Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 845 is my conversation with Captain Jason Stock, a professional fishing guide and conservationist out of Bradenton, Florida, who specializes in nearshore and offshore reef and wreck fishing around Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. Jason explains how the structures he calls springs are actually ancient sinkholes from a time when Florida extended 40 to 50 miles further into the Gulf, the almost overwhelming concentrations of fish they hold, the science he learned from Mote Marine Laboratory, and the reef-rebuilding conservation work he is invested in.
Captain Jason Stock is a professional fishing guide and conservationist based in Bradenton, Florida, specializing in nearshore and offshore reef and wreck fishing around Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. He runs a Yellowfin 31 and targets kingfish, amberjack, cobia, goliath grouper, and a wide mix of reef species. He is also actively involved in marine conservation, working with Mote Marine Laboratory and on reef-rebuilding and habitat-restoration efforts.
The springs Jason targets are actually ancient sinkholes from when Florida's coastline extended 40 to 50 miles further into the Gulf, 10,000 to 20,000 years ago. They are not active freshwater springs but underwater caves — geological remnants from a time when that area was dry land. Jason learned this framing from Mote Marine Laboratory, and it changed how he understood these spots.
An almost overwhelming concentration. Jason describes pulling up to a single structure and finding thousands of amberjack alongside barracuda, cobia, African pompano, yellowtail, mangrove, and mutton snapper, sharks, and goliath grouper all stacked together. The density and diversity, he says, is something that has to be seen to be believed.
Jason runs a Yellowfin 31. He previously ran a Yellowfin 26 — the same model I have run for Keys fishing — and upgraded to the 31 to fish further offshore in more comfort, handle bigger loads, and give clients the experience they expect when chasing reef species. His friend Cody Chavez, who guides the Clearwater area, was among those around for the transition.
Jason's relationship with Mote Marine Laboratory gives him the scientific context behind the structures he fishes — including the geological history of the sinkholes — and informs his approach to both fishing and conservation. He pairs traditional on-the-water knowledge with marine research, which is part of what makes him as much a conservationist as a guide.
Jason is actively involved in rebuilding artificial reefs and restoring fish habitat in Florida waters. He is invested in the science and long-term health of these fisheries, not just in knowing where to drop a line, and his reef-rebuilding work is aimed at maintaining productive structure for the future.
Tom Rowland Podcast Episode 845 with Captain Jason Stock is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. The video version is embedded at the top of this page — press play to watch.
Jason is not just a guide who knows where the fish are — he understands the entire ecosystem and its history. When he started explaining that the spots he fishes are geological formations from when Florida was a completely different landscape, I knew this was going to be a different kind of fishing conversation. Pair that with his reef-rebuilding work and his relationship with Mote Marine Laboratory, and you have someone worth listening to closely. Press play in the YouTube player above to hear it.
Most anglers call them springs, but Jason explains they are ancient sinkholes — underwater caves from 10,000 to 20,000 years ago when sea levels were far lower and this was dry land 40 to 50 miles further out. He learned the framing from Mote Marine Laboratory, and it reframed how he reads the whole area. Watch him describe what you see when you arrive at one in the YouTube player above.
Jason describes a concentration that is hard to believe — thousands of amberjack plus barracuda, cobia, African pompano, multiple snapper species, sharks, and goliath grouper all stacked on one piece of structure. The diversity and density is the kind of thing that has to be seen. Listen to him break down what shows up and why.
I ran a Yellowfin 26 for Keys fishing, so I was interested in Jason's jump to the 31. He explains why his operation outgrew the smaller boat — fishing further offshore, handling bigger loads, giving clients the experience reef fishing demands — and how his friend Cody Chavez out of Clearwater fits into that world. Watch that section in the player above.
This is the part that matters most to me. Jason is invested in the science and the future of these fisheries, working on rebuilding artificial reefs and restoring habitat, and leaning on Mote Marine Laboratory for the research behind it. Too many people just want to know where to drop a line; Jason wants the structure to still be there in fifty years. Listen to him talk through it.
The day after this one, what stuck with me was the depth of what Jason knows — not just spots and species, but the geological and ecological history underneath them. That context is what turns a good guide into a real conservationist.
His reef-rebuilding work is the kind of thing that quietly makes a difference, and I came away more interested in the science under the Gulf than I expected to.
Watch the whole thing in the player above. If you fish the Gulf Coast, you will learn something.
The Tom Rowland Podcast brings you long-form conversations with the most accomplished anglers, hunters, conservationists, and outdoor professionals in the game. Listen to every full-length Tom Rowland Podcast interview.
Captain Jason Stock is a professional fishing guide operating out of Bradenton, Florida, specializing in nearshore and offshore reef and wreck fishing around Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. He runs a Yellowfin 31 and targets kingfish, amberjack, cobia, goliath grouper, and a diverse mix of reef species on natural and artificial structure. He is actively involved in marine conservation, working with Mote Marine Laboratory on reef-rebuilding and habitat-restoration efforts, and is known for pairing hard-won fishing knowledge with a deep understanding of the geology and ecology of the Gulf Coast fishing grounds.
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