What advice do you have for fans and readers about starting out in the commercial fishing industry?
Dave Marciano: “My first instinct is – don’t do it. The fishing industry has changed. These days, fishing is a part-time vocation, whether you like it or not. Dave Carraro is a good example – he has a career as a pilot, and he built his commercial fishing career around that. And today, that’s the reality. You can’t make a reliable vocation full-time on commercial fishing.”
T.J. Ott: “Be prepared to fail before you even start, and you can only go up from there. Be confident, but prepare for the worst. The rod isn’t bending every day, there is a lot of downtime. It’s an expensive way to make a living, and it’s hard if you have a family, so be prepared for that roller coaster ride. If you are really passionate about it and committed, then it’s an amazing way to make a living, but just be prepared for the ride. Do not think you can come out here and make $20 a pound on every fish. Fish for fun and enjoy it – you can’t lose if you do that.”
Paul Hebert: “This is the biggest thing I can tell people – don’t do this for a living. Don’t think you’re going to go out there and make tons of money doing it. We’ve been doing this for years. The only reason we do it is because we were born into it, and it’s all we know. Take a charter, go fishing for fun.”
Dave Carraro: “Bottom line: Commercial fishing is a difficult way to earn a living.”
What are your hobbies and interests off the ocean?
Carraro: Skiing and hunting.
Marciano: “I’m a bit of a sci-fi geek. A few viewers have figured it out, but I love the Star Wars films and books.”
Ott: “I love art – I buy lots of art, lots of local art. My house in Key West is full of really cool art. And I love good music, especially when it’s live.”
Hebert: “Back in the day, my brothers and I were all wrestlers in high school, and all of us are also master carpenters.”
Krasowski: “Hiking, hunting with my son, watching my daughter surf — she’s one of the top women’s surfers out there — archery, and eating seafood with my family.”
