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Podcast by a Panhandle Surf Angler for all anglers of any level. We will talk weekly to guests that are anglers and also industry professionals. I want you to walk away from this podcast with some knowledge either refreshed or new for you to become a better angler. Though it will start in the Panhandle of Florida, it will be around the entire United States so we can all learn something about fishing in different regions.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
This episode of Finding D most surf fishing is being brought to you by the Kids Can Fish Foundation, kids can fish.net. Take a look at the website and all the cool stuff that they got going on for these camps to set up for the kids, all the things that they give them, rods, reels, nets, whatever the kids need for that camp, it's provided. And your donations help with that. In the big time of the year, they got the big, uh, redfish tournament that comes up every year. That's the big one to go with, and that makes the entire year most times for them for fundraising. So, lots of really good things there. My guest today met, actually, we finally, actually, we did meet at the Kids Can Fish Tournament , um, which was really cool. We, I, I think we've interacted a couple times back and forth, uh, previously, uh, but it was like there, we actually finally got to meet face to face, and it seems that Kids Can Fish is really that one event that I get to really hang out with people, and I love it. So today we're gonna be talking with Mr. Webb, he or Webb Skelton. Sorry, Mr. Webb's, my old Southern Ways of saying, you know, their first name as it goes. Uh, he runs Project Saltwater. It's, ah, I don't want to take anything from it. It's just a great program and it's gonna do a lot of really cool things, and he's getting it built up pretty nicely. So, without further ado, let's get right into it. Web. Good to have you on, buddy.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
Hey, thanks for having me, Brian. Uh, appreciate it. Uh, we got finally got together, man.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
Yeah, thankfully, it's, uh, I, I love technology. You're down south. I'm up here. We, we can find a way to connect. It's just a matter of making the, uh, the old time clock work for it, it seems. It's the hardest part.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
That's right. That's right. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
So let, let's, let's start it right off. Let's get right into this and rip the bandaid off. Tell us your story and what got you into fishing.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Uh, what really reignited my passion for fishing, obviously being a kid growing up in the South, um, you know, having a pole in my hand, uh, pond hopping was one thing, but I put it down, um, uh, after a few years of being a kid and, uh, started working. Um, and, uh, joined the military, joined the army, um, pulled a couple hitches, uh, in the infantry and, uh, got out and, uh, things were not so great, um, doing that, uh, you know, that, that transition back into civilian life. Uh, wound up getting divorced, um, bouncing around, came back to Florida to, uh, to help take care of my mom, um, which was a is is, it has been or will be a, a long process. Um, and, uh, so came back to Florida, uh, started working in the construction trades and everything, and just kind of, you know, still doing that downward spiral, um, trying to reintegrate back into society with, uh, with, uh, you know, the military changeover and everything.
Speaker 2 (03:37):
And, uh, just left a lot of bad, uh, lot of bad things going on. And I wound up self-medicating and things like that and made some bad lifestyle choices. And, uh, uh, through no fault, you know, uh, my own is, is signs would have it. I wound up having a stroke, uh, about a year and a half ago on June of 2024. June 22nd, 2024 to four 30 in the afternoon, I was at work and, uh, just keeled over like a sack of potatoes on the, on the production floor. And, uh, it was a massive ischemic stroke. And had I not been such pro close proximity to Mayo Clinic, uh, here in, or in Jacksonville, Florida, at the time, I would have been in a much worse place than I am now. Uh, would've been more than likely in an assisted care living house, um, requiring 24 7 care, um, because of the deficiencies that the stroke would've created. Um, but thank, thank thanks to God and, and, uh, the surgeons that, uh, that worked their magic. Um, I have a, I have a little bit of, a little bit of a drawback still yet cognitively, but, um, for the most part, I'm, I'm on about seven of eight cylinders firing at most times. So it's not too bad, not too bad.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Fast forwarding, um, after the stroke, um, I just, it just really hit home, you know, it kind of gave me that, that gut check, you know, like, why am I here? Why was I spared, you know, after all the, all the things that I thought were horrible that I did, and the, the, the demons that I left behind and have been carrying around forever, why is it me that what I get to, I get to live? You know, what, what, what do I, what can I contribute back? You know? And it really shifted my focus from being more of a, a selfish mentality, um, about self preservation and, um, just being egocentric. Um, I, uh, I shifted my focus to more of a, a, a giving mentality, like, what can I do to, to repay this, this favor, this, this gift that I've been given, um, this extra chance, you know, to, to, to do life over again.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
And, uh, as I was recovering, I was watching, uh, some videos on YouTube. Um, some friends of mine, uh, ACE Fraley from On the Line, and, uh, strong Lee from Visually Productions. They did their kayak fishermen, and, uh, they've got some, uh, some really excellent video out there, and they do it from their kayak. So I'm like, okay. I see 'em out there pedaling around and everything, and I see that it's kind of remotely low impact and, uh, as far as exercise go. And I was like, I could do that. I'm gonna use that as a form of therapy to help recover from my stroke. And of course, my wife thought I was, you know, still suffering from my stroke when I told her what I was planning on doing, you know, she thought I was a bubble off level. She's always thought I was a bubble off level anyways.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
But, um, but she, uh, she supported me. Um, I got the kayak and, uh, started, uh, started down that deep rabbit hole, that fishing rabbit hole, and, uh, found a group on Facebook called, uh, Northeast Florida Inshore Slayers. And they are probably one of the best groups of people that I've met. Uh, I went to their first Christmas party two years ago, and they were welcoming and inviting, and they've kind of helped to restore my faith and humanity because of their community and their culture, and just really good, genuine people. And, uh, I was like, all right, I can do this. You know, this is good. This fishing community thing, I'm, I'm, I'm digging this. This is, this is good for my, my sanity. This is good for my, my physical recovery, you know, with the fishing and everything. Um, all right, uh, couple months after that, they had a, uh, surf fishing day, um, out at Little Talbot Island, and, um, went and bought my first surf fishing rod.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
It was a pin fierce four combo, eight foot thing. It weighs like 50 pounds. Um, and, uh, casts, like, there's a cinder block on the end of it, but I, but it, but it goes, you gotta give it that for, for a broom. It's a decent rod . It, it is. I still have it, actually. I still have it. Um, I use it for my up close, uh, in the trough work, uh, sometimes. But, uh, so that just me and that rod went out there that day, um, with, uh, with a bag of fish bites and, uh, I think it was like electric chicken or something, you know, one of those favorite flavors that they use. Absolutely. Um, and, uh, went out there with some electric chicken and some fresh dead shrimp, and I caught a 27 inch red. Now, mind you, this, the, the, it was windier than hell, uh, five ounce sinker geist butts weren't holding it down in the water.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
And, but somehow that red got on there. Unfortunately, it was like full of parasites. So I tossed it back in. But man, that fight, that, that, that, that struggle, that, that, uh, the battle that ensued, uh, sealed the deal. It, that was it. I was hooked. Um, uh, fishing really got its claws into me that day. And, um, chip brundage, the the sinker guy actually happened to be there that day. And I was talking to him and he was like, Hey, let me introduce you to my buddy Mark Burford at over the bar rods. And, uh, mark was there that day, and he had a little tent set up selling his wares and his, uh, over the bar surf rods. And he was actually raffling one off. So I was like, you know what? I'm gonna, I'm gonna buy a hundred dollars worth of tickets, you know, because I saw the price tag on the, on the rods. And I was like, okay. So I bought a hundred bucks worth of tickets.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
I, I'm sure I was one of only like, maybe six people that entered the contest. So most of the tickets in there were probably mine to begin with . So I won the Rod. And that, that, that was amazing. You know, that was a game changer right there. That, that, that, uh, that, that 12 foot over the bar, um, over the bar rod and, uh, a month later was the Fish Bites. I think that's where you and I met up at, was the Fish Bites, uh, shoreline Showdown in San Augustine. I believe you were there. No, I was supposed to go, I didn't make that. Oh, okay. Yeah. That was my first surf competition. Um, and that was absolutely non-productive whatsoever. But the one ticket I got from Fish Bites, everybody got a ticket that entered into the contest for a raffle for a door prize.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
It was a door prize ticket. The door prize for me that I won was an Kuma, uh, 10,000 flight reel. So I was like, all right. So I put that on the 12 foot over the bar rod, and I just took off, man, that, that, that right there. Um, you know, started doing my homework, you know, looking at all, you know, the, uh, the different types of braid. You know, tip has really been, uh, a sounding board of advice when it comes to surf fishing. Um, and, uh, he has another friend, Kelly Mets that I happen to meet later on. But those two guys right there have poured more knowledge into my brain than I can. I can, I can fathom, I can, I can't even physically hold it all. Um, they're just such great people. And the people that in the surf fishing community, um, I got to meet at Running The Bulls.
Speaker 2 (12:27):
That was my first, uh, tournament with Kids Can Fish. And, uh, actually the Var Park, uh, kids camp is coming up in St. Augustine. Mm-hmm . And, uh, I reached out to, to Tom Lewis and, and told him I'd be a volunteer there. I had such a great time competing in that tournament. Um, I thought, man, I gotta go. I gotta go see what it's all about. I gotta watch the kids in action. You know? I gotta watch the, you know, see their faces and everything else. 'cause I saw, 'cause I could tell you what if those kids can have that great of a time that, of the conditions that you and I surfed in, or fished in and Jekyll Island and St. Simon's during running the Bulls, and they can do it on the beach in better weather than that. I can only imagine the, the, the blast they're gonna have, uh, in St.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Augustine at Barn Park. Um, so I, I can't wait. I can't wait. So I'm, I'm, I'm signed up for that. But, uh, so I've kind of been just, you know, networking in the community with that, you know, fishing, competing, talking to people, getting to know people, um, you know, um, we did a, uh, what was the tournament that we did? Um, I guess it was a Fish Bites tournament. Yeah, it was a fish. But the last fish, the one down south, the, for the championship? No, that was, uh, no, just this past year. Um, oh, okay. Yeah. Yeah. Just this past year, um, uh, gentleman by the name of Brian Rowe never met the guy before, had only talked to him online. And, uh, we were talking and he, he, he put up a post on Facebook, you know, like he was sitting on the side of the road with his surf fishing gear, with his thumb out, like he was trying to hit a ride, you know, um, because his truck broke down and he couldn't make it.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
And, uh, and I live in Fernandina, and where I was gonna pick him up at was in the panhandle of Florida, which is like three and a half hours away. But, um, he was the fellow veteran, a fellow Army veteran. And, uh, you know what? I said, what the hell, you know, this community's been so good to me. Um, that's exactly what I did. I drove out there, um, picked him up, uh, brought him home to meet my wife. Um, never, never knew the guy could have, you know, could have killed us all in our sleep. But, you know, , Brian's entirely too good of a dude for that. I love that man. Yeah, exactly. I mean, and, and we, and, and believe me, we got to know each other really well on that three hours back on the way back, on the way back to, uh, on the way back to Fernandina.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
But, uh, we had such a great time. Um, and another gentleman joined us from Tallahassee. His name's Gavin Carlisle, who does Coastline Creations. Um, um, he's a great guy. Um, he did actually my logo for Project Saltwater. Um, so just getting to know people and, and, and fishing has really opened up a lot of doors for me, uh, in my recovery, um, with the stroke and with PTSD and everything else. And it, it's kind of been this, this, this, this, this, this hot coal burning in my, in my belly. That's just kind of like, you gotta do something. You gotta do something. And this is where Project Salt Water's coming in, you know, as much as I get out of surf fishing and kayak fishing and everything else, I'm thinking veterans have to be able to benefit from this as well. You know? And in my community, in my area, um, up here in Northeast Florida, there are other programs that are out there similar, but they don't reach as far north as, as, as where I live.
Speaker 2 (16:34):
Um, and I'm not sure if they even do like surf fishing. Um, I know there's like, uh, heroes on the Water. They do kayak fishing, uh, uh, re uh, every so often they'll have an event or whatever. But, um, the surf fishing's really what's got me, got me going. And, um, just go out there and, and, you know, drag a vet out on the sand, um, soak some bait and just chew a fat and be genuine, you know, with each other. And, and whether they want to talk about bad things or they just want to talk, or if they don't wanna talk at all, Hey, we're fishing. That's what I'm, that that's what it's all about. And this is at no cost to them. You know, the program's at no cost to them. Uh, we furnish everything. We, uh, we're in the process right now of trying to get our 5 0 1 C3 nonprofit stamp and everything going on, get that established so we can file for, uh, grants, uh, through the state and through, you know, the, the federal government for, um, for, uh, for development of the program and enrichment of the program.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Um, but as the program grows, so will the involvement and the depth of the program will too. So it just won't be about phishing. Fishing's gonna be where the, where, where it's at. It's gonna continue to be that. But there's gonna be other things I would like to see, um, happen for the veterans as well. You know, like possibly maybe like, uh, job placement, uh, opportunities or services. Um, you know, uh, ability to help find housing for vets that, that, that are, you know, that don't have housing secured or, you know, better food insecure or, or things like that. You know, being able to help cover those gaps. Um, when they do transition outta the military, and even long after they transac position outta the military, there's still those gaps that society overlooks because we don't talk about that stuff, you know, uh, being veterans, they tell us to shove it way down deep and, and, uh, be, uh, be all we can be. But, uh, you know, when we get out, you know, we were all, we were, and, and that's it, you know, and, and we're kind of left holding the bag, you know, with this, all this stuff to deal with this minutia of all kinds of stuff. So, you know, um, it's, uh, it's, it's in its infantile stages, but, uh, I really feel passionate about it. And that's kind of where Project Saltwater is. And that's kind of what got me into this whole, this whole thing.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
Well, you nailed a whole bunch of my questions throughout the way, all the way through the , so I'm like, keep it going. I'm like, you got this? Yeah, man. You got controls. Yeah. I'm,
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I'm gonna give a, I'm gonna take a break and come up for air. So,
Speaker 1 (19:44):
Well, I mean, this is the perfect time 'cause it is time for a ba check. So we're gonna knock all a paycheck, and then we're actually gonna talk really heavy here into Project Saltwater and really get into that. Cool. So this ba check, everyone's being brought to you by Ninja Tackle, and, uh, you guys know it. You gotta play the theme song for it.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Step up in the game, put your gear on Tight Ninja Tackle in the zone, ready for the fight. The water's calling in our arm with the best, with those ninja decker rods. You know, we ain't stressed from Lake to the rivers. We're slaying the scene. Casting lines feeling fine, living that dream Ninja tackle. G Finesse made for the Pros. Light is a feather for when it Ben it glow. Stick to the rhythm, let the tackle unfold. Every single cast new story told high tech precision. Can't miss the aim from
Speaker 4 (20:35):
Ninja.
Speaker 1 (20:59):
You need to tackle va.com. Take a look at the website. Lots of great stuff on there. So you really gave us a lot as we went through that. And I kind of wanna backtrack on a few things, and then I really wanna dig in here into Project Saltwater. Um, one of the ones that you said was talking about military service and the, the after you get out. And it's, it's one of those weird conversations for people that have never, that haven't played in the game that we've played. You know, we, we did our time. We, we, you know, whether you did four years, you did 30 years, you've played the game and you understand it, and you're trained all throughout it, you know, this is your life. You're regimented and you get handed everything told what to do, where to be, how to build, and you build on that.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
And then when you get out, you gotta learn a new world. And it's very easy to get lost in that world because you haven't lived it and other people haven't lived what you've lived and stigmas and use all sorts of adjectives if you want. But that also being said, there have become so many great organizations that have started, I would say during the G watt time, probably around my time for that after I finished up, like Afghanistan and all that mm-hmm . More, more, more came to life. And it seems like more than the one, A lot of them are, not all of 'em are still around, but the core ones are still are. And the missions have done well. And then there's the small organizations that have been there for years and have just continued to do well in the small box and done phenomenal things for the community.
Speaker 1 (22:38):
And what you're building sounds amazing. And I, I am excited, thoroughly excited to see you do this and, and definitely try to help however I can. And I, I applaud you for seeing this gap and you wanting to step into fill it. Um, and that is very military esco you, because when we see a problem we want to solve said problem, we we're, we're not a fan of, uh, we're not a fan of gaps like that. No. So, uh, , I, I, I love what you're doing. So you, you started talking to us about what let you got, uh, what got you to start on the project, saltwater, uh, you, you gave us all the pieces with that, and then the gaps that you found. So let's move into the, the therapy portion slash PTs, um, of that, because I, I've said it on my episodes, several of myself episodes sur it was a place where the, the noise stopped all of it. Yeah. Whether it was anything, it stopped and the water healed. So in your experience, what is it about the ocean and the surf environment that has been so grounding to you and you think would be for veterans?
Speaker 2 (23:50):
Um, well, it, it's, it's, it's reconnecting, uh, with, with nature. Um, I've got a friend of mine, his name's Chris Mansfield, uh, who I've met through surf fishing. He does real healing, uh, outdoors. Yeah. RHO. Yeah. Uh, and, uh, he's got this one love, uh, you know, all vibe, you know, good vibes type, uh, mentality. And it, that's what it's really all about, is just connecting with nature. Um, connecting with the ocean, connecting with the surf. There's just something calming. It's like the minute I get outta my truck and I, I've even when I park in the parking lot right at the beach, and that, that first blast of salt there hits my lungs, it's just like an automatic aphrodisiac. You know? It just kind of like calms everything, you know? Um, it's like a bong hit from nature, if you will, , you know, I love that it's a natural hi.
Speaker 2 (24:53):
It's a natural high that just, it just kind of overwhelms everything. It just kind of like, doesn't matter how crappy things are, the weather could be just horrible. But something about that salt air and hearing that ocean thundering over everything else just makes it better because you know what's coming next. You know, you're gonna drag your kit out there, you're gonna drag your gear out there, you're gonna do battle. You know, you're gonna, you're gonna suit up and you're gonna grab your rods. You're gonna grab your tackle, and you're gonna go out there and give it a hundred percent of doing nothing, you know, of just fishing, you know, just baiting the hooks, throwing them out there and seeing what, seeing what happens, you know, and, and, and, and honing that craft, building that skill, um, I think really has a lot to do with the therapeutic aspect of it, because it takes your mind.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
It, it, it, it, it quiets that noise, you know, that, that, um, that constant, almost like tinnitus, like ringing all the time, um, that's ever present with, you know, with PTSD and things like that. It's just, it's hard to find those, those triggers that set us off, um, from PTSD, uh, out on the ocean, you know, out on the beach. You know, it's, uh, it's almost the, it's almost the exact opposite. You know, you're not gonna hear the cars backfiring, you're not gonna hear the, the loud noises. Um, you know, that, that make you look around and you're always watching your six and, and, and everything else for, you know, what's gonna happen next. It doesn't keep you on point. Um, it allows you to take it down a notch to downshift, to gear, to, um, and there's just something to set be to be said about waiting in the salt water, you know, uh, getting that good old vitamin D, that vitamin K from the sun, um, you know, naturally speaking, it's, it, it, it helps.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
It really does. Um, you know, my wife can tell, you know, when my, my, my reserves are, are, are getting depleted, she's like, you gotta go somewhere. You know, you gotta, I don't care what you do. You know, you gotta go, you know, go, go do what you gotta do, you know, and come back when you're right. You know? And that's usually what I do, is I'll go surf fish, you know, or I'll go jump in the kayak and, and do my thing. Um, because it's trying to connect with nature. Um, and, and it gives you the opportunity to be alone in your thoughts, but not be alone in your thoughts with all the other crap that goes on in the world around you. You know, it allows you to either focus on those things and help sort those out, or just forget it, you know, just do a dump and focus on fishing.
Speaker 2 (28:12):
You know, especially when you're catching fish, if you got four or five rods out, um, and, and the bite is hot, you're not thinking about, you know, the crap in your head. You know, you're jumping from rod to rod to rod, you know, and just pulling 'em in, you know, one after the other. And that's really, uh, not only is it gratifying in itself, you, you're putting food on the table, you know, you're, you're bringing home dinner, you know, you're contributing to, uh, by all, when it's all said and done, you know, um, you're providing in a different way for your family. Um, that, that says a lot. I got a freezer full right now, uh, of, of delicious fish, um, you know, from sheep's head, Pompano Whiting. Um, you know, I got blue fish that I use for like smoked blue fish dip, you know, all this kind of stuff. Uh, and even that's therapeutic, you know, trying to figure out what you're gonna do with all this, you know, this meat you've harvested, um, from the ocean is, uh, is a challenge in itself. You know, cleaning's one thing, but how are you gonna prepare it? What are you gonna do with it? You know, how are you gonna justify? How are you gonna make it taste good? So your wife will keep letting you go out there and bring it home. ,
Speaker 1 (29:35):
That's the fun part. That's always fun. Interesting. Like, I dunno, we're gonna make this work.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
And surprisingly enough, she likes it. There you go. Yeah. But she's from the Midwest. She, she did like the Friday fish fries. Oh, yeah. You know, at the, at the Moose Lodge or the Supper Club or whatever mm-hmm . Yeah. Um, she's from Wisconsin, so, um, she gets it, you know, as far as like the fish goes, but it's a different kind of fish, you know? But she's, she's digging it so far, you know. Nice. Yeah. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
So those have been, that's worked out. And I, I love your connections there, man. And you know, it's funny, when I, I remember talking to, I remember talking to Chris on the podcast. We talked a lot about that, excuse me, during his episode. So it's, uh, it's always funny to see how we've got three degrees, not six degrees, three degrees of separation in our community. I mean, almost we're the smallest group when it comes to fishing in the industry. But we're one of, we're so spread out. We're such a small community, you know, we all know somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody, and it's easy to link.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
Oh, it's, it's crazy, man. With surf fishing. I met, uh, I've, I've rekindled friendships. Like, uh, Spencer Brogden is, uh, a friend of mine. He, he's a, he's a regular guy at Jackson Beach Pier, um, in Jacksonville Beach. And, um, really great guy did the King of the Hill tournament, uh, for Pompano and Whiting this year, um, through Neptune Beach Baptist Church. He, uh, he and I spent a lot of time at the pier together as kids when I was growing up in Jacks Beach. I didn't even realize it. You know, we, we, we were, we were out there throwing poles over the, over the pier, you know, together there, didn't realize it. Um, Gavin Carlisle, uh, from Coastline Creations I mentioned earlier, didn't realize it. We went to the same high school together, you know, we were a couple of years apart, , but, uh, you know, from the same area. You know, it is just, uh, that, that, that, that full circle, um, that community, that the world is not as big as people say it is.
Speaker 1 (31:40):
No, no.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
You know, and the, and the surf c surf fishing community, um, within the fishing community, the surf fishing part of it is even smaller, and it just kind of drills it down. So all those friendships and all those relationships that you, you build and you nurture, are just so much more enriched and magnified, I think, you know, under the lens of, of surf fishing that, you know, it's just, it's just great. You know, it is just, there isn't anything that I wouldn't do for my surf fishing community. Yeah. Um, because I feel like they have done so much for me already with, you know, my sanity and, you know, my, my actual recovery for my stroke and everything else. It's just been, it's been amazing, you know, um, the Slayers group, the Fish Bites crew, um, Courtney and, uh, Parra, uh, Brent Burford over at Fish Bites, all those guys, you know, just solid people. Solid, solid people. Um, I did the El Cheapo tournament, uh, a couple weekends ago. The Sheep Said tournament. Yeah,
Speaker 1 (32:52):
That one looked cool.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah. A couple friends of mine, we did that. Um, and they had a veterans, uh, second year for, they had a Veterans Division. And, uh, Chris Jones retired master chief from the Navy. He's awesome. Um, I placed ninth. I did ninth. I placed ninth in that, and I, I got a $250 check, you know, that was my first, that, that was my first big ticket, you know, ticket. My, my first, uh, you know, gold star on the board, if you will. And, uh, me and my buddy, we placed 51st and 50, or 51st and 52nd out of 400 competitors. So we did all right. It was pretty, it was a pretty rough day of fishing for Sheep's Head that day, but we did all right. And we did it in a boat. But, um, it's all about community, man. Mm-hmm . It's all about those relationships that you make.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Uh, what it really boils down to, um, tomorrow, actually, I'm gonna go out kayak fishing with a, a, a friendship I made on the beach surf fishing. Uh, he's a retired master chief, uh, from the Navy. And, um, it's his first day out, his maiden voyage on a kayak. And we're gonna go out and find some sheep's head. And, uh, one of the other gentlemen that's going with us, he's a school teacher up in Georgia. Um, but, uh, we're all gonna get together at eight o'clock in the morning, and we're gonna go out there and we're gonna find, uh, we're gonna find some fish, and he is gonna learn how to kayak fish. And, uh, you know, but he's been in the surf fishing community forever. And, uh, he just thought he'd try kayak fishing, and he happened to know that I was a kayak fisherman, and we got together and he was an avionics electrician, uh, in the Navy. So we just wired up my kayak today. I got lights on it, I got running lights, I got, uh, red, and I got red and green lights on it. I got a spotlight on it. I got a, I got a fish finder on it that I won in the, the, uh, El Chio raffle. I got a Garmin GPS fish finder that we, we got wired up and everything, man. We were, we were rocking and rolling , you know, up here in Northeast Florida.
Speaker 1 (35:04):
Doesn't, it doesn't hurt when you get the old tron. I mean, I, I, I, me being an aviation background, me being a mechanic, right? A-I-A-V-I is always the, uh, the bane of our existence. Um, . That's just because electrical's awful. But yeah, that's, that's that, that was a smart move to get the Yeah. To link up with that then, you know, that helps out with the electrical, that's for sure. Um, oh,
Speaker 2 (35:28):
Man, I, it's a game. It's gonna be a game changer for sure. Oh,
Speaker 1 (35:31):
Yeah, absolutely. In the Kayak, for sure. So let's, let's tie in here back into, into Project Saltwater. Yeah. So you, you've got so many great things going here. You've already got the things you're starting to build, and you, you've got an idea here. So when it comes to new pe, you know, people coming out there, what has been, or what, what support or resource sources would help you expand your mission with Project Saltwater?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Uh, we're always looking. Um, you know, like I said, we're, we're still in our very, uh, beginning phase. The, the ink isn't dry on the bylaws and the articles of incorporation yet. They're still still filing for all that stuff. So, um, building the structure of the, of the program, um, is something that I could probably, uh, you know, people that are out there, you know, starting those 5 0 1 c threes, you know, that, that, uh, that do that kind of thing, you know, their information, their knowledge would be greatly received. Um, obviously, uh, funding for, uh, you know, generous donations from the community, uh, would be an asset, um, that would help with, uh, procuring equipment and, uh, you know, surf fishing rods and, and beach carts or stuff like that. Um, me having a background in welding, um, I've, I've kind of teamed up with Brian Ette over at Surf Fishing Solutions, and, uh, we're kind of spit balling a, uh, a beach access chair that we're going to rig up for surf fishing, um, for those veterans that are, uh, physically challenged, you know, to get 'em out on the water, get 'em on the beach, um, you know, and, uh, I know they make beach wheelchairs and things like that, but, you know, uh, fit 'em up with some, some rod holders and things like that, or whatever it is that we gotta do to get everybody out.
Speaker 2 (37:32):
There's, you know, not just limited to the people that, that are able to ambulate out there on under their own steam, but those that are, you know, everybody deserves a smile, you know, is, is, is what I see. Um, and those veterans that, uh, that that, that, uh, that need, that, that extra support, um, from, you know, whether it be from a, a wheelchair or, you know, um, some type of, uh, assistance like that, uh, they really deserve it. You know, they deserve that smile more than, than, than most. And, uh, like I said, I, I, I count my blessings being able to, um, sit here and, and have this conversation with you, uh, because of the things that have been laid before me, you know, after my stroke and getting to know these people in this community and everything . And I just wanna, I wanna, I wanna take full advantage of it and, and use it to its maximum capacity.
Speaker 2 (38:32):
Um, you know, and, uh, just blow it up and just put a big pin in the map, you know, on, on what we can do for just, not just veterans. Uh, this also encompasses first responders. Um, those guys go through a lot of the same stuff that veterans go through. Um, a lot of the first responders have been veterans as well. Um, you know, and gold star families. Uh, we, we, we, our doors are open to them as well, you know, they, they, they've given the ultimate sacrifice, um, with their loved ones who have, who've gone on and, and paid the ultimate price for our freedom. Um, so they, they de they, they, they deserve a, you know, the, uh, the healing and the ability to experience what surf fishing has done for me as well. Um, you know, if it just brings, you know, a mother and daughter together because of the brother they lost, or, or a husband or a, a father, um, just bringing them out there and then even just providing them the, the distraction for the day, you know, for something else to think about other than that sacrifice that they've, they've so, uh, they, they've given so freely.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Um, yeah. You know, it's, uh, it's something man. It's something. But yeah. Uh, as far as contributions and, and, and what the doors are open, um, you can reach us at, um, we've got a Facebook page, um, at Project Saltwater. Um, we're still working on the, its development. Um, we have Project Saltwater Inc. At Gmail is, uh, our, uh, our email address.
Speaker 2 (40:20):
Um, I believe we have an Instagram. We're still working on that, you know, so obviously, you know, marketing, media development, stuff like that. Um, I'm, I'm, I'm the one man band right now, is basically what's happening. Um, and I'm willing to dole out the, the, the abilities and the responsibilities to go along with it, to, to able-bodied people who are much more savvy than I am, uh, with this kind of stuff. You know, as far as, I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel, I'm just trying to get it to roll, uh, if you will. And, um, it's a heavy wheel, uh, to push by yourself. But, uh, it's gaining traction, believe it or not, uh, just on its own, on its own right now. Um, you know, I've had some people reach out and it, with it just being me and me trying to hold down a full-time job, um, at the time, you know, eventually I'd like to see this, uh, turn into something that I can focus a hundred percent of my time and effort on, and that the, uh, the ROI will allow me to focus on the, uh, on the project and, um, that become, you know, my main focus.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
So I won't, don't have to hold down that nine to five, that, that we all dread , you know? So, but, uh, for now, you know, adulting and responsibility takes, you know, takes precedence. But, uh, project Saltwater is a close second when it comes to that. So if there's anybody out there that has anything that they feel would be beneficial to help grow the program, uh, ideas, tips, tricks, um, you know, as far as, you know, people that, for like the CPA end of it, you know, like tax filing and, or, you know, money management or whatever it is, um, I'm open ears, you know, I, I, there is no silly questions. There are no silly answers. Um, we will gladly hear everybody out, you know, that has something to that. They feel like they, they would have to contribute. And I, I'd say roughly at this point, there probably isn't too many people that we, we would turn down, you know, you know, as far as like, like I said, marketing, stuff like that, printing, uh, be getting the word out there really gonna be the beneficial thing.
Speaker 2 (42:49):
Getting the word out there and being able to respond to those people that do reach out to us that do wanna set up those surf fishing and they're excursions, you know, I don't want to to mince any words about it. They're gonna be days out on the water. They're not charters. I'm not a charter captain. I'm not charging anything for this. So I don't, I don't wanna say the word charter, um, when it comes to that, it's gonna be an excursion, it's a day out, you know, basically, um, we're, we can, uh, you know, do it a, in a four hour block of time, if you like, or we can do it eight hour block. Um, you know, I'd like to see, uh, it grow to a point where we can actually have a, a number of people attend an event, and then we'll do like a day out, you know, we'll have like a, a, a catered lunch, you know, we'll bring in some or do a grilling or hot dogs or, you know, uh, catch and cook, you know, you know, whatever you, you drag, that would be awesome.
Speaker 2 (43:50):
You know, a catch and cook would be awesome. Um, so that sort of thing. Um, and that would really be awesome for the, for the attendees, you know, that'd be able to actually sit there, drag it in and outta the water, learn how, if they don't know how, already clean it, cook it and eat it, you know? How gratifying is that? How, how amazing would that be? You know, that you don't have to wait to go home, then you gotta figure out how you're gonna cook it, how you gonna clean it? You ain't gotta do all that. It's already done for you right there, you know, and you go home with a full belly on top of that, that, that right there. That, that, I think that's a game, a game changer. You know,
Speaker 1 (44:33):
You better, you better have a notebook next to you. You know, you're taking all these notes down, you're coming up, you're just spitballing really good ideas that are gonna happen here. I'm hoping you're right. I mean, you got it on the podcast, obviously you can come back. That's
Speaker 2 (44:43):
What I'm doing. That's what I'm doing. I'm, I'm, I'm waiting on you to put, put it back out there so I can play it back, you
Speaker 1 (44:49):
Know, on your notepad. That's fair. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (44:51):
You're, you're my mini, mini tape recorder, you know.
Speaker 1 (44:54):
Well, the good news is there's a transcript of this, you know, I put the transcript with the episode, so you, I'll just send you the transcript. So be like, hold on. What was that? ?
Speaker 2 (45:01):
Yeah. There you go. There you go.
Speaker 1 (45:04):
Yeah. Well, um, tell you what, let's do one our last bait check here, and then I'm gonna ask you a couple last questions and we'll get you outta here. Sound good?
Speaker 2 (45:10):
Sounds great. Thanks.
Speaker 1 (45:11):
Outstanding.
Speaker 1 (45:20):
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Speaker 2 (46:22):
Man, we're, we're, we're small potatoes right now, but if I could develop it into something that could be grown into a, a regional thing, eventually, you know, just take it out of Florida. 'cause you're talking about a coastal event, you know, we could, we could, it could go to Texas, it could go to Alabama, it could go to Georgia all the way up to Eastern Seaboard, you know, we could even carry it across, you know, where there's water is where there's, you know, where there's, where there's a way, there's water, you know, or where there's water, there's a way. Yeah. That's it. Um, uh, and that's kinda what, you know, if there's a long game to be had or to be played, that's, that's what I'd like to see happen. You know, like, uh, chapters or, or, you know, um, different, uh, different aspects of the, uh, flying that flag in a different state would be amazing because there's veterans out there. It's not just Florida, you know? Yeah. We have a high concentration of, of, uh, of veterans here that retire here. Uh, got a huge Navy population, huge Marine Corps population here. Um, well, we got some Army guys, got some Coast guard, you know, um, I got a few coasties that I know. They're pretty cool dudes. Um, Brian Ettes, actually one of 'em, he's, he is a coastie. Yeah, he's a coastie. Yeah. We, we
Speaker 1 (47:54):
Never, we're never gonna let him live it down. He, he
Speaker 2 (47:56):
Had a good, yeah. Yeah. He's, he's, he's . He's, yeah, he's a good dude, man. But, uh, you know, um, they're, they're veterans all over, you know, that could benefit from this. And I can only imagine that if you put it in, you know, God forbid at a fresh water environment, um, it could probably reap the same benefits. Um, you know, with those, those ditch pickles and those that bass fishing, you know, that people talk about all the time down here in the south, you know, I'm sure we could probably work something out with that too. Um, but, uh, I, I see the, the, the outreach that the kids can fish camps do with kids, and I kind of would like to model that for veterans, you know, um, and first responders and gold star families, because it can benefit children, you know, before the damage gets done.
Speaker 2 (48:54):
Kids can understand what fishing's like, and they can utilize that outlet, you know, to help relieve that stress and that anxiety and everything else. And veterans can benefit from it because the damage has already been done. Um, it'll, it'll start that healing process. It'll allow that, that, that, uh, that, that, that void to be filled with something other than, you know, legal substances or even, god forbid, illegal substances, you know, 'cause veterans, we do, we do get in trouble from time to time, you know? Um, it, it, that's what I want them to understand. The, the people that that, that come out and that are a part of this, is that there's something out there other than those choices to make, you know, that there are, there are good things out there that they can, that can be beneficial. Um, and they don't have to be structured, you know, you don't have to go lie on a couch to do it.
Speaker 2 (49:51):
You don't have to take, uh, you know, um, medication, you know, salt water therapy is, is, is, uh, it's free. You know? Yeah. The equipment that you have to utilize to do it can get rather costly. But that's not what I'm trying to pass on to the, to the, to the, the population is, it's, it's the salt water therapy. You know, it's, that's why it's project salt water, you know, because, um, you can walk out in the ocean and get it, you know, you can, you can just sit there on the beach and get it. Um, but to, to bring that comradery back, that, that, that cohesiveness that we had when we were in the military, that brotherhood, that sisterhood, that family, you know, those people that you would do anything for, those, those, those foxhole buddies. Um, that's what Project Saltwater's about is reestablishing those connections, you know, and, uh, doing it through surf fishing and kayak fishing and things like that. Um, I think is, uh, it's gonna be a, it's gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (51:06):
Yeah. You are gonna do great things. Well, you, you nailed the, the second to last question. So we'll ask you the last question and we'll get you outta here. Where can people find you, follow the progress and get involved?
Speaker 2 (51:16):
Uh, like I was saying earlier, uh, Facebook, um, I've got some contact information on there. Project Saltwater, um, uh, I have an email Project Saltwater Inc. At gmail is, uh, I believe the email address that I have on my Facebook page. Um, social media's probably gonna be the best way to do it. Um, my name, web Skelton, uh, I'm on Facebook, my private Facebook, look me up. Um, reach me out. Um, I've got a, my, my private landline, my cell phone number. Um, I'd be happy to get out to you, you know, through instant messaging and things like that. Um, don't wanna client, you know, publicly put that out there yet. But eventually when we get, um, when we get some, uh, get some traction underneath us for the, uh, the project, we'll probably get a, a, a generalized number and a name and everything out there. Like I said, we're small potatoes right now. We're just getting started, but, uh, we're gonna be doing great things in the future, man.
Speaker 1 (52:21):
Yes, you are. And I look forward to seeing it and, uh, sharing the good message and passing it on. And, uh, I know I'll see you at the tournaments and I'll catch up with you again. Again, there
Speaker 2 (52:30):
Be no doubt. Oh yeah, Brian. Brian, thanks for having me on. Um, I can't wait till we get back, you know, circle back around and, you know, in a year or so and see where we at in the, the, the, the, the progress that we've made. I can't wait to do it, buddy. Thank you again, and I'll keep watching your podcast, listening to your podcast. As always, you do a fantastic job.
Speaker 1 (52:51):
No, thanks. Try trying the fun stuff, right? It's all we can do. All right, buddy. Well, I'm gonna put you back in the green room. We'll catch up here in a second. But again, thanks for coming on, man.
Speaker 2 (52:59):
All right, thanks, Brian.
Speaker 1 (53:00):
Yes, sir. Alright, ladies and gentlemen, there you go. Really good. Fun episode. And I, I think Web's got something here and it's gonna do good things. So he gave you all the links. They'll also be back on the show ones as well. Uh, they'll be in the show notes so you can follow on that one. And if this episode helps you, uh, by all means, please do share it out. And if you know somebody that could help Webb with this whole plan that he's got building for Project Saltwater, by all means, reach out to 'em. Share it out there to somebody that might be able to assist. We can all grow together. That's what we do. You've been listening to Finding Demo Surf Fishing. Thanks for being here. Until next time, we'll see you. I'm outta here.