HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.—When fishing-charter boat captain Nolan Woody, 26, of Full Spectrum Sport Fishing was named one of the “best in the world” by online fishing platform Fishing Booker, he said the word that best described his reaction was simply: “Surprised.”
“Though we work hard and always put in our best for our fishing clients, this award is actually one that’s hard to get,” Mr. Woody told The Epoch Times. “I just want to cater to my client’s needs and make sure everyone is having a fun adventure.”
To be considered for the Angler’s Choice Award out of more than 7,600 fishing guides registered with the site is no easy task. Prospective captains must have a minimum customer rating of 4.8 out of 5-star reviews.
Fishing-charter boat captain Nolan Woody of Full Spectrum Sport Fishing Inc. (Courtesy of Nolan Woody)
“It’s important to me that my clients are having a great experience whether they be seasoned fishermen who want to catch the ‘big fish’ off Catalina’s Farnsworth Bank, or small families wanting to cruise around the Huntington Harbor. We do it all,” Mr. Woody said.
The award began in 2015 and has only since been given to roughly a handful of captains, according to Fishing Booker officials.
For Mr. Woody, it came after a lifelong love of fishing.
According to Mr. Woody, his first memory of fishing was when he was 5 near his grandparent’s Idaho lake house after catching a Pike fish.
Almost two decades later, he was working as a deckhand aboard various fishing boats operating in the Gulf of Alaska. The experience he gained working with various teams would lead to chartering fishing vessels along the various islands and reefs of the Alaskan coastline.
In 2018, he returned to his native Huntington Beach where he and his father founded Full Spectrum Sport Fishing, where he leads clients on catching Rockfish, Sheepshead, Sculpin, Yellowtail, White Seabass, Halibut, Lingcod, and Bass, along with shark and lobster.
“This is what I love doing,” Mr. Woody said.
Fishing-charter boat captain Nolan Woody of Full Spectrum Sport Fishing Inc. in Huntington Beach, Calif., on July 31, 2023. (John Fredrick/The Epoch Times)
His advice for others who want to turn their passion into a career? Keep going, get involved, and be active in what you love doing, he said.
He said recently, he had not been on a boat for four months due to an injury. When he finally made it back on again, he said the afternoon sea breeze made him alive again with his passion for fishing.
“For me, fishing is all I know,” he said. “I feel so grateful to be doing this.”
Going forward, he said he looks forward to growing Full Spectrum Sport Fishing at a healthy pace, not compromising client experience.
“As a captain, I think everyone on the boat needs to be happy,” Mr. Woody said.
“I look forward to the next fishing adventure and to make sure it’s a lot of fun for everyone.”
Fishing charters with Full Spectrum Sport Fishing start at $655 for a three-hour cruise and are all-inclusive for up to six passengers.
