GLB Where have you boated on the Great Lakes?
CC My home lake is Lake Erie in the Port Clinton area. I’ve boated on this side and the Canadian side. I’ve also gone up to North Bay, been into Port Huron, and that’s probably as far up as I’ve gone from here.
GLB What kind of boats do you have?
CC I have two vessels. One is a 34 Tiara Pursuit and the other is a Baha 30-foot Sport Fisherman.
GLB What does an average day on your boat look like?
CC I’ve been a fishing guide for 40 years now and the name of the business is La Copa Cabana. When I take people out, I definitely stress enjoying the day. Usually I have a group of anywhere from four to six people. The groups of people vary, but I take a lot of families to fish--a lot of children and it makes it great.
GLB What kind of impact has boating had on your life?
CC Boating, especially when I came up to this end of Lake Erie, is my piece of heaven. It’s not only the lake, but the
beauty of it—the islands that we have here in the Port Clinton area. It’s also the great people that you get to meet from all over the country and the world.
GLB What made you decide to start boating?
CC It probably started when I was 16 years old. Somebody took me waterskiing. After that I started liking boating. I went into the service, came back and bought my first boat and I’ve been boating ever since.
GLB What is one of your favorite boating memories?
CC I have so many. But probably the first time I came to Port Clinton. I had traveled in different parts of Erie, but Port Clinton offered such a beauty because of islands like Kelley’s Island and Put-In-Bay. We have so much here.
GLB What is something important our readers should know that you've learned through your own experiences?
CC Well, I have a lot of young captains ask me why my business is so successful, and it’s this simple: I believe in reversing the role. I am the guy that’s coming in to fish with you. How do you want me to be taken care of? And that’s it. I take care of people the way I would want to be treated when I step on a boat.
Find Captain Copa on his Instagram account @captain_copa and check out his fishing charter website if you want to go fishing with him at www.captaincopa.com.
