So my friend and colleague Rick wanted to take me out on my first saltwater fishing charter and he knew Mark The Shark from a previous trip. My first impression of Mark and his crew was that these were serious fishermen and I was a bit intimidated. Before we even left the dock, however, Mark, Ryan and Eloy were joking around with me, talking UFC fights and telling me I had nothing to be worried about when I told Mark I didn't know what I was doing on a fishing boat. He said, "Mike, I'm not worried about guys like you. I worry about the guys who tell me they know how to fish." And he was right. Not long into the trip a sailfish was on my line, and the guys talked me through my first catch. They were patient with me, and when we reeled in the fish, they were genuinely happy for me. On the way back, Mark gave me a tour of Star Island off the coast of Miami, and we had a fun time shooting the sh*t. To be honest I didn't even want to go fishing, but after that trip with Mark The Shark I have a great memory and I know I can go on my next fishing trip without much fear of embarrassing myself. The guys on this boat may look and sound like they just got off the set of Jaws -- and they do -- but they're really just good guys who want you to have fun. And they have fun too. Thanks for the trip guys. -- Mike Straka