For Sea-Doo FISHPRO ambassador Cameron Kirkconnell, living the Sea-Doo Life is as much about spending time below the water’s surface as it is seat time on his Sea-Doo. That’s because the Jensen Beach, Florida native makes his living as one of the world’s premiere spearfishing guides.
Just about every waking moment of the 40+ years Kirkconnell has been spent on (or under) the water – or at the very least wishing that’s where he was at.
“Even if I can’t be on the water, just driving over the bridge each day from our house to mainland keeps my sanity being able to see it below knowing its close and I’ll be back soon,” Kirkconnell says.
His first fishing experiences aboard a personal watercraft came in high school as he tagged along with buddies, diving gear in tow, searching for lobsters and other species of fish.
“Amazing we made it happen on such a small watercraft, but it was a great way to go with your buddy,” the 18-time spearfishing world record holder recalled.
Things have changed a bit since those early days on the water. Today, when he’s not leading clients to remote, seldomly fished grounds only accessible by FISHPRO, he’s exploring the many well-kept secrets the islands and inlets surrounding Florida and the Bahamas have to offer with his wife and two children.
Who makes up your typical riding crew?
Family and a few buddies from here and of course Bri who is always game for an adventure.
Favorite place to ride?
Bahamas. Getting through the little cuts in the backcountry avoiding the rough weather and then diving little secret spots you can’t reach on the boat.
Dream place to ride?
Indonesia. I wish I had one of these while I was there on some of my 20+ trips surfing and spearfishing. It would have been a game changer for sure.
Describe your perfect day on the water:
Run straight offshore while its still glassy and be the first on the deep wrecks shooting Wahoo or Cobia, then come in and dive for Grouper and Lobster. Pick up the Family and go to lunch on the water then sandbar with friends in the afternoon letting the kids play in the shallow water and catch snook.
Describe your life away from the water:
I’ve heard about this. Not really my thing to be away from the water but we spend a lot of time in the woods hunting, fishing, and exploring with the kids.
What’s your one must-have accessory for your Sea-Doo?
My cooler for sure. That is the center of operations for keeping live bait or storing gear, icing fish and lobsters, etc.
What’s one innovation you’d like to see on a Sea-Doo that doesn’t currently exist?
Live bait well adaption for the cooler that has a built-in pump on the Sea-Doo that can double as a bilge pump in an emergency and runs off a second battery.
Favorite place to eat?
Not going to lie, the best food I’ve ever had is on some of the yachts I work on as a guide taking clients spearfishing around the world. Bringing in fresh tuna, wahoo, lobsters, stone crabs, snapper and grouper and handing them off to a 5 star chef and a talented mixologist making the perfect drink at the end of the day is a lifetime experience I’m lucky enough to enjoy.
First artist you add to your play list?
My kids would say Frozen 2 Soundtrack which I now know by heart so I can sing it but usually I’m playing Wolfmother “White Unicorn” as I’m coming out of the no wake zone ready to lock her down and haul ass.
Celebrity or person you’d most like to ride with?
Tiger Woods. We’ve seen each other a few times while I was on other trips and he spears and free dives as well. Everyone I work with is at the top of their respective businesses and games and I know he’d appreciate the freedom and adventure of Spearfishing some of the remote secret spots I dive.
