East Pass Podcast

Anthony Hsieh got his start at an early age with pier fishing, deck handing and 17' Boston Whalers, but has since expanded his operation into a world wide phenomenon. He's the driving force and mastermind behind the "Bad Company" world tour where he's assembled an armada that travels the globe in search of giant sea monsters. Listen as we sit down and talk about everything from the early days and "Young Guns" to swordfish, blue marlin, the world tour and a whole lot of the in-between!

Captain Larry Pentel has been involved in multiple facets of the industry over the past 40+ years, giving him a unique perspective on the ins and outs of it. Not only is he one of the original fishermen to launch charters off Grayton Beach, FL but he also owned and operated his own fish market with his wife Mary, is part of the “100 lb cobia club” and is apparently so good at what he does that there are songs inspired by it. Listen as we sit down and talk about Cobia, Beach Launching, Tarpon, Fish Mongering and more!

The Team Supreme crew has only been fishing together as a unit for a couple of years now, but in that time they've won two Gulf Coast Triple Crowns as well as setting the new record for the most Marlin caught in the Gulf in a single year. Listen as I sit down with Captain Chase Lake and mates Seth Brennan and Hunter Smith to talk about some of the adventures that have gotten them here, as well as what's coming up for the 2025 season.

Charles Morgan has been a pillar in the Destin Community for nearly half a century. He's a fisherman/restauranteur/Fishing Tournament Director/philanthropist and the list goes on... His resume covers everything from running boats and opening one of Destin's most iconic restaurants and fish markets – Harbor Docks – to starting and hosting the Cobia World Championships, Take a Kid Fishing, American Lunch and more!

Captains Buddy Gentry, KP Burnett, Tommy Browning, Tommy Norred and Jeff Shoults sit down and talk about everything from memories of the early days, pranks, G&S boats Triggerfish slime, how to get rid of the gout and more!

Captain Jimmy Beason's resume doesn't just span many decades, but also many different facets of the industry. He's well-known for being the harbormaster of Orange Beach Marina for the last 30 years, but he got his start in Destin, FL charter fishing back in the 1970s and from there it took him in a few different directions and on many adventures! Listen as we sit down and recount everything from charter fishing, private boat fishing and tournaments to marinas, motorcycles, tracking groupers and more!

Captain Randy Baker has been at the top of the world-wide, game fishing scene for decades. Dozens of world records, super-slams, quadruple-slams, most Atlantic marlins caught in a day and the list of accomplishments goes on and on. Listen as we sit down and talk about a lifetime of adventure that started here in Destin, FL and  proceeded to span the globe.

Happy Rodeo month! October is the Destin Fishing Rodeo here in Destin, FL and this month's episode is a compilation of Rodeo stories from over the years. Listen as I sit down with Captains Kirk Ogden, Judah Barbee, Harold Staples and Robert Michelson as they share some of their favorite Rodeo stories from over the years!

Captain Tony Davis is still hitting it hard after more than 50 years in the industry. His career started in Destin and has been centered around mastering these waters for the majority of that time, however, his passion for catching everything that swims has taken him to Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Hawaii and many other locations. He's caught giant Marlin, countless Cobia, set fly fishing world records, taken innumerable people on adventures they'll never forget and more. Listen as we sit down and recount some of the stories from over the years.

Captain Jim Lamarque has spent over 60 years in the fishing industry and has experienced more than his fair share of adventures. From Redfish and Blue Marlin to capsized boats and being kidnapped and held for ransom in the jungle, he's seen it all! Listen as we sit down and recount some of the life and times of Captain Jim Lamarque.

Captain Jason Hallmark got his start in the industry three decades ago running the deck on the old “Capt Dukes” in Destin, FL.  He's been a charter boat captain, a commercial boat captain, a Gulf Coast Triple Crown winning private boat captain and a whole lot of craziness in between. From giant makos to giant tunas, marlin and more, he's had quite the run. Listen as we sit down and discuss a career full of adventure!

Captain Gary Jarvis has accumulated quite the list of adventures and accolades since he got his start in the industry nearly 50 years ago. From charter and commercial fishing to tournament fishing and fisheries management, he's done it all. Listen as we sit down and talk about how it started, where it went and all of the twists and turns along the way.

Captain Chase Lake got his start in the fishing industry nearly 30 years ago. His innate abilities, combined with years of learning from some of the best in the business have proven to be a wildly successful combination that, in 2023, earned him and his team the Triple Crown as well as the title of Furuno Gulf Coast Captain of the Year. Listen as we sit down and talk about everything from washing boats and falling off of them to leading the pack.

Captain Peter Wright has been busy shaking up the fishing world for more than 50 years. From working on charter boats and private boats to servicing and selling them, he's covered it all. His obsession for the industry has taken him from Destin and the Keys to St. Thomas, Australia and beyond. Listen as we sit down and attempt to capture some of the stories that have gotten him to where he is today.

Alex Fogg is one of the leading Lionfish experts and hunters in the world. What started a decade ago as concern for the waters they were invading and research for his master's work has since grown into his mastery of the subject being a widely sought-after resource. It has also led to him starting the largest Lionfish tournament in the world - the Emerald Coast Open! Listen as we sit down and discuss all things Lionfish!

Captain Dewey Destin's family heritage of fishing the beautiful waters of the Emerald Coast dates back to the very founding of Destin, FL. Many may know the name today as it relates to some of the best seafood in the area, but that's just part of the story. Before the restaurants and before the passing of what has been called “probably the most contentious fisheries management measure implemented in Florida,” Captain Dewey was a seine fisherman, with generations of experience, who was running the biggest operation in town. Listen as we sit down and talk about everything from early Destin to seine fishing and sea lions.

Captain Steve Haeusler's hard work and dedication have kept him at the top of the charter industry for decades. He has remained a constant, regardless of the changes and challenges presented over the years and his ability to consistently perform at such a level is mind-blowing. He's a world-record holder and a world-class human being. Listen as we sit down and talk about his career and he shares some stories of his years out in the Gulf of Mexico.

Captain Tommy Norred has been a pillar in the Destin fishing community for over 50 years, doing everything from pier fishing and charter fishing to Captaining private boats and catching big Blue Marlin. Well known, and loved, for his story telling, practical jokes and big heart, he has definitely left his mark. Listen as we attempt to scratch the surface of those stories and delve into the history of Captain Tommy, Destin and more.

Captain Scott "Fraz" Murie's fishing career started 50 years ago in Destin, FL but has proceeded to take him everywhere from Mexico and Bermuda to Venezuela, Africa and countless other locations. In a time before chart plotters, auto-pilot and GPS, he set out on crossings armed with paper charts, parallel rules and an inspiring sense of curiosity and adventure that was often ignited because a place on the map "looked cool." From harrowing tales of charter fishing to oil field shenanigans, helping set world records, dumpster-diving and more, listen as Captain Murie shares some of the exciting stories from a half-century of being "The Fraz."

Captain Jeff Shoults' fishing career has already spanned over 4 decades. Listen as we discuss everything from how he got started at the age of 12 in the charter industry in Destin, to fishing Australia, winning the Gulf Coast Triple Crown and "In The Bite" magazines Gulf of Mexico's Captain of the Year.

It's October! Which means that it's Rodeo time here in Destin! This episode has multiple guests sharing some awesome stories and great information about it all. Listen as Rodeo Director Helen Donaldson kicks it off and then stay tuned to hear Captains Robert Hill, Kyle Lowe, Brady Bowman, Justin Destin and Andrew Dover each share some epic stories, many of which are Rodeo records!

Captain William Frank Davis's fishing career spanned more than 40 years. He's played a pivotal role in one of Destin's favorite fishing traditions – The Blessing of the Fleet – with over 50 years experience serving as the Blessing's commodore. Listen as he shares some great stories of what it was like in Destin in the early days charter fishing, adventures commercial fishing, passing down his legacy to future generations and more!

Captain Harold Staples ongoing career has already spanned more than five decades. As a second generation charter and commercial fisherman, he built his charter boat with his dad in their backyard in the 70s in Biloxi, MS. He's also a tournament-winning private boat captain and his love for the industry has resulted in more generations following in his and his father's footsteps. Listen as we sit down and he shares some of his stories from over the years!

Listen as Captain Jim Green and Rachel Staples discuss some current events in the Gulf of Mexico, including the Rice Whale petition for a speed zone, the restructuring of the fisheries management plan for Amberjacks and what's going on with Red Groupers.

Harley Van Hyning, also known as Gnarly Harley, is a local Gyotaku artist out of Destin, FL. He creates original works of art from everything from small shrimp and flying fish to giant Bluefin Tuna and Blue Marlin and countless species in between. Each piece is unique and tells its own story. Listen as we talk about Harley's background, the art of gyotaku, some of the stories that accompany his works and more. 

Join Captain Jim Green and host Rachel Staples as they sit down and discuss the Magnuson-Stevens act and some of the history of fisheries management in the Gulf of Mexico.

Captain Tommy Browning has spent well over 6 decades fishing the Gulf of Mexico. Listen as he shares stories about everything from how he got his start and how things have changed over the years to catching multiple cobias over 100lbs, the Florida state Blue Marlin Record and everything in between!

Captain Wayne Fisher has been fishing the waters of the Gulf of Mexico out of Destin, FL since the early 1970's. His skill and passion for Cobia fishing made him a mainstay on the leaderboards and has resulted in five Ling over 100lbs. Listen as he shares some awesome stories about the way things were, his thoughts on the fishery and his love for Tarpon fishing.

Alex Fogg is the Coastal Resource Manager for Okaloosa County where he helps plan and facilitate our artificial reef program. Listen as he talks about some of the past, present and future plans they have for the area. We discuss everything from chicken coops and the current FADs to new FADs and a possible future deployment that could rival the U.S.S. Oriskany!

Captain Kelly Windes has spent the better part of the past 50-60 years charter and commercial fishing out of Destin, FL. Listen as he shares stories about everything from fishing with his Uncle Irby as a child and running his first charter boat to catching world record fish, finding wrecks and deploying the FADS!

Welcome to the East Pass Podcast! I'm your host Rachel Staples and I wanted to do introduce myself, give a little bit of background and explain some about why I wanted to start this podcast.