About the Captain
CAPTAIN: JEFF LENTZ
Fishing Has Been a Lifelong Passion for Captain Jeff
Captain Jeff currently specializes catching fish offshore from along Florida’s beaches to the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream. Some of Captain Jeff’s most memorable moments on the water involve taking his children, grandchildren and their friends fishing and introducing them to a life on the ocean and seeing the smiles on their faces as they caught fish or watched porpoises and sea turtles swim by the boat. Come join Captain Jeff on a fishing trip and create some great memories with your family and friends.
Captain Jeff began his fishing career in 1972 learning to fish alongside his father in Key West Florida where his father was stationed in the United States Navy. There, Captain Jeff as a teenager spent every day in or on the crystal clear waters of the Florida Keys. It was also there that Captain Jeff began to refine his talents as a skilled angler catching sailfish, wahoo, mahi, tuna, kingfish, grouper, snapper and lobster.
In 1974 Captain Jeff moved to Northeast Florida when his father was stationed at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville. Captain Jeff and his father then began fishing the inshore and offshore waters from Saint Augustine, FL., to Brunswick, GA. Captain Jeff and his father immediately picked up where they left off catching sailfish, wahoo, tuna, kingfish, grouper, snapper, and added the tasty black seabass to the fish they pursued. Captain Jeff and his father also began to fish the St. John’s River and the Intracoastal Waterway and their many tributaries and learned to catch red bass, trout, flounder and sheepshead.
In 1979 Captain Jeff began a career in law enforcement, becoming a Police Officer with the Atlantic Beach Police Department. This career would continue for thirty six plus years evolving to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department and culminating with twenty eight years of service to the citizens of Duval County with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Captain Jeff continued to refine his fishing skills fishing alongside and making friends with some of the best anglers in Northeast Florida. Through this ever developing network Captain Jeff continued to master his craft learning to fish for swordfish in the Gulf Stream and fishing the eastern wall of the Gulf Stream for yellowfin tuna.
In 1985 Captain Jeff and his father took a major step in improving their fishing skills by upgrading their eighteen foot tri hull bow rider boat with a twenty five foot HydraSports center console powered by twin outboards and equipped with state of the art electronics. Captain Jeff fished this boat for fourteen years becoming a competitive tournament angler in the Northeast Florida area and frequently doing well in those tournaments. Also for a period of time Captain Jeff sold the fish he harvested commercially.
In 1999 Captain Jeff and his father again upgraded their boat purchasing a brand new thirty-one-foot Fountain Tournament Edition center console, again outfitted with state of the art electronics and powered by twin Mercury outboards. Captain Jeff fished this boat until 2014 when he purchased a thirty-two-foot Contender, powered by twin Mercury Verado outboards. In 2017 Captain Jeff upgraded to his current hard core fishing machine, a brand new 2017 thirty-five-foot Contender, powered by triple 300HP Mercury Verado outboards.
Captain Jeff has volunteered for the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament since its inception chairing the media fishing day. This Tournament directly benefits the Jacksonville Marine Charities. Captain Jeff is also currently sponsored by Mercury Outboards. During Captain Jeff’s angling career he obtained his United States Coast Guard Captain’s License currently holding a Master’s Merchant Mariner’s Credential.
Captain Jeff currently specializes catching fish offshore from along Florida’s beaches to the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream. Some of Captain Jeff’s most memorable moments on the water involve taking his children, grandchildren and their friends fishing and introducing them to a life on the ocean and seeing the smiles on their faces as they caught fish or watched porpoises and sea turtles swim by the boat. Come join Captain Jeff on a fishing trip and create some great memories with your family and friends.Captain Jeff began his fishing career in 1972 learning to fish alongside his father in Key West Florida where his father was stationed in the United States Navy. There, Captain Jeff as a teenager spent every day in or on the crystal clear waters of the Florida Keys. It was also there that Captain Jeff began to refine his talents as a skilled angler catching sailfish, wahoo, mahi, tuna, kingfish, grouper, snapper and lobster.
In 1974 Captain Jeff moved to Northeast Florida when his father was stationed at Naval Air Station, Jacksonville. Captain Jeff and his father then began fishing the inshore and offshore waters from Saint Augustine, FL., to Brunswick, GA. Captain Jeff and his father immediately picked up where they left off catching sailfish, wahoo, tuna, kingfish, grouper, snapper, and added the tasty black seabass to the fish they pursued. Captain Jeff and his father also began to fish the St. John’s River and the Intracoastal Waterway and their many tributaries and learned to catch red bass, trout, flounder and sheepshead.
In 1979 Captain Jeff began a career in law enforcement, becoming a Police Officer with the Atlantic Beach Police Department. This career would continue for thirty six plus years evolving to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department and culminating with twenty eight years of service to the citizens of Duval County with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Captain Jeff continued to refine his fishing skills fishing alongside and making friends with some of the best anglers in Northeast Florida. Through this ever developing network Captain Jeff continued to master his craft learning to fish for swordfish in the Gulf Stream and fishing the eastern wall of the Gulf Stream for yellowfin tuna.
In 1985 Captain Jeff and his father took a major step in improving their fishing skills by upgrading their eighteen foot tri hull bow rider boat with a twenty five foot HydraSports center console powered by twin outboards and equipped with state of the art electronics. Captain Jeff fished this boat for fourteen years becoming a competitive tournament angler in the Northeast Florida area and frequently doing well in those tournaments. Also for a period of time Captain Jeff sold the fish he harvested commercially.
In 1999 Captain Jeff and his father again upgraded their boat purchasing a brand new thirty-one-foot Fountain Tournament Edition center console, again outfitted with state of the art electronics and powered by twin Mercury outboards. Captain Jeff fished this boat until 2014 when he purchased a thirty-two-foot Contender, powered by twin Mercury Verado outboards. In 2017 Captain Jeff upgraded to his current hard core fishing machine, a brand new 2017 thirty-five-foot Contender, powered by triple 300HP Mercury Verado outboards.
Captain Jeff has volunteered for the Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament since its inception chairing the media fishing day. This Tournament directly benefits the Jacksonville Marine Charities. Captain Jeff is also currently sponsored by Mercury Outboards. During Captain Jeff’s angling career he obtained his United States Coast Guard Captain’s License currently holding a Master’s Merchant Mariner’s Credential.