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Capt. Art Schmidt




I grew up in a large family in Boca Raton, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, as a young boy and teenager I spent most of my spare time camping and fishing with my dad and uncles all over South Florida, I became hooked on sport fishing when I caught my first large Snook at 8 years of age.
After living in Georgia for 20 years and spending a lot of time fly fishing the mountain streams for trout and taking many trips to Belize and the Bahamas Fly Fishing for Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon
the lure of Saltwater, Palm Trees, Beaches and Saltwater Fly Fishing got me.
 I moved back to Florida and began guiding full time. My guiding career began in 1994 on the waters off Homosassa, Florida. The sport of Fly Fishing for Giant Tarpon was at its peak. There were many TV shows, Flip Pallot's Walkers Cay Chronicles, Mark Sosin, Larry Dahlberg's The Hunt for Big Fish. It was a great time for me to begin my passion / Guiding for Tarpon, I spent the first few years in Homosassa from April thru the end of July pursuing these magnificent fish. Each year I would re locate to the Florida Keys for a few months of Winter Fishing for Bonefish and Permit. I was very fortunate to have honed my skills in the beginning learning from my good friends, Capt. Earle Waters, Billy Pate, Capt Cecil Keith, Capt. Billy Knowles, Gary Merriman and Mac Miller. I have spent the last 21 years guiding all over South West Florida, The Keys, Homosassa, The 10,000 Islands and where I live in Matlacha, Pine Island Sound, Sanibel and Captiva Islands. Saltwater Fly Fishing is my Passion. I also love to explore remote areas and Photograph our wildlife and natural beauty.
I love meeting new people. Introducing anglers to Saltwater Fly Fishing and helping them improve their skills is one of the most rewarding things I do. Fly Fishing is not as difficult as it may seem, if you have some basic angling skills I can get you casting a fly rod quickly, I'm a very patient instructor.

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