“I'm working. We're trapped in a room. We aren't on our cell phones or just me. And you talking about life, and bonding, and I think you're a perfect example of the thing I'm most grateful for in this 30 year career is at the end of it, I have friends like you in this world that are friends for life.”

"Deep Sea Fishing - A Life-Long Dream For Grant Morgan"

SUMMARY

Aaron Della Vedova, host of the podcast Chats and Tatts, welcomes his guest, Grant Morgan. Grant made some bold moves to realize his dream and encourages others to find the courage to find their dreams and pursue them even if it changes over time.

Grant, AKA Captian Morgan, grew up on a ranch in North County, San Diego, and used to go fishing with his father. His father had access to the reservoirs for the orange groves, and they would fish for largemouth bass and other freshwater fish. As they got older, they started to explore the nearby beaches and eventually started to fish there too. He becomes obsessed with fishing, and it is a huge part of his life.

Grant recounts how his passion for fishing began at age 13 when he started taking Power Squadron courses with his father and became the captain of the boat. His brother became the first mate, and together they learned the necessary skills to become competitive deep-sea fishermen. They eventually bought a 26 foot boat and then a 30-foot boat, which they used for fishing trips.

After college, the speaker worked for the Winter Olympics and various other events before taking a voluntary severance from AT&T, where he had been the VP of an outsourcing business. He decided to focus on fishing rather than take a job in Dallas, which he found unappealing due to the lack of ocean. He went to Mexico, ended up on a fishing boat and what happened next is a moment you just can’t make up. Listen to find out how Grant went from Deep Sea hobby fishing to becoming the master.

TIMELINE

• 0:02:34 From Ranch Kid to Professional Angler

• 0:04:17 How a College Fund Led to a Career in Fishing

• 0:06:23 Leaving Corporate Job to Pursue Passion for Fishing

• 0:10:58 Taking a Risk in Costa Rica

• 0:14:57 Fishing the Biggest Tuna Tournament on the West Coast

• 0:16:53 Tournament Fishing: Winning Big Money

• 0:18:35 Exploring Southern California Bite and Kite Fishing Techniques

• 0:22:36 Fishing for Giant Bluefin Tuna

• 0:24:19 The Rebound of Bluefin Tuna

• 0:30:26 Kai Fishing Technique with a Tournament Specialist

• 0:32:19 Understanding Currents, Structure, and Bait

• 0:35:33 Water Temperature, Hard vs. Soft Bottom

• 0:39:27 Parallels Between Business and Sport Fishing

• 0:41:09 Japanese Fish Preparation Techniques for Sushi

• 0:45:37 The Benefits of Sustainable Fishing and the History of Sushi

• 0:50:56 The Benefits of Plant Medicine

• 1:00:38 Exploring Ego Death and the Gift of Being an Individual

• 1:03:09 Nature of Existence and Ego

• 1:14:01 Geometric Pattern Tattoo Design

• 1:23:58 Professional Fishing and Limited Charters

• 1:27:07 The Power of Positive Thinking