Let's start with the easy way to fish.
You hire a terrific fishing guide, Captain Zeke in Naples, to take you out fishing on one of his charter boats. You can choose to fish for a half-day, a whole day, or even have him design a customized charter just for you and your crew of friends, family or business associates.
(Sometimes a big business deal is decided over a round of golf. But nothing creates a long-term, strong, bonded relationship between professional businessmen like a full day together on the salt water while sharing the joys and kinship of deep-sea fishing. The excitement of pulling some big fish out of the Gulf of Mexico just sets the pace for landing a big contract ashore. The memories you'll share are priceless.)
Captain Zeke already knows where to find lots of big saltwater fish (and we're not talking about the lame spots the locals tell the tourists). Fish move around, and it takes years of experience to know where they'll be next, considering the weather, yesterday's weather, the time of day, the time of year, tidal movements, depth to the bottom (and to the fish), and the bait that works for the kind of fish that's right under your boat. Then there's the size and kind of hooks, choosing the right fishing line to use, the best kind of fishing rod, expensive and well-maintained fishing reels and lots of other details that make your bait look exactly like something the fish just wants to gulp down the instant he sees it.
Unless you want to catch small fish, you'll need a fishing boat to go deep-sea fishing. Every once in a while, you might hear a story about someone who made a decent catch from a pier or the shore. Depending on "sheer luck" is a very frustrating way to enjoy fishing. When you see people fishing with small fishing poles, they're not catching big fish.
Next is the equipment you'll need when you actually get a fish on the line. A comfortable harness makes it possible to fight with a fish that would wear you out quickly if you weren't given this advantage. Add in a gaff (a large hook on a pole to grab the fish to pull it on board), a strong pair of arms to pull the fish on board, special gloves, and a variety of time-tested hardware and equipment that make it possible to land a fish that may weigh nearly as much as a small man.
Then, of course, there's technique. If fishing were as simple as just putting a piece of bait on a hook and throwing a line in the water, there wouldn't be any stories about "the one that got away."
Don't forget a big refrigerated box to store your catch, unless you only plan to catch one fish and head back for shore. Once you get the thrill of fighting, beating, and landing the big fish, you'll want to do it again and again.
You'll need a license, food, drinks, a good place to sit, shade, and most of all, good advice. Captain Zeke will take care of everything for you.
Watch out for rocks and other submerged objects that could sink your boat, or just let a competent local professional steer clear of any and all hazards, based on his sheer knowledge of where all the safe spots are to travel.
Throw in the years of training, learning from other captains, dealing with any emergency or difficulty that comes up on the water, and a seasoned sea captain can quickly become your favorite new friend.
At the end of the day, you'll have some great photos of amazing fish (even if you throw them back to catch again another day), and perhaps a really tasty fresh fish dinner for everyone you know. The memories will last a lifetime, and all the fun will make you want to do it again next year -- or sooner.
Or, you can do it the hard way. Get a book, read it, spend an awful lot of money for equipment, hope it's right for the area you're in and the time of year you're fishing, ask a few questions, get a few strange answers.
Next you'll want to study all the fishing reports you can get your hands on. After muddling through a few, you'll start to wonder which one's you should trust and which are just bad advice.
You'll have to learn whether to go fly fishing or fish with bait, or maybe use lures. You'll waste a lot of time using the wrong method, no matter which one you start with. But you've got lots of free time to learn to fish, right?
You'll need to buy a fishing license, but that's easy to get at a bait store. While you're in the bait store, grab a variety of hooks, get some advice from the kid behind the counter for the best fishing line, swivels, leaders, sinkers, fishing tackle, fishing lures, and all the other paraphernalia that goes along with it. Be certain you put it all together the right way for each kind of fish. Make sure you get the right stuff for the fish you're going after. (You do know what kind of fish you're going after, right?) Make sure you've taken precautions so your line doesn't get bitten off by a fish's sharp teeth, or broken while dragging over rocks and submerged junk. If it does, just start all over.
All this shouldn't take too long. Figure a few hours or days (that you could have spent actually catching big fish), then hope for the best and throw your line in the water. Good luck to you. Who knows? Considering how plentiful the fish are in South Florida, you're likely to catch something. Just make sure it's legal to keep it, and that it's going to taste good. Of course, if it's too small you'll have to throw it back, based on the kind of fish it is. You do know what kind of fish it is, don't you?
If you decide to go the hard way, look on the bright side. At least you'll have a lot of stories to tell about "the one that got away." And you can always sell all that excess gear on eBay for 10 cents on the dollar.
Personally, I'm going on board with Captain Zeke (unless he takes the day off to go fishing!). Maybe I'll see you there . . .
