He began fishing professionally during summer breaks while attending the University of South Florida and has been guiding ever since.  Currently guide out of the Tarpon Lodge, Pineland, Florida, Cabbage Key in Pine Island Sound, and occasional trips for hire to his old fishing haunts in the Tampa Bay, Florida area where he stills maintains a residence while making his permanent residence in a log cabin the community of Pineland in Pine Island.

While guiding in the Tampa Bay area, Doug fished in the Pass-A-Grille area of St. Petersburg Beach starting in the early 1960s.  His targets were, and still are, snook, redfish, tarpon, trout, grouper, snapper, mackerel and kingfish. Captain Hatten developed an early interest in fly-fishing and started out catching trout and ladyfish and eventually moved on to snook, redfish, tarpon and bonito as his skill set improved. Doug has been on the fly after the Silver Kings since 1970. 

Beginning in the early 80's he began fishing the Boca Grande and Pine Island Sound area of Southwest Florida. Targeted species have remained the same and he uses the appropriate tackle depending on the fishing situation, whether it is spin, fly or plug tackle. 
Doug has many tournament wins.  He has have placed first in the Caloosa Catch and Release three times, the Cracker Invitational twice and the O’Bannon Invitational twice, with many second and third place finishes in these tournaments and others. Captain Hatten also fishes anglers as a guide for many tournaments and has lead several teams to victory or top place finishes.

Captain Hatten offers ½ day, ¾ day and full day charters.  All tackle and licenses are included.  He generally picks up his clients at the Tarpon Lodge where he keeps his Lake & Bay, but can arrange to pick his anglers up at other local marinas in the area.

For online access to see if Captain Hatten is available for you or yours for one of the best fishing experiences you can imagine in the pristine waters of the Pine Island Sound, you can visit our guide directory listing for his area here.

Jesse came to the St. Petersburg area at the ripe old age of seven where he continued to fish, survive and graduate from St. Pete Catholic, and develop his skills at pursuing fish in blue water. He obtained his USCG certified merchant marine officer status a little over two years ago and has been earning his keep ever since tying knots, baiting hooks, and putting his clients on the fish. He states that his true passion is light spinning tackle offshore and the inevitable fight that will ensue when tackling large fish with 15lb braid on light Dogfish sticks.  When fishing customers aboard his 27’ Conch open fisherman, Captain Mayer provides, not only the lighter gear but the heavier #16 Dogfish stick with 6/0 Reels and heavier braid and leaders to target the larger heavier reef dwelling species and fish that are further down in the water column.

When Captain Mayer returns to the dock the catch may be anything from cobia to sharks. His favorite target species may be cobia, snapper, and grouper, but he always maintains the opportunist outlook and catches what is available. I have seen some really nice permit, mangrove snapper, kingfish, mackerel, and other fish that Captain Mayer, his crew and clients have brought back to the FishProCharters dock area at Madeira Bay Marina in Madeira Beach, FL.

Captain Mayer will also fish his clients for tournaments and has placed in the top three places in the Monster Kingfish and Hog’s Breath tournaments, as well as others including a first place finish for he and his team in the Mike Alstott tournament of 2008.

When Jesse is not running his boat for hire he enjoys free dive spear fishing and trips to Key West to see old friends and family.

Captain Mayer offers ½ day, ¾ day and full day charters.  All tackle and licenses are included.  He generally picks up his clients at Madeira Bay Marina or Seahags restaurant dock at Blind Pass, but can arrange to pick his anglers up at other local marinas in the area.

For online access to see if Captain Mayer is available for a truly memorable trip offshore, you can visit our guide directory listing for his area here.

A native of St. Petersburg, Florida and later a seventies graduate of Appalachian State College, Paul moved to San Francisco and began a career as a photo techniques specialist for a prestigious advertising firm that handled clients world round. The profession eventually brought him back to St. Petersburg to a local printing establishment, and home. That was in 1984 and Cap’n Paul began guiding professionally and continues to this day.

Should you want to slip around the waters of the St. Petersburg area, stealthily, and hunt Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Trout or any of the too numerous to mention species that cruise the grass flats, swales, sandbars, and structures in the Tampa Bay waters, climb aboard Cap’n Paul’s Maverick and prepare for the opportunity to participate in a fly fishing or spinning experience, with a true Legend of the Reel.

Captain Hawkins offers ½ day, ¾ day and full day charters.  All tackle and licenses are included.  He generally picks up his clients at O’Neills Marina in St. Petersburg, but can arrange to pick his anglers up at other local marinas in the area. In addition Cap’n Paul offers fly fishing casting instruction, which is recommended to any angler making the move from creeks and lakes to the salt water environment.

For online access to see if Captain Hawkins is available for one of the best fishing experiences you can imagine in the flats, bay, and beaches of the St. Petersburg area, you can visit our guide directory listing for his area here.