fishing charter boat legend
 
Testimonials
 
Ryan Slaw Novak
 

My name is Ryan Novak. I am not sure if you remember but we chartered your boat back in late January. We were the guys from Nissan you mistook for rednecks sleeping out of trucks. I was the guy you let tag along for the next two days. First, I want to apologize for not sending a thank you earlier. You and your crew we beyond nice to me and words will never express my gratitude for your hospitality and kindness. It made for a truly once in a lifetime experience that I can't thank you enough. I'm hopefully headed your way in the coming months and hopefully will get a chance to say hi during my travels.

I thought about you guys because when I got off the road, shortly after our visit, I went to South Africa to go see some sharks. And I thought I would send you the proof that I am not the Jonah. Unless maybe because I was thrown overboard...

Hope you guys are busy and doing well. Take care.
Ryan

Shawn, Rick & Ace
 

Thank you so much for taking the time to send this picture. That day made Ace's whole vacation. He has been telling everyone about his experience. He can not wait to get back to school to show his shark teeth.

I realize you were very busy that day but you took the time to make our trip more special. We will be telling everyone in Michigan about your service and generosity.

Thanks again,
Shawn, Rick & Ace

David Heckler
 

We cannot express enough how great the experience was. The girls will never forget it. I personally want to thank both of you and without question, you are the finest charter we have ever experienced. What Ryan did for Paige was nothing short of amazing. To watch his patience and effort to help an 11 year old catch and bring in such a monster shark, all by herself, was amazing. It is an event that will last forever, one of the all time great days of our life. Please feel free to use our day as an example for any family that would want to have such a memory.

David J. Heckler
Regional Manager
Springfield, IL

ALKoffice
 

You all know me as a strong defender of the environment, but it continues to amaze me how stupid TV Newspeople are. Mark-the-Shark is the finest Charter Boat Captain ever here in Miami, and while he does kill an occasional shark, the total he has killed in his lifetime is less than longliners and purse netters kill weekly off south Florida's coastline. A sports fisherman like Mark is in no sane measure, in the least bit responsible for the decline of certain shark species. It isn't charter fishermen who cause the demise of species, it is greedy commercial fisherman who kill hundreds of thousands of marine mammals, sea turtles and non-targeted sharks as "bycatch", while they are also happily destroying stocks of fish they target. Last year, off the Florida coast, Chinese and Japanese commercial fishermen killed 12 million sharks, most simply for their fins, cruelly dumping still alive sharks back into the sea without their cut off fins, and left them to drown, or as unwanted, wasted by-catch. The United States government simply turned a blind eye, as long as these commercial fish species destroyers stayed 3 miles off our coast. Worldwide, over 75 million metric tons of sharks were killed and wasted by these longliners and purse-netters.

Unfortunately, since the uneducated populace loves seafood, it is easier to blame a good fisherman for the demise of species than the real culprits.

Walk into any Publix grocery and see the seafood counter selling Swordfish, a species that used to grow to over 1000 pounds, yet today's average fish caught is less than 45 pounds, .... and this fish doesn't reproduce until they reach about 85 pounds at minimum. That translates into the stocks of swordfish falling at a soon-to-be unrecoverable rate, but people continue to buy this fish for their dinner plate, lining the pockets of the same greedy commercial fisherman who are the real culprits in the decline of shark species. People need to wake up to the truth, but stupid news people would rather write what they think is a sensational story than one that tells the truth, so unfortunately Mark, who is a standout Charter Fisherman becomes their target. The Longliners and netters are never featured or the focus of these stupid stories.

With the equally stupid Fish and Wildlife commissions, they never enforce the no-wake speed limits in Manatee zones, and as a result, every manatee you see has deep propeller scars on their bodies while speed boaters use the manatee zones as race courses. The government never moves to touch the greedy commercial fishermen while idiots who work for them, most without any biological knowledge or education at all, point their fingers at and blame the wrong people for the demise of species.

Mark is a great fisherman, a very nice guy and someone who genuinely cares about the environment. The shark tooth necklace he wears, came from our design company, custom made for him, and we are frankly honored to have him wear this necklace. Sport fishermen are almost never the cause of the demise of species. In the case of sharks, the real criminals skate free of blame, as long as we still buy fish in groceries that should be protected from commercial fishing (like swordfish) and idiot cultures continue their lust for shark fin soup and have no regard for what they destroy as "bycatch."

Donna Paletta
 

Hi Mark.....

Just reached back to my home in Jupiter, Florida... I was reflecting on the previous day and couldn't help but share this with you......I wanted to drop you guys a quick note, to say thank you so much for the most amazing day at sea, with you and your team.....what an experience of a lifetime, I will never forget this "Ever" thank you so much!

What an incredible white knuckle extreme day all the way around...This experience for my colleagues and I, definitely is one that ranks up there with the best that I've have ever had.....Your professionalism, charm, expertise, and sheer love affair you have with the ocean, just oozes off you, which is why I've heard and can now confirm that your the best at what you do!!!!!

With great pleasure I will sing your praises from the rooftops and will be happy to send all that I know your way!

We will definitely be back sooner than later! BE SAFE OUT THERE MARK....

Speak to you soon.....

Donna Paletta
VP
Markham, Ontario Canada

 
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