Capt. Geoff Colmes - Islamorada, Florida Keys
Over the past thirty years, I've guided anglers in literally all of the major all tackle and fly fishing tournaments throughout the Florida Keys, Biscayne Bay, and Everglades National Park. Although we've won or placed in many of these events, I'm quick to point out that tournament fishing can make a much better angler or guide out of you; forcing you to make quicker decisions, maximizing every second on the water.
However, in my opinion, fishing as a competitive sport is not for everyone and at times it can be restrictive regarding tournament rules, meetings and guidelines such as specific fishing times and limited area to fish, taking away from the quality of the fishing experience. I believe the essence of fishing is not about competition, but the experience, the solitude, having a great time and providing unique opportunities for my anglers. in waters less travelled.
Capt. Geoff Colmes
Geoff's Bio, by: Bob Johnson
Geoff grew up in South Florida attending Sunset Elementary, Ponce De Leon Junior High and Coral Gables Senior High School. Later, at Miami Dade College and the University Of Miami, Geoff majored in music while playing with some of the best rock n' roll bands in the City of Miami. However, for young Geoff Colmes, a career in music was not to be – at least for the time being.
"As a child and teenager I had two passions; I was musically inclined, and I loved to fish with my mom and dad, two brothers and my sister. Back in the sixties and seventy's, South Florida was a playground for any kid who loved to fish, and still is. My Father was a banker and my mother was in real estate broker, who in her spare time bought homes and fixed them up as a business for resale.
Aside from our weekend home on Plantation Key, we moved around Dade County a lot, but thankfully we always lived on the water; the Coral Gables Waterway, Biscayne Bay, numerous inland lakes, and Florida Bay in the Keys. Fishing in salt or fresh water was the one passion in my life and in my fathers. He was an avid fisherman and if my dad wasn't working, he was taking us fishing. I'll never forget that and hope to be as generous and patient with my time for my own children as he was with us." said Geoff.
Back in the 1960's Geoff's parents bought a home on Plantation Key (now part of the Village of Islamorada) and have maintained one in the Keys since then. When most kids would be learning to ride a bike Geoff had his own boat. His mother always wanted him to stay within eyesight of the dock. However, when she wasn't paying attention - he was gone; exploring the far corners of Florida Bay and the Everglades. For Geoff, two-week grounding meant exactly that. No more boat!
In the 1970s, Geoff's parents bought one of the historic homes in Stiltsville, so named because of homes being built on pilings on the shallow flats of Biscayne Bay. When the home was not occupied, under the guise of telling his parents he would be camping at nearby Soldiers Key, Geoff would sneak in with friends, totally against his parents' rules. Once, the Coast Guard was called by a concerned neighbor about visitors and Geoff was caught. Of course, Geoff was hard aground for another two weeks.
"My enthusiasm for fishing would get me into a lot of trouble." recalled Colmes, "When I was a teenager, I spent quite a few long dark nights stranded on a flat, or stuck up a tidal creek full of gators and mosquitoes. I wouldn't trade that experience for anything and it's given me a rich understanding and a lot of respect for our local waters and wildlife. The Stiltsville home is gone, lost in Hurricane Andrew, and the future is unclear for the remaining homes. Now I only get in trouble when I don't take my wife Eliza fishing! We love the Florida Keys and are very fortunate to have a great lifestyle."
Not long after Geoff Eliza married, they spent several years on a farm they purchased in Western North Carolina raising horses and growing Frazier Fir Christmas trees. In fact, their first date was on horseback atop a nearby mountain in Moses Cone Stae Park. When Geoff and Liza weren't working they patrolled the nearby Park as volunteer Park Service horseback rangers.
Here in the Western North Carolina high country, thirty-something years ago, Geoff and his partner, Sam Houston, formed the Blowing Rock Guide Company, specializing in guided fly-fishing, technical rock climbing and outfitted horseback trips, becoming at that time, the only local outfitter of its kind. "It was at that point in my life that I knew I was destined to be a fishing guide," said Geoff
After several years of full time guiding, Geoff decided that spending just the day fishing deep in the Everglades wasn’t enough. After months of research, he and his good friend Mike Burgreen formed a partnership called 'Fishabout' providing two and three day outfitted camping trips for one or two anglers. Mike was the outfitter, handling the gear and cooking and Geoff, the marketing and guiding.
The years to follow, and over sixty trips later, using the primitive Calusa Indian mound campsites maintained by the National park Service, Geoff and Mike decided to step it up a notch and formed a company called Outback Ventures. With the help of their two partners, and the idea of making things a little more comfortable, a 70’ mothership was designed and built from scratch specifically for the Everglades and later to be used in the Marquesas. The name of the vessel was 'Fishabout' and their company 'Outback Ventures' endured for the span of their business plan which was an adventure packed five years. The novel Hells Bay by the bestselling and award-winning author James W. Hall was one of the many stories inspired by the Fishabout team. You can read more about Outback Ventures – Fishabout here on this site.
Today, Geoff specializes in fly and light tackle fishing for tarpon, bonefish, permit, snook, redfish, largemouth and peacock bass. Although he promotes fly-fishing and is his first fishing method of choice, he would be the first to tell you not to "marry" the fly rod. "Remarkably, the more experienced angler will quickly switch back to spin or plug tackle when the conditions or logistics are not favorable for fly-fishing."
Aside from full and half-day fishing trips just about anywhere in the Keys and South Florida, Geoff offers fly casting instruction and practices an "all release" policy. As for his music career, Geoff is not playing professionally for the time being. After almost five years with the Dana Collins band two night a week, he's taking a break; late nights playing music along with very early morning fishing is not always a great combination. Along with spending time with his wife Eliza, daughter Eliza Leigh and son, Ben, Geoff is an avid exercise, health and fitness advocate, frequenting the gym as often as possible - a self proclaimed 'gym rat.' He also keeps busy with fishing, pistol target shooting, and photography on his days off, and is a licensed FAA part-107 remote pilot.