Captain Austin Proudfoot
Q: What is your contact number? Email address? Name of business/website?
Proudfoot Sportfishing
508-237-9399
Capt.apfoot@hotmail.com
Instagram: @proudfoot_sportfishing
Facebook: Austin Proudfoot/Proudfoot Sportfishing
Q: Where do you spend most of your time fishing?
A: Most of my time/experience comes from the Northeast. I was Born and raised in Chatham Cape Cod. And now live in Harwichport. But I fish the winter months out of Palm Beach/ Stuart and frequent the Bahamas as much as the weather allows!
Q: What type of fishing do you practice?
A: Depending on where we are we adjust to what works best. At home on cape we live bait for giant bluefin, I love fishing top water for striped bass. If I fish the canyons we are usually trolling for pelagics or deep drops for swords. Lately I’ve been sharpening my skills for deadbait pitch trolling. Rigging dead mullet and Ballyhoo dredges, it’s definitely a new obsession.
Q: How long have you been fishing for?
A: My earliest memories of fishing go back to when I was 5 or 6 years old my Grandmother taking me down to the commercial docks in Stage harbor Chatham and fishing off the end of the pier waiting for my grandpa to get in from cod fishing. I have been a licensed captain since 2009. Since getting my license it’s been taking me all over the eastern seaboard, it’s nice to have settled in at home on cape cod.
Q: Can you give a brief history on how you got started fishing?
A: I got started when I was very 5 or 6yrs young and was always excited(still am) to get up early and make a day of it. I was introduced to yachting after graduating Chapman’s School of Seamanship in 2009. I worked on a few mega yachts with fishing programs and realized that’s what I should be doing. I put in my time as mate, did a bunch of north/south deliveries and it evolved into a full time career. My first real captains gig was running a 3 boat fleet. 61’ Viking, 31’ regulator and a 16’ dragonfly skiff(tender for the Viking) it was an insane experience, the owner just decided to downsize and didn’t need a full time guy. That ending evolved into a full time captain on a 58’ custom Merritt express a true one of a kind boat. Fast forward to present day, now in charge of a 5 boat fleet, 58 Viking, 32 regulator, 42 muscle ridge and a 20’ sportsman skiff. We fish about 250 days a year amongst all the boats and fisheries.
Q: Why do you partner with Blackfin?
A: I was introduced to Jonathan Wright from a close friend Tristan Hunt. We toured the shop, and Jonathan took the time to explain all the ins and outs actually making the rod blanks. We picked out an awesome set of rods to really cater to the fishing I enjoy. After a short Florida season I realized the quality and craftsmanship of the rods. Then having possibly the best north east season I personally have ever had, placed well in a few tournaments, really put the gear through the paces I was blown away with how well everything held up. Granted we had some things fail, mostly due to angler error, Blackfin made everything right for us in the offseason. I’d stand behind these rods day in and day out. They are built by great fishermen to make other fishermen better at fishing. That's my opinion, but that’s what it’s all about.