East Pass Podcast

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 toda...

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...

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...

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 shar...

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...

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...

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...

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 d...

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 wo...

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.