Capt. Tommy Locke is a seventh-generation Floridian and fishing
guide, and his passion for maintaining sustainable waterways
throughout Florida is relentless ... and contagious.
Tommy started guiding anglers in the early 1980s for world-record tarpon game fish using a fly. He
still specializes as a teaching guide in the ultimate challenge of catching giant tarpon, but he also fishes
year-round for the many game fish around Gasparilla Island. The captain has fished throughout the
Keys and across the state of Florida. He's been guiding in the Gold Cup Tarpon Tournament in Islamorada
for more than 10 years, appearing in several fishing shows as well as conducting seminars.
Tommy grew up in Webster, Florida, a small town north of Tampa. His great uncle started bringing him to
Sanibel Island when he was 5.
"Our family owned five acres on Sanibel and I started out helping with the farming business when I was
a young boy, and eventually with my dad's construction business," he said. Tommy started his saltwater
fishing guiding business in 1981 while he was attending Florida Southern College.
A lifetime of guiding, teaching and conserving
Capt. Tommy Locke
honored at annual conservation benefit
Story by Susan Erwin Photos provided