Inshore Guide
Capt. Mike Walter
My family always knew I was going to be a fisherman. Islamorada fishing has been a part of my life since I was four years old. The Florida keys were an escape for my family to get away from the city life to unwind, relax, and take in all that mother nature had to offer.
I grew up in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We had a vacation home in Islamorada and Dad would spend the winters down here. We would do blue marlin and tuna tournaments in Jersey then come down to the Islamorada to catch sailfish in the winter.
I had such a passion and drive to be on or near the water—this longing to get back to the Keys. After graduating college in 2008—four years as a defensive end with a business management degree—I made the full-time move to Islamorada to fish.
Capt. Mel Walker on the “Gotcha,” took me under his wing. He was very much so an Islamorada father figure, leading by example with his reputation in the community both on and off the water. From there, I started working on the “Relentless,” with Capt. Paul Ross—who was winning every offshore tournament there was at the time.
In the summer of 2015, I had a skiff that I’d guide evening tarpon trips on. I’d fish all day on the Relentless, pay a kid $20 to wash the boat, and head out to go tarpon fishing that night. Those inshore experiences chasing tarpon inspired me to start Spartan Charters in 2016.
Offshore Guide
Capt. Trevor Newman
When I was 14, living in Coconut Grove, my dad asked me to ride down to a fish market at Crandon Marina on Key Biscayne. There was a line of charter boats and guides standing around on the docks, so I started talking to one of the captains about fishing. I asked if I could come. The captain said to show up at the dock at 5 am the next morning.
I showed up at 5, he showed up at 6:30. We cleaned some bird poop off the boat and headed offshore. That was my first time ever fishing.
For the next few years, in between school, I’d go out on that 46’ Hatteras whenever I could—working as a deckhand and helping out with anything on the boat. They kept calling and I kept showing up.
In 2014, I graduated from the University of North Florida in Jacksonville with a degree in construction management and a newfound passion for surfing. I spent the next four years working in the construction industry but I never truly had a passion for construction. During that time all of my friends were still working on boats and there was a lot of work to be had in the charter industry.
So I moved out of my house, bought a fifth-wheel trailer, and parked it on a friend's farm in the Redlands. I started working as a mate again and freelancing as a captain—riding a wave of fishing and guiding professionally.
Three years ago I worked on this boat in Islamorada where I met Capt. Mike of Spartan Charters and I’ve been running our offshore trips on the 32’ Whitewater ever since.
I love guiding offshore trips—the excitement of getting folks hooked into their first sailfish, their first billfish. It’s what it’s all about.
