Terry's Biography

• Pro Captain Terry Simmons is a native Floridian, born in Bradenton in 1953. Starting with the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, Terry developed his passion of the great outdoors and his appreciation of the natural environment while growing up along the Western Gulf Coast. As a young boy, Terry remembers running his paper route and stopping at Wares Creek, off the Manatee River, where he would catch mullet and snook before and after his route.
  While in high school, Terry started working at Mictron, Inc. completing a four year apprenticeship to become a tool and die maker.  After working there, he went on to work at Adlin Automation and enrolled with their engineering department to become an automated machine designer/engineer. This relationship lead him to Teleflex's Electrical Division as electro/mechanical tech designing instrumentation for the marine industry. Fishing was always a central part of his job focus and spare-time.
  Eventually Terry started a custom cabinetry shop with his two brothers which they operated together for over twenty years. Because of a slowing in the housing industry and with the encouragement from family and friends, he decided to make a move into the marine industry as a Fishing Guide. He and fiancée Captain Merrily Dunn had been fishing many local tournaments together.  They both have won or placed in different categories of the Sarasota and Tampa CCA CPR Tournaments, Sarasota Sportfishing Anglers' Club Tarpon Tournament and Islamorada/Sarasota Shoot Out.
  Upon receiving his Captain's License in 2001 he began guiding clients to many species that roam the waters of Lower Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor. He charters clients thru CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key and can be booked online through the Addictive Fishing TV Fishing Show hosted by Blair Wiggins.
  In 2005 the opportunity came for Terry to team up with Merrily to fish a professional tournament circuit, finishing 4th in one of those events. Occasionally Terry designs ultra high end custom cabinetry but only for a select number of clients while taking up his passion of guiding and pro tournament fishing.
  Terry is a renowned pro tournament fishing captain and guide, fishing several Pro Redfish Tournament circuits throughout Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. Currently he's fishing the IFA Redfish Tour and FLW Redfish Series Tours, as well as local tournaments. Terry prefers artificial lures, jigs and plugs on light tackle spinning tackle as well as flies on fly fishing tackle because there is more of a challenge using artificial baits vs. live bait. "The trick is not to catch the fish, but to fool the fish."
  Capt. Terry is involved in various local fishing clubs, the Manatee/Sarasota chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association, the Snook Foundation, and the Florida Guides Association.

Hobbies include: Pro Fishing with his Fiancée, Tennis, Guiding, Camping, Kayaking, Motocross and Designing Saltwater Marine Products. In 1997
        Terry earned his Private Pilot License and also enjoys Flying Aircraft .

Terry's Sponsors Include: Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Minn Kota, Shimano, Power Pole, Stiffy, Bob's Machine Shop, CB's Saltwater Outfitters, Land-O-Lakes Marine, FLW, Oh Boy! Oberto, Lowrance, Sperry, Royal Robbins, Costa Del Mar, Gamma, Odyssey and DOA.

"Until recently, I never had a reason to leave paradise, but now I'm planning to move to Louisiana with my fiancée Merrily Dunn. Louisiana is our favorite place to fish; where the fishing is as it was in Florida fifty years ago. Merrily and I are planning to establish a Fishing Lodge & Restaurant in Southern Louisiana. See ya there!"
 

You can contact Captain Terry at 941-750-8135.

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