Q: How long have you lived in Key West?
A: I’ve lived in Key West my whole life, 34 years.

Q: Have you ever lived anywhere else? 
A: Yes, I’ve lived in Charleston and Greenville in South Carolina and Miami.

Q: Why did you come back to Key West?
A: Fishing.

Q: How long have you been fishing?
A. I have been fishing professionally for 14 years. I started fishing as soon as I was old enough to tie a knot, about 5 or 6.  My friends, Jed, Travis Spud and I would tie our own stuff on and catch snappers for dinner.

Q: Have you ever seen a mermaid?
A: I don’t think so. A manatee at sunset after a couple beers looks a lot like one though.

Q: What is the biggest fish you ever caught?
A: Personally, I caught a bull shark about 350 pounds. On the charter boat, we caught a Blue Marlin around 500 pounds.

Q: Would you always rather be fishing?
A: I go fishing on my days off.

Q: What is the strangest thing you have ever seen on the water.
A: Just the other day my little brother and I were out jigging in the bay, catching jacks and trout. We get a jack up and it had somebody else’s leader and a swivel hanging out of its mouth.  My brothers’ jig hooked through the eyelid of the swivel already in its mouth. What are the odds of that? 

Q: Have you ever caught a Square Grouper?
A: Twice. They were wet both times. 

Q: Has a fish ever tried to catch you?
A: I’ve been speared in the arms and hands a little bit by sail fish. Luckily, knock on wood. (Corey looks around for wood, none on the boat, so he went outside and knocked on the dock.)  I’ve never been bitten bad by a barracuda, shark, wahoo or anything of that nature.

Q: What do you like to do when you are not fishing?
A: Not be in the wind or water or anything moving around, preferably in a bar and seeing live music?

Q: Have you ever taken someone fishing and not returned with them?
A: Not yet, but we have had some requests by some wives to do that.

Q: Do you enjoy bowling and if so why?
A. I love bowling! There was a bowling alley in Key West before and I loved it as a kid. Since it’s been gone, i’ts one of those things you do every time you go out of town because you can’t do it here. I am kind of good at it.

Q: If you could be one fish which one would you be?
A: I would be a blue marlin.  Nothing can really hurt them, they are faster than anything else, not even a big shark can catch them. The only thing they have to worry about is humans.

Q: Have you ever been to Europe, if so how was the fishing? 
A: I have been to London. I didn’t fish, but I ate fish and chips, because there was a place called Chris’s fish and Chips and my dad’s name is Chris.

Q: It is said fisherman enjoy a drink or two, after a hard day where do you like to quench your thirst?
A: The White Tarpon is nice and close. I am sandwiched between three bars so it works pretty nicely for me at the end of the day.

Q: Anything you want to add about being a professional fisherman in Key West?
A: Don’t ever do it you thinking you’re gonna get rich. If it’s something you love to do, you can get paid to do something you love.