No fish tale

Richmond Hill man coaches anglers to success on the water in a congenial and relaxing atmosphere 

By Stephen Prudhomme 

Water is crucial for survival, and it’s especially important to Dan Cantell. As a full-time firefighter, he relies on pressurized water to put out blazes in what are frequently life and death situations.

Cantrell seeks calmer waters as a fishing coach, firing up a passion for the sport among his clientele by imparting knowledge gained through a lifetime of angling and offering a bonding experience and escape from the stress of daily living. 

Cantrell, 44, is a Richmond Hill resident and lieutenant with the US. Army Fire Department at Hunter Army Airfield. A former member of the Air Force, he’s been with the department for a dozen years.

Putting out fires is Cantrell’s vocation. His avocation is fishing coach, which developed out of fishing videos he posted on YouTube during the pandemic and a Patreon page. What started out as a hobby provides Cantrell with his greatest source of income. 

Cantrell operates Low Country Fishing, taking an average of three to four anglers on 4-hour fishing trips in his 24-foot Pathfinder boat. He travels to creeks and sounds and does primarily inshore fishing in Georgia and catches redfish, flounder, trout, sheepshead and black drum.

Cantrell offers not only fishing tips and strategy but an opportunity to relax in nature and connect with fellow anglers. 

“We have a fun, good time in God’s creation,” Cantrell said. “It’s a chance to share testimony with fellow Christians. It’s therapy for these guys. I don’t even want their money. I enjoy the conversation so much. We become fishing buddies.”

One of those buddies is A.J. Balbo, a Richmond Hill attorney. The 49-year-old has fished since the age of 2 and in coastal Georgia for 20 years. He’s followed Cantrell’s Patreon page for the past three years and watched his fishing skills improve.

“He does an excellent job of actually coaching anglers what trends and habits to look for while out on the water,” Balbo said. “He’s a great fisherman and an even better teacher.”

Although he mostly fishes alone, Balbo said Cantrell has created a group of anglers that share results and observations online and meet up every few months to attend instructional lessons led by Cantrell. “It’s a great opportunity to not only hone fishing techniques but also to make new friends who enjoy the same hobby,” Balbo said.

He also welcomes the opportunity to relax in a setting other than one involving litigation. “I find fishing is a great time to mentally recharge and escape the stresses of everyday life,” Balbo said. “Even if I have a slow day on the water, it’s still rewarding to experience the beauty of the natural world. Catching fish is an added benefit.”

Cantrell grew up in Florida and discovered fishing at an early age. He fished with his dad but said he didn’t acquire a passion for it until he was a young adult.

In 2014, Cantrell found a new fishing home near the coast when he moved to Richmond Hill. When the pandemic limited social interaction, Cantrell found a welcome retreat on the water and engaging in one of his favorite pastimes. Noting the lack of fishing trips in the area, his wife suggested he take a GoPro the next time he went out and offer angling tips and strategy. That led to regular postings on YouTube and the introduction of a website on Patreon.

“It exploded fast,” Cantrell said. “We had 400 to 500 members about four years ago. We have over 800 nowadays.” He added he has an 80 percent retention rate of members who pay an annual fee of $20.

“It’s an investment in getting better out there,” Cantrell said. “My members love the information I put on the site, but they equally love the community feel that they get through communicating directly with each other, communicating directly with me, as well as the meetups and tournament that I host. I’m not just a guy on a webpage. I’m a living, breathing person and my members get that. And I truly think that is what sets me apart from these other giant companies.”

Using his YouTube channel as a marketing tool, Cantrell, having earned his charter boat captain license, introduced fishing trips and coaching. He set up awebsite, icoachfishing.com., and watched the business take off.

“God kept on blessing me by being booked,” said Cantrell, noting he loves his job as a firefighter and a schedule that allows him to balance work, being with his family and casting a line out on the water. “I’m booked three to four months in advance. I like to be known as a fishing coach. I’ve figured out where to fish and what works. They’re learning the why rather than the where of fishing. They can take what they learn and go anywhere with it.”

Greg Ositko is just such an individual. A resident of Dublin, Ga., the Penn State graduate worked in the water treatment industry for a number of years. He also was around water during his spare time. Ositko said boating, fishing and time spent on the water shaped his downtime and sustained him beyond work. 

In retirement, Ositko, 74, was drawn to the Georgia coast and took a spring fishing trip he said rekindled something essential. That led him to eventually connect with Cantrell. 

“His enthusiastic, transparent approach to teaching - combined with integrity, generosity and respect for the water - stood apart,” Ositko said. “Dan has built a community of fishermen grounded in shared values, confidence earned through experience, and a spirit of mentorship that extends well beyond fishing.”

Fishing can test even the most eager novice, Ositko noted, adding that passion for the sport, paired with a genuine desire to learn, has a way of guiding you to the right people such as Cantrell.

“Capt. Dan Cantrell is one of those rare guides in Georgia’s Low Country,” Ositko said. “His character, experience, and steady presence on the water create the conditions every angler hopes for: confidence, learning, and plenty of tight lines for all ages.”

Ositko said Cantrell helped him gain a new appreciation for time spent in the waters off the Georgia coast.  “At 74, I find myself learning again, with humility, joy, and gratitude,” Ositko said. “Georgia’s coastal waters, and the people who steward them well, have reawakened a passion I once feared I had lost. Some journeys return us not to who we were, but to who we still have time to become.”

Victor Hurtig is another satisfied customer. An emergency room doctor, he’s been a serious fisherman for over 30 years and began saltwater fishing from a boat six years ago. Connecting with Cantrell has enhanced his fishing experience.

“Dan runs an exceptional service through his Patreon called Lowcountry Fishing, and I’ve benefited tremendously from his coaching, guide trips and online community,” said the Savannah physician. “What sets Dan apart is his very detailed and advanced approach to fishing combined with a unique ability to take a very complicated fishery and explain it to the layperson while keeping things light and upbeat. Our local waters present significant challenges with large tide swings and seasonal challenges. Dan is an outstanding guide with a deep understanding of how to navigate and teach these complexities.”

Hurtig added that Cantrell’s Patreon has been invaluable for gear tips, preparation advice, and planning out fishing days given current trends and conditions. He also cited Cantrell’s development of a wonderful local community with charitable events that bring anglers together and give back. Each year, Cantrell holds a fishing tournament featuring 25 boats. The event benefits the Savannah River Keeper.

Cantrell has also helped Hurtig increase his chances of landing the big one. “The impact on my fishing has been significant,” Hurtig said. “I understand the waters much better and feel like I can navigate safer. My confidence and success rate have improved dramatically. Being new to saltwater fishing from a boat about six years ago, Dan has significantly sped up my learning curve in ways I couldn’t have achieved on my own. Perhaps most importantly, it’s made the experience much more enjoyable when I take my kids out now.”

For Cantrell, one of the most enjoyable aspects of his job as fishing coach is helping strengthen family bonds, especially between fathers and sons. 

“The coaching strengthens bonds with fathers and sons because it takes the dad to hero status,” Cantrell said. “The mindset of a kid was my dad doesn’t know what he’s doing but now he puts us on fish.”

The coaching also evokes a simpler time when communication was more face-to-face rather than through a phone or computer. “It allows a unique bond in the outdoors you cannot get inside with technology,” Cantrell said. “These days there are so many distractions going on that it’s hard for parents to connect with kids due to the fast-evolving technology. But with fishing it puts the ball in the other court where a father can teach his son the importance of patience, attention to detail, as well as that one on one, undistracted time that is so valuable.”