide my customers a successful and safe day on the water. My motto, “Leave No Fish Behind” is proof. Vision Quest is one of the most successful fishing operations on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. I love to fish tournaments and in 2006 I started to fish these more regularly. Success was not fast at first because we often traveled to foreign waters to compete and with little practice time. It was extremely hard to dial in the fish on another Lake. However, Team Vision Quest has compiled an impressive record over the years with over 150 top 10 finishes and over 40 1st places to date since 2003. Many of these have came since 2006 when I made a commitment to tournament fishing and many more will hopefully follow. This is also a testament to my competitive nature and desire to be successful. In 2007 and 2008, Team V.Q. finished in the top 10 in 22 out of 27 events that we participated in. Then in 2023 and 2024, we did it again. Not many fishing operations can relate to that kind of success. Since 2006, Team VISION QUEST has placed in the top 10 in over 150 events on the Great Lakes with 65 being either 1st or 2nd place finishes. I have been associated with several fishing product companies over the years as a member of their Pro-Staff and am involved with lure design. I am proud to be or have been associated with these fine companies over the many years: Dreamweaver Lures, A-TOM-MIK Trolling Flies, Fish Hawk Electronics, Big Jon Sports, Costa Sun Glasses, SHIMANO Fishing Products, Storm Lures, Silver Horde, GAMMA Fishing Line, AFTCO, Pautzke/Atlas Mike's Scents, Torpedo Trolling Products, and FishUSA.

I consider myself a well rounded skipper and the most overall experienced Captain in Erie, PA. Why? Because I fish from April to December and do not specialize in one species. I fish every month for all species and have learned much and have gained vast experience over the years. I am currently the only Captain in our area that fishes this type of schedule and can put my customers on fish during any given month. Currently, I own (3) fishing boats that are well maintained, clean and equipped with professional tackle. I do not skimp when it comes to tackle or equipment. All three boats are made by Tiara. Tiara has the reputation for making the best fishing boats on the Great Lakes and I would have to agree. The Tiara Yacht 3600 Open is the gem of the charter fleet in Erie, PA. I now have a 3100 Tiara Open with hard top on Lake Ontario and I use the 2700 open to travel and fish tournaments sometimes and it is my early/late year rig. I am also committed to the fishery : I am the current president and founder of the Erie Pennsylvania Sport Fishing Association, serve on the Lake Erie Percid Management Committee, I represent the State of Pennsylvania as the Pennsylvania Sport Fishing Advisor on the Great Lakes Fishery Commission Commission's Committee of Advisors (that's a mouthful), maintain memberships with several fishing organization's and complete several fishing seminars per year. I believe that one should give back to the fishery that has been so good to me over the years and have done so by investing knowledge, time and resources to this very fishery. This brief autobiography should help you know your Captain in a better manner. I look forward to meeting you at the dock. God Bless.