Alycia Downs

What is the world’s greatest sportfish? This question has caused much debate among generations of fishermen. It’s the kind of question that warrants a convicted response passed down from your forefather or earned by experience. You might’ve eyed the title of this article and began mentally rebutting...

For my 28th birthday, I decided to treat myself to a fishing trip. I’d grown up fishing, but never with a guide and I’d certainly never booked a guided trip before. But I badly wanted to catch my first tarpon and I’d seen this guy on TV make it look pretty easy, so that felt like a logical starting...

My love affair with offshore fishing began as a kid. We’d spend days off the Florida Keys, venturing out in search of diving birds, trash, and weed lines—the essential clues for finding mahi. Hours of trolling in sweltering heat were justified when a blue-green streak clobbered a skirted ballyhoo...

I don’t recall the first time I heard the word “googan,” but, growing up along the Florida Coast, the word has been a part of the local vernacular for as long as I can remember. It’s a phrase used by the fishing community in reference to a boater or angler who, whether intentionally or not, acts...