Guide Profiles

Capt. Rocky Van Hoose

Growing up along the shores of Sarasota Bay in the early 60s, I quickly developed a passion for fishing in the shallow saltwater grass flats and clear freshwater lakes of the west coast of Florida. The purity of fishing resonated with me: the stillness, the fellowship with nature, and the lure of the water and the hunt.

As a young fisherman I was mostly self-taught, having built on the introductory lessons of my grandfather. I studied books and magazines such as Field and Stream to hone my skills and collected counsel from other local fishermen and traders in the fishing industry, funding my hobby by collecting Coke bottles, mowing lawns, and selling mistletoe at Christmas time.

Now forty years later, I am the father of three and live in Merritt Island, Florida, with my wife Jerri. When not guiding, I compete in national redfish tournaments such as FLW and IFA national tours.

Born 4/6/53 – Sarasota, Florida
Graduated from the University of Alabama with a BS in Accounting and an MBA
Earned an MABS from Dallas Theological Seminary
Off time – fishing, reading, and spending time with family
Favorite Movies – Chariots of Fire, A River Runs Through It, and The Natural
Favorite Book – Fly Fishing Through a Mid-Life Crisis (Howell Raines)
Favorite Food – Pineapple Upside-down Cake

Capt. Roland (Brad) Jones

My love of fishing was kindled at the tender age of four when my family moved to Brevard County during the space coast "boom" in the mid-1960s. This spark was fanned to flames as I grew up in and around local waters, taking up surfing and developing my East Coast angling skills through the high school and early college years. In the 1980s, I found another love and settled with her on the beautiful west coast of Florida. This move required me to learn an entirely different fishing environment. Fortunately, I met another serious fisherman and good friend in Captain Rocky Van Hoose, a native of that area. For twenty years I honed my West Coast techniques, fishing the mangroves by day and the local bridges by night. Continuing to catch species such as trout, reds and snapper, I earned a reputation as a successful big snook angler.

The versatility that comes with forty years of successful fishing experience on both the east and west coasts of Florida in varying environments and tide conditions has enabled me to get an accurate read on the water and to adapt my fishing plan to the mercurial water and weather conditions for which Florida is known. Having come back to the east coast, I'm once again fishing my hometown waters from Titusville to as far south as Fort Pierce, snagging monster redfish and competing in local tournaments. I love fishing but I really enjoy showing the "real" Florida to those, shall we say, not-so-interested-in-fishing adventurers. My goal is to help others see, appreciate and enjoy the natural beauty of the area, including the many different marine animals unique to local waters. After a grueling day or week at Disney World, a day on the Indian or Banana River is indeed a breath of fresh Florida air! From the angler to the visitor eager to experience a truly memorable vacation beyond the amusement park crowds, I'm ready to share in a little slice of what we consider fishing paradise!

Capt. Peter Deeks, Jr

I have been passionate for the outdoors since early childhood. Growing up on Merritt Island, Florida, I was home-schooled through high school. The great part of the home-schooling experience was the time it afforded me to fish - almost on a daily basis which was easy considering my house was on the Indian River. As I grew older, I upgraded my small john boats for flats boats, and increased the range of my fishing territory. Fueled by my love of fishing, and desire to learn and study the patterns of salt water game fish, I fell in love with fishing tournaments. In 2004, I joined good friend Capt. Rocky VanHoose to create Native Sons Pro Fishing Team. Under Native Sons, we traveled the state of Florida fishing three national redfish circuits, as well as many regional events. I was blessed with the opportunity to fish as a full time professional angler while earning a Bachelors degree in Biology from Rollins College. My education in Biology (with an emphasis in marine and red drum studies) has allowed me to “share” a great amount of scientific and practical knowledge of the marine environment and the game fish that inhabit it.

After completion of my Bachelors degree, I joined the Native Sons guiding crew, Capt. Roland Jones and Capt. Rocky Vanhoose, as a full time fishing guide. Being a fishing guide, as well as a professional tournament angler, has forced me to learn and follow the patterns of many different species of game fish in Central Florida. Spending most of my days out on the water (over 200 a year), I have been able focus on perfecting certain skills such as fly-fishing, and targeting unique species like tarpon and black drum. Passion for chasing trophy fish and competing at the highest level, allows me to offer custom guided trips catering to your desired species and methods of fishing. I have found guiding to be extremely fulfilling, as it allows me to share my love and knowledge of fishing and the outdoors with others.

Born 12/10/85 - Cape Canaveral, Florida
Graduated from Rollins College with a Bachelors degree in Biology
Off time – surfing, fishing, hunting, golfing
Favorite Movie – Gladiator
Favorite Book – The Old Man and the Sea
Favorite Food – Grilled Quail