About Key West Fishing Connection and Captain Daniel Zier
For the last 35 years, I have fished the full stretch of the Keys from the Dry Tortugas up to Miami and the Bahamas. I spent my first 20 years in Key Largo and the rest of my time has been right here in Key West. Growing up on the islands of the Florida Keys fishing was like second nature to me. All I think about every day is fishing! It has been that way my entire life. My first job was on a 65 ft party boat out of Key Largo. During my 7 years in that job, I learned how to fish the deep reefs for big snapper and grouper. Now, I own and operate my 37 ft charter boat. I have had my USCG Captain License for over 8 years. What is most important to me, is that fishing is not just a job - it is what I LOVE TO DO.
I love to fish even on my days off. Just to let you all know how much we love our job, we even fish when we go on vacation. Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico, Bahamas, North Carolina and Massachusetts are just a few places we like to go. If you would have asked me when I was a boy what I wanted to do when I grew up, I would have told you that I wanted to be a Charter Boat Captain in the Florida Keys.
About The Crew
Most every day you will have me, the owner Daniel, as your Captain and Shawn Smith or Steve as your First Mate. We are an owner-operated business!! A few days throughout the year I take some time for myself and my family. I am married and have 2 young kids. Therefore, a few days off a year are important to be with my family. I also take a few weeks off a year to go hunting. I usually take these trips around October and November and early December. I have at least 4 different Captains / Mates that work with me when I need them. These are not only good friends, but exceptional fishermen that I have personally trained and fished with over the years. Captain Grant, Fish Sean, Pirate Sean, Captain Rob, and even my father, Captain David Zier, will help out from time to time.
We fish well over 360 trips a year. With so much work going on, I usually have Shawn Smith And Steve Birch splitting up the days as First Mate with 15 on 15 off. Here is some information on my First Mates. Shawn Smith was born and raised in Brandon, Florida outside of Tampa. He grew up fishing the Tampa Bay for snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, and tarpon. He also did a lot of offshore fishing for gag grouper, red grouper, red snapper, gray snapper, scamp, and amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico. Shawn has landed 199 species of freshwater and saltwater fish combined so far in his lifetime. Shawn is a military veteran and served 6 years in the United States Coast Guard. Shawn has an A.S. degree in Aquaculture. He met Captain Dan over ten years ago and has been fishing with him on and off since then. He has been full-time on the Second Nature since May, 2017. Shawn has a passion for fishing and loves teaching others about this great sport. Shawn is looking forward to fishing with you and helping you catch fish of a lifetime!
Stephen Birch is from the Washington, DC area and grew up fishing for Carolinas marlin and tuna fishing in the Chesapeake Bay. He also fished for stripers, cobia, Spanish mackerel and loads of bottom fish. Stephen loves fishing every day and there is no place he would rather be than out on the water.