Fat Dad Fishing Show

EP 59: Recapping 2025 and Chasing 2026

• Fat Dad Fishing Show • Episode 59

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The mics may be scratchy and the coughs unavoidable, but the mission couldn’t be clearer: turn a growing fishing show into a real-world family. We kick off 2026 with an honest 2025 recap, a salute to the Osprey party boat trip that brought chat names to life, and a peek at the download surge that pushed the pod into the top 25% across 64 countries. Numbers aside, the heartbeat is community—connecting anglers, lifting small businesses, and making space for the kind of days you remember years later.

We lay out a season shaped by intention. Scotty opens up about guiding at full tilt and the toll it took, then sets his north star: more days fishing with his dad, more room to explore new water, and a stronger Sevens Fishing brand that stretches beyond the wheelhouse. We talk sheep’s head roots and the double-digit fish his dad stuck first, then pivot to the bite that surprised us: brackish back-bay stripers loaded with sea lice miles from the inlet. From there, we map real meetups—Fat Dad Fridays before striper opener, late-spring fluke on a party boat, and casual dinners where stories and plans take shape.

Ambition shows up offshore. We outline a mothership mission that ferries kayaks to mahi pots and football tuna, with safety-first captains, clear skill checks, and spots for boat-only anglers who want in on the action. Add a renewed push into freshwater—trout, muskie, even a noodling idea from the chat—and you get a season that blends salt and stream without losing focus. We also spotlight small-business heroes: Great Bay Outfitters’ serious kayak rigs, smart jig boxes that fix the rig mess, and regional makers worth your dollars before you click any big-box link.

If you’ve been waiting to jump from comments to real rail space, this is your year. Tap the polls for meetup dates, bring a friend to the fluke trip, and send us the names of local captains and shops we should feature. Subscribe, share this with a fishing buddy, and leave a review to help the Fat Dad family grow. And tell us: what’s your boldest fishing goal for 2026?

Great Bay Outfitters - Gear Up!
Your go-to shop for top fishing gear, apparel, and kayak essentials in South Jersey.

Quad State Tune For Your Toyota Truck
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Richard Natoli Real Estate
Helping PA homeowners buy & sell with confidence. 267-270-1145 or NatoliRealEstate@Gmail.com

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Scotty Sevins:

Let's just do it right and get some inflatable swans. I'm gonna bring the inflatable unicorn and I'm gonna fish from that. How about that?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Hello and welcome back to the Fat Dad Fishing Show. I'm your regular host, Rich Natoli, and we're gonna be back for the first time in 2026. We've had some health issues. Uh, and I'm gonna blame Scotty for that. Scotty hasn't been feeling good. Uh, a couple of guests that were gonna come on were not feeling good, and I thought that they were all sissies, and all of a sudden here I am today. I feel uh I can feel myself on the downturn after a great weekend, feeling incredible. Um, I can feel it. I'm not doing so well right now. But we're gonna push through this one um and we're gonna jump into it very quickly. Just gonna mention the sponsors uh right off the bat. And if you weren't at the Oaks uh Philadelphia fishing show in Oaks PA, uh you missed a great showing by our first one, Great Day Outfitters. Paul was there with his team, and man, he had some serious boats. Serious boats there, uh, including what is it, the XTR. Uh the setup was ungodly on that thing. Uh, but it was a great event. Uh, and if you were able to get out there and talk anything kayak fishing related with Paul, uh, all the better for you because this is a guy that is literally, it's not just his business, he's obsessed. And uh, I think it's a good, healthy obsession. His wife might disagree. Uh, Paul, I think, I don't know, I don't know how self-aware he is right now. But uh, yeah, great bay outfitters, anything kayak related, old town, uh native. He's got, and and if you want anything tricked out, if you want to power anything up, go to Paul. They do all that. So check him out. Uh, let's talk about next one, quad stay tuned with Kevin Driscoll. For the contact information, look, we've got it in the bumper to this at the very beginning in the intro. We're gonna have it down in for the audio version in the the show notes so you can check it out. If you have a Toyota truck, a tundra, a Tacoma, even if you have the Lexus, I think it's a 460, 470. These are engine tunes that can give you more torque, more horsepower, smoother shifting, better mileage. Give Kevin a call. Pod state tune if you want to look into getting that for your truck and getting it running more efficiently. And then you have me for real estate, iService, primarily residential in southeastern Pennsylvania, think Montgomery County, uh Bucks, Chester, Berks. As a matter of fact, I actually have clients in Lancaster and York County as well. So I I pretty well range all over the place. And for anyone who knows me, that's there's nothing odd about that. I'll drive two and a half to four hours to go fishing. So why not do that to meet with the client? So anything real estate related, give me a call, 267-270-1145, or if it's just easier for you, send me a text. And with that, I'm gonna bring Scotty on because we've got we've got some talking to do, Scotty. Good to see you, man.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, what's going on, Rich?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

I'm fighting this off.

Scotty Sevins:

Sounds like I gave you my uh my disease.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Well, I I wouldn't say it to you because it came about way too quick for it to be from yesterday, right? But yeah, starting to feel it. I'm like the type of person I think most people are. Like there are certain illnesses that you get on a regular and you can feel when it's coming and you know exactly what it's gonna be. So you're already ready to go on, tell a doc, and just say, look, this is what I got, just give me this medicine. So that's kind of how I'm feeling right now. I I will know tomorrow morning if I if I'm gonna kick it or if it's gonna get me.

Scotty Sevins:

So yeah, that's uh my my my my suggestion is drink plenty of airborne, dude. That's I I swear, anytime I felt like a cold coming on, I would just pound airborne for days.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Isn't airborne the vitamin C and zinc?

Scotty Sevins:

Yes, but uh I don't I don't like the I don't like the the tablets that you put in your mouth. I like the ones that you put in the water bottle and they fizz. So I'll drop like two or three of them in a water bottle and I'll just I'll drink that and I'll just drink those all day long.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

All right. That's a good tip. I I'm allergic to zinc.

Scotty Sevins:

It's gonna get you, it's gonna get you.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, I'm allergic to zinc apparently. I don't know that it's true or not, but uh at this point I may run out to the drugstore after this and just get whatever I can. I got work this week, man. I I can't be taking off just because of a a cold or I know it's gonna be a sinus infection.

Scotty Sevins:

I hear you. That's that's what I'm struggling with. I I had the flu, or I think it might have been mono or something that turned into like sinus infection slash walking pneumonia, slash like uh I messed up and I thought I was on my second round of antibiotics, and I thought that I was done, but I I misread the bottle and didn't take it long enough. So I have to continue back on that. And I can feel it coming back already.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, well, you know, what's funny is what people don't realize is you and I, before we came on, were both like coughing the entire time leading up to trying very hard not to, so I apologize.

Scotty Sevins:

My nose blower and brag right here. Yeah, yeah.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

I've got a whole roll of paper towels because I'm a whole you know, high culture and everything. I use paper towels.

Scotty Sevins:

So I'm in the garage, I'm back in the old shop. Ask anyone that knows me, I walk around with a I soak a big wad of paper towels, I wet them, and I I carry it around in my pocket with me everywhere. It's like a wet nap for like my face or whatever. So, anyway, enough about that stuff. Let's get on to the good stuff.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, let's get on to the good stuff. So, this is look, we don't have a guest on to go really into detail on stuff. I've mentioned in the past look, this is not some high flying podcast live stream where we have people just pounded down the door to get on, unless some people do that have something to sell at that moment and they're just not interested in doing it other times of the year. And look, let's let's be fair at the same time. This is like vacation time for a lot of people, right? Like Scotty, this is your vacation time because you're working really the rest of the year, right? So so I get it.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, pretty much. Yeah, so it's yeah, this this is I wouldn't say vacation, but this is my my downtime. Downtime. Um, and I'm usually like okay with it for a few weeks, but then I just start to lose my mind, you know what I mean? Yeah, but but I needed it, man. Like me getting sick but before Christmas was like that was that was my body just at its breaking point from the season, you know what I mean? Yeah, I got you. I I may like I I go ahead. No, go ahead.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

I I was just gonna say I may be at that breaking point now because it's just been constant work. I had kind of like a role change, it's still you know, real estate, but a role change as well. So it's like I'm working till one in the morning and I'm getting up at like seven, six thirty, seven.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah. Oh my god. Uh yeah. Sounds like my season.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, yeah, exactly. So, but this is my, you know, this is my, you know, real estate season is gonna start in about six weeks. So this is my time, you know, work now or suffer later. So, but with all that said, look, we're we're gonna sit back and we're just gonna kind of talk through kind of like the 2025 in review. We're not gonna spend a ton of time on that, just kind of catch people up on where we were and what we kind of thought about our seasons last year, and then we're gonna talk really about you know, what are we gonna be chasing and doing, what are our goals and everything for 2026? And I'm hoping that some people will also be in the chat kind of sharing theirs as well, because this podcast is nothing without the community and everything.

Scotty Sevins:

So all of you have your conversations, and that's that's what I was kind of hoping this show would be. Like, uh man, it it's just you've it if the and I say it all the time, Rich, but if there's one thing that you were able to build with this channel and this show, is like you were able to you were like the catalyst that brought all these people together that normally would never have met. And it's a beautiful thing, and it really does feel like a family, you know what I mean? And so I it's just it's just nice to see everybody in the chat. I keep looking down and you know, uh trying to keep up with everybody in the chat, but I was kind of hoping everybody else would chime in with what their goals are for this year and us share ours, you know.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, uh I'll do my quick recap and because I don't have nearly as much as you, Scotty. I mean, you you were on the water, you know, so much. And uh look, guys, full disclosure, I was really on the water for actual fishing, I think six times in 2025, which is up from zero the year before. So for me, that was pretty big. I still don't have all my stamina and everything back for you know, kayaking with the pedal kayak is it used to be easy, it's not as easy right now, but it's starting to build muscle back, so it should be good. So the fishing part, it was all about just getting back on the water, and I was fortunate to get out with a few people. And the Osprey trip actually was the highlight of my year for fishing, so yeah, you know, that that was awesome, and it was you know, it was great seeing all these people out there that knew each other from chat, and a bunch of people brought friends that weren't even familiar with the show, and it I mean, we literally had the entire boat. I don't think there was anybody there that wasn't there because of the show, so that's or didn't know each other already.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, yeah, no, I agree. And and that's that's a testament to you, Rich. Like I said, being able to bring people together like that to special thing.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Well, I'm hoping to do more of that. And I'm hoping to do like, look, a lot of people don't do the party boat thing, but we'll do it when there's a whole bunch of people getting together. So we determined that we all can't fit on your boat. So we'll we're gonna try to do you know a fluke thing in the spring, probably late spring, spring meaning like May, yeah, after fluke is open. And then we might do something else in the fall and then in an osprey thing. So so that actually kind of goes into one of my goals is to expand that. So expand the interaction that I'm kind of facilitating for people. And Scotty, you had a great idea. You said we should just say, hey, we're heading to this bar or restaurant this night. Who wants to join? Let's get let's get a count and we'll just meet somewhere.

Scotty Sevins:

Yep. No, I totally agree. And it can be somewhere centrally located, it doesn't have to be by the coast or near the shore points. Like, I don't mind doing something in Philly or you know, somewhere midway between there and Philly, whatever's easiest for everybody. Uh I I think that that would be a great idea. Just kind of get everybody together for just to just break bread and you know, eat some good food and tell some stories, have a couple drinks.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, and I think that would be great to do right before it starts to kick off. Because look, there are a lot of lunatics. Yes, I'm talking about all of you. There are a lot of lunatics that'll be out on day one for striped bass. But there's a lot of people that used to be lunatics who might want to be but are thinking about not going, depending on the weather. But we all that's when we all get excited. Whether you fish striped bass or not, the opening of striped bass in New Jersey, in New York, in all of these, these, these states, that kind of signals we're back, right? So it's time if you're not even if you're not fishing, it was time to get back into that zone. So maybe we do maybe we'll do something out at a restaurant or you know, one week before or whatever, yeah after the first week.

Scotty Sevins:

I know a lot of people struggle this time of year too. You know what I mean? Like with the darkness and every you know, the winter not being able to do anything. That's why that's why I figured one like coming up here, you know, pretty next few weeks might even be fun, you know. Try to maybe plan a couple, we'll we'll figure it out.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

So I'll put a I'll put a poll with a couple of dates uh on Facebook and I'll also do it on the YouTube channel. And if you're really if you really want to do it, you really want a date. I can't tell who votes for what, so you can vote in two places. You could kind of stack the ballot.

Scotty Sevins:

So instead of a salt marsh Sunday, we'll do a fat dad Friday.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Uh that works for me. I I think that would be we'll call Fat Dad Friday. There you go. We got all the fat dads and and fit moms and everybody in between, and we'll do that. The last thing I do, Scotty, the last thing I did want to do is I wanted to mention, you know, one of the big things again, I didn't have a lot of on-the-water stuff for 2025, but yeah, when I took a look back at everything, so I did stop the channel essentially and the podcast for over a year while I was going through my my cancer treatments and everything like that. So everything died, it went down to nothing. So I will tell you this what was amazing is my my podcast now is considered one year, so it went through its first year, and it's actually nine months. And we are back up to what we had going as far as download volume at the peak before that, and it's growing. So so on Buzz Sprout, which is the it sounds like a stupid name, but it's a very popular podcast distributor platform, which is what I use. It's actually considered a top 25% podcast as far as download volume. Yeah, 64 countries. 64, it's ridiculous. People are tuning in to see about fluke in New York, and they live in you know countries across the world. 1,172 different towns and cities, with Philly being number one in listeners, Brooklyn number two, and New York, New York, number three.

Scotty Sevins:

And that doesn't where's Delco on that list?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Delco Delco's a whole bunch of towns. Delco's in there.

Scotty Sevins:

No, no, I know, I know.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Delco's in the chat. I saw that.

Scotty Sevins:

I know that's that's why I said that's why I said it. Where's where's Delco on that list?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

We gotta get that uh Delco we gotta get that Delco social medium to come on and do an episode with us. That's what we gotta do. Yeah, and what's what's the uh what's the dude's name? Oh god, the striped bass fisherman that from cut and retie podcast.

Scotty Sevins:

Uh Joe Joe Cromalli.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Joe Sermelli, but the what what Bob? What's his name?

Scotty Sevins:

Oh, Bob the Garbage Man.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, we gotta try to get Bob the Garbage Man. Although I'm a little afraid of.

Scotty Sevins:

He's actually a local to my area. A lot of his videos shot in Ocean City.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yes.

Scotty Sevins:

In fact, in fact, I got I got a bone to pick with Bob. He he he burned a couple of spot up on us over an OC. Dunkin' them 20 ounce pyramids.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

I gotta talk and see. I I gotta reach out and see if Bob would be willing to come on for a show. I think that would be that would be ridiculous.

Scotty Sevins:

The the only problem is amazing.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

The the me his media team does caution you that when Bob comes on, he will say whatever he wants, any language, and nothing is off for him. Like he can do anything he wants. You have to you have to sign off. So so do I. But in the past, I couldn't because of the connection with Salt Strong. I couldn't connect with that because the language thing. Yeah, now I could say, you know, we I we try to not do F bombs in this, but you know, we could say whatever we want, and and we try not to do F bombs. I think a couple of times.

Scotty Sevins:

I'm actually surprised I don't drop more because I I cuss like a sailor.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah. I I do when I'm not working. Yes, I I definitely do when I'm not working.

Scotty Sevins:

If if I'm if I'm comfortable with you on cursing, in front of children, I'm horrible.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Oh yeah, I'm I'm not gonna make a comment on that one. And the last thing is we did expand the podcast to cover some fresh water, and we're gonna continue to do that. So catfish musky. Muskie's coming up. We're gonna we're gonna be doing that. The trout is awesome. I tried to go trout fishing, Scotty, this week, and there was ice on the on the creeks, so I couldn't. I was kind of happy because as I look to the right, I can see where my waders are, and they're on the bottom. I don't know why I did this. I put them in the bottom container. On a there's like 12 heavy containers that have things like anchors in them on top. And I was like, all right, I went down.

Scotty Sevins:

That's where my waders usually are, and then I'm like so angry when I have to try to get to them for something.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, yeah. So that's where oh look, my my nephew's in there. My nephew's in the chat. What's an F-bomb? You know, Dom. Yeah. So Dom, for those that were on the trip, he was the one on the rail grinding the entire day to catch fish. And yeah, I I think he was just there because he liked cutting up the crabs. I think, but it's funny.

Scotty Sevins:

I I I have a I have I I take a lot of like like father, son, mom, daughter, and some of the kids, they have more fun playing in the buck of the crabs than they than they do actually fishing.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah. Well dom was definitely, I mean, he was cutting crabs for me too. So I I think he just he just liked it. And of course, I get nervous, you know, because those shears are nothing to joke about, and he's just cutting everything. It's like, hey man, he made it through the day, caught some fish. That was a good one. So we are going to continue expansion into fresh water, but again, this is a a primarily salt water show. So and as a matter of fact, some of the guests that that we have planned for this year will be on to talk about multi-species. So we may, as an example, this is not an actual real example, but you you should not be surprised to see a show with a conversation about muskie and a conversation about striped bass in the same episode with the same guest. Because that's awesome.

Speaker 3:

These captains that idea.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, these captains and fishermen are just like all of us. You know, you fish both. Most people fish both. So and they have something to say on both. Matusin can definitely talk the freshwater trout game and talk striped bass. You know, I was talking to a captain at the show, and he's, you know, snakeheads and striped bass. You know, it it it covers everything. So we're we're definitely gonna do that. And I have talked to a few.

Scotty Sevins:

Not like me. I I have I have a very small palette, very small palette of things that like I am I am decent at and can. do and I I wish my I would I would love to expand my my knowledge of the fishing game.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

All right so let's let's just into other things. So let's roll into it. So what are your goals for 2026? What's your first goal for guiding for this year? Let's start professionally.

Scotty Sevins:

Now I'm gonna I'm gonna I'm gonna tell you this my number one goal for this coming year and it it's something that bothered me a lot. Like I trust me I'm grateful that I I got to a point where I was this busy but I didn't I didn't have enough time to be able to one fish for myself and be able to explore and check out new things and new areas and try new things. And first and foremost is man, I just want to get out and be able to fish with my dad more this year. Yeah you know what I mean that's that's that's that's my number one biggest goal. Like I I mean I think that anybody that's been following me for any amount of time knows how much fishing with my dad means to me. So that's that's my number one my number one goal. Number two is like really really excited to see where like this this year goes you know especially with you know the the the leap the leap from last year to this year for me was just like astronomical and I like I don't even exactly you know so sometimes like you're you've been working hard at something you know what I mean like real estate say you know you look back and say like wow uh I'm now five five years into this whole guiding thing and like now you're starting starting to see like the fruits of your labor. Like it it really took that long you know to to be able to make this like viable you know for for me and I'm incredibly grateful for it. I'm incredibly grateful for all the love and support that I get and and even even some of the the hate you know what I mean because in a lot of way like I don't I don't feed into a lot of that like and I really just keep to myself most of the year and I and like I I don't get involved with drama or anything. But um there was like a few different situations that like popped up or things that people like had said to me especially in the past that like only drove me harder to like wanna wanna succeed and like make this happen. You know what I mean? So so are you looking to make another big jump what do you mean as far as what as far as the amount of business because your business exploded right are you looking for another growth explosion or are you looking to just kind of consolidate so I will I would more I would more like to consolidate of course like I always want to grow but I'm going to keep an eye out I'm going to be expanding into different things so there's I I I really hope by by this season that people are going to there's going to be more to Captain Scotty Sevens than just the captain and the guide and what you see that Sevens fishing as a brand is going I'm going to build it into something and go into different avenues as well so I like it. Well I and I could see you doing it so that that's my big goal there. I mean you were known for your photography first yeah right and then and then and then the salt marsh sundays and then into the and then yeah that's a big step a big long step into the the guiding yes all right so so yeah so there the hopefully people will be seeing more of sevist fishing as like a as a brand going forward like I don't I don't want to say too much or you know give too much away but hopefully this year people are going to see more of that. So that's though those are those are my big goals continue to go fish with my dad more build sevens fishing as a brand continue to guide for you know all my amazing clients and get actually get the fish for pleasure more this year. You know what I mean? Yeah I I'm just gonna make a recommendation I think the fishing with your dad is probably the most important thing because you've already got the business a thousand percent yeah so I would schedule a day a month if that's your target and just put it on the schedule dad this is this is the day that our charter is and and by the way dad you're driving and jump on his boat and make him drive yeah no no I I do the drive in I'm good with it I'm good with it but um but yeah uh what what a what a lot of people don't know is funny like I was I was actually having this conversation with them recently but like I I learned how to sheep's head fish like my dad was with me like every step of the way as I as I figured that fishery out and dialed that fishery in like he was the he was yeah he was there from the get-go like he was he was always on the boat with me it was just like me and him would go out like you know and try to dial it in try to figure it out and it was years of that years of that and that that's like a little fun fact that most people probably don't know in fact my dad he he got he got the first sheep's head on on my boat actually before I did yeah yeah he sure did he he wasn't even he we we we were talking and he wasn't even taking it seriously and he thinks it's he's he just got a brand new setup first of all any anyone knows that anytime you get a brand new setup you're not supposed to go out and catch fish on it yeah it's like it's like an automatic skunk like the first trip out with your new setup yeah and he gets this whole new setup and and we were bailing a bunch of tog and we we weren't even remotely targeting sheep's head and he hooks up with a fish and I was like dad that's not tog that's a sheep's head you better take it seriously he's fighting it behind his back he's like yeah whatever and then it starts running and he goes whoa I was like yeah that's a sheep's head and you know he's mimicking me you blah blah blah blah blah and this thing's running and running and running and I like I grab the net and it comes up and he's like holy you know what I mean yeah and like it was a double did double digit sheep yep just just on the bottom rigging a green crab you know and does he remind you of that at holidays no no I actually had to remind him of that oh really we were just looking at the picture yeah man if that had been my dad he'd be reminding me every time every time we'd see each other remember when I caught the first sheep's head on your boat yeah no I uh of of all people that it should have happened to it should have been I'm glad it was him that's good that's good and all right and and smart so how about everybody else in the chat I feel like I was like rambling for a little while there yeah so I was gonna I was gonna bring I was gonna bring some up actually we had a request for catfish noodling in there to do a show on that really have you ever done that i i i have never done that and man i gotta tell you like I feel like I would try it to try it but that that unknown of knowing you're you're about to get snapped on you know what I mean well and what's what's gonna snap on you exactly yeah exactly because half of those rivers like where they're at like you know you know there's probably alligator car in there and everything else but yeah I I would do it up here when I lived down south you know we would go fishing and it was just I mean I thought I knew what a copperhead looked like and then when I got to North Carolina I was like now I really know what a copperhead looks like so there were snakes all over the place and you go even further south these guys I mean they're just jamming their hands on it there could be a turtle under there I mean that'll take your hand off and I think it's awesome. I would I would do it yeah but I wouldn't be the bravest uh no me either I gotta admit man weird with stuff like that I might be the guy that's doing it with the glove.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah well that's that's blue cat bandit so asking if we can make a noodling catfish video. I'll tell you what I I will look around for somebody up here that does now we don't have like the huge huge catfish here but I do know some people that do noodle them in the area or have talked about noodling them in the area. So I will act I would do that.

Scotty Sevins:

And Scotty I'll make you go with me and we'll we'll grab a couple of I would do it I'll tell I'll tell you what if if you put if you put a sesh together where we we we rounded up a couple of guys and you're like we're going we're going to noodle some catfish I would do it. All right on game we'll do that and then we'll see if any any people that watch or listen want to go with us and then we can just well because you gotta have you got to have enough people to humiliate you into actually doing it you know I think I think that's a good I gotta tell you there's no one that humiliates me more than me so like there you go.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

So you'll just take a little you'll take a little nudge for that some other goals I think I think one was Paul wants to sell that XTR kayak from the show.

Scotty Sevins:

That thing was beautiful yeah Paul had some amazing stuff that that little solo skiff that he had that had really caught my eye he he knows what one talking about yeah yeah the uh the crescent skiff but the crescent skiff with the tattoo on the back yeah yeah yeah that um i've i've been i've been eyeballing something like that for a couple of years i i would i would love to get like a ganoo you ever hear hear about them the chick knows or ganoos yeah yeah i i i would love to get a solo skiff or or something of of that sort that's like easily like you could trail her up and down the coast wherever you can just go wherever with it but Paul had some nice stuff I was man yeah I was uh yeah that's all like I was looking at him like well there's the the one kayak that my wife and son want so that he had that there that's the one of the native and I I was really looking at that skiff I mean that thing look you you you got a pickup truck you can throw that in the back of the pickup truck I mean that's how that's how light it is so you know and it's gonna it's gonna fly he said it's only 150 pounds I think yep and I I'll load my fully loaded kayak into the truck if I'm going short distances you know I just lift it right up in and just push it in there and just you know I use three straps at that at that point over a bed extender but that's that's plenty so yeah so that I think that's probably one of his goals here's here's one for Benji so crabbing and fishing 2026 targeting more sheep's head he could do that with you yeah that's that's not that's not my big thing but he's gonna be targeting more sheepsead he's got a couple of other goals in there are you gonna let me ask you this is your goal to target the same amount of sheepsead or are you gonna are you gonna scale that back for other things I sheep's head's my niche I mean that's what that's what pe that's what I'm known for that's what people come to me for I gotta tell you um like sorry I'm coughing but like some uh some of the striped bass fishing this year was absolutely like re ridiculous I'm talking ridiculous especially throughout like like mid October through early December like the back bay I'm talking like it was it was all ocean fish it was all like like I I'm catch I'm catching fish like miles from the inlet you know in brackish water and my boat is loaded with with sea lice you know what I mean like fresh bodies of fish probably I would love to do more of that stuff but man I would love to do I would love to do more flats bass fishing again that's something I haven't I haven't really done in years especially myself but not a lot of people you know really come to me for that you know what I mean so but that's some good goals I got here you go Philly girl so here's Kristen fishing goal in 2026 is to catch a sheep's head in New Jersey personal best is 11 inches so it shouldn't be too hard to beat is is is Kristen in the chat she's in the chat yeah she actually even said that she'd be she'd be down to meet at one of the restaurants too when we do that yo okay yeah what's so it sounds like you need to get Kristen on your boat yeah yeah for sure yeah well just grab her and Shell they'll they'll go together to make that happen yeah yeah I I know that that her and Chell were talking and we're we're gonna get a trip together for them but she she definitely needs a a jersey sheep.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah well especially if it's 11 inches my brother threw one in there get the boys out to the water fishing that's supposed to say crabbing and making some memories and that's one of the things that I'll tell you what there was a there were several years where I kind of lost that whole thing the whole making memories part and it was just about going out and catching fish and I hate that I spent those years doing that and then I went right into you know not fishing for a year and a half and like yeah not all about that anymore so I'm going back to that as well but you know getting no it I and with what you went through Rich it really makes you it just it reprograms your brain and reminds you what's important.

Scotty Sevins:

You know what I mean?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah well I think that's why when you said I agree with when you said that you wanted to get out more with your dad I was like yeah you should really do that and don't wait on that one.

Scotty Sevins:

That's number one no no and that's something like I I I always prioritize this year was just happened to be a particularly tough one but like I've always said and I say it like in all my posts especially like on my Facebook business page what what fishing is about like it's it's not it's not about the the the fish or the picture it's about going out there and making memories with the special people in your life that that's that's truly what fishing is about that's what it's been about for me my whole life you know what I mean yeah you do sometimes lose sight of that from time to time but that's something I I've always taken very very seriously especially as a guide especially with you know dads who want to take out their kids or moms who want to take out their daughters like just the same I to I take I take I take I take pride in that you know what I mean and when people put their trust in you to you know to try to make memories with with their kids and with their family that's that's that's not something to take lightly you know what I mean yeah 100% that's that's what it that's really what it's all about and and I think that that's a good takeaway for to from for tonight and you know just as a reminder for people.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah I'm right there with you I I got a couple more things in there I do want to just do a little housekeeping thing here as I'm looking in the chat KCD is saying seeing different comments on the TV than on the phone. So for those that watch the live stream or even the the YouTube replays it's actually we're actually multi-streaming. So we're streaming to YouTube twice. One is in a vertical format for phones and one is in a horizontal for TVs and computers. So you can choose which one you want so and and you can actually watch the phone one on your computer and vice versa. So if Scotty is off to the side of me you're on the the computer one and if we're one on top of the other one then that's the phone one. They they can have different chats which is it drives me insane but we're kind of testing it out as the the stream yard platform which is what I use to stream is recommending that you do it anyway despite the the difference in comments there. The annoyance yeah yeah but they said they said that it could happen not that it will happen so apparently it is so I apologize to people if I'm missing comments from the phones it sounds like well I don't know maybe we're seeing them all and and just other people aren't but yeah so just wanted to to mention that those that are listening are like just shut up and just keep talking about other stuff. So I'm gonna go into just a couple of things because we are going to keep this a little shorter I I I have some concrete goals that I definitely have for this year. The first one is I absolutely want to connect more with local businesses and local anglers. Again I don't make any money on this this is not a paid gig I make about I could share the stats sometimes but I make about $30 a month on what I get in for for YouTube. That's it. So this is not a money making endeavor but I do like my payment is connecting people and hearing the stories of when they go out on the water selfishly connecting with people myself and you know making new friends to get on the water with. But also my wife has owned small businesses I Own small businesses and I know how freaking hard it is to have a small business. So all the captains, all of the bait shops, all the people that are tangentially related to fishing, I would love to have them on because it gives them a chance to kind of promote what they do. I, as I've said in the past, I put Amazon links in some videos. Don't ever click those freaking links if you can get it at a local shop. Just use it to see what it is and then buy it in a local shop. It may cost a little bit more, but often it really doesn't cost that much more. It can be just a few cents. So I want to do that. I want to feel like I'm helping to make a difference for some of these small local businesses. And I do want to connect with the local anglers because look, I selfishly, I learn a ton. People think that they don't know what they're doing, but they do. I learn literally from everybody that you know, kids. I can fish with kids and they're doing something. I'll be like, oh my God, they're doing it better. And you just kind of pick up, you kind of pick that up. And then the other one is very specific. I already talked about a little bit more expansion into fresh water. But this year, I am going to make this mothership trip happen where we're going to throw some kayaks on a boat and we're going to have them take us offshore, and we're going to go out and we're going to go pot hopping for Mahi. Maybe we'll target some tuna. Or if I have my way, we're going to sit right over a really sharp depression in the bottom or over a wreck, like maybe the 28-mile wreck, and we're going to go sharking. And we're going to do that for kayaks.

Speaker 3:

Yeah.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

So I got a few people that will do it. The problem is it's really expensive and for good reason. You know, you got these captains who are like, well, why would I take you out there for anything less than a full charter? Yeah. And, you know, Jersey charters are pretty expensive for you know offshore because they're burning a ton of gas. So I get it, but we're going to figure that out. I definitely want to do that. I had the buy-in from the general, the admiral of the fat dad fleet, my wife, because I won't shut up about it so for years. So I would love to do that. And the only thing I'll say is if you if we do that and we have extra spots, because people can fish on the boat too, right? Because once the kayaks are off, the deck is clear. You can fish on the boat. That's good. I would just say that if you're not an experienced kayak angler, you probably won't be able to go and and actually fish the kayak that far off. Right.

Scotty Sevins:

So keep me posted on that, Rich. I might, I might have connections with some people that would be able to accommodate that.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Okay. Yeah, I mean they do them down south, right? But down south, like Outer Banks, as an example, it's like a five-minute run before you're you're fishing for tuna, you know, right out of Oregon Inland. I mean you're you're running just a couple miles and you're in a thousand feet, whatever, five hundred feet of water, which is much different here, where you're running a hundred miles before you're really hitting some good stuff. But that's the one really specific thing that I definitely am going to make happen this year. Yeah.

Scotty Sevins:

So that kind of that's pretty cool. It would be cool to see somebody land one of those giant bluefin from a yak in the fall.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, that's where you get the sleigh ride, right? I mean, it's if people haven't ever had that, like the kayaks now, like my kayak, I'm looking at it right now, it's sitting right in front of me. The thing weighs with me in it hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of pounds. So you catch a big fish, like a shark, it'll pull you. But you but you don't really notice it that much. But the kayaks we used to fish in, like my brother had a kayak, it was a sit-in-side, and you'd catch just one of the really big dogfish on that, and it would literally pull you right up a channel against the turn. You know, now imagine a bluefin. Yeah, crazy.

Scotty Sevins:

Or a big shark, let's say, you know, some some some of some of the bluefin that like that I fought like in my boat, like I think I think the one I ended up five miles from where I hooked them. Yeah, you know what I mean? Yep. After an hour, 20 minutes.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

But think of the advantage that you do have, not saying that you're it's going to be easier to land one of those in a kayak, but think about this. You have drag no matter what. So it they they can always pull you, right? So there's so even when they're pulling, you're moving. So it's not like you have to jump on the throttle and go because you're already going with it. You know, it's already pulling. So, you know, so you you do have that, but that's where it's like. Yeah, I know. I I don't think I want to go for I think you can see behind me there. I have the tuna rods actually there ready to go. That's awesome. I have one of the reels there too. You can see over my what's my left shoulder. Yeah, but yeah, I wouldn't want to do a giant because I just I it wouldn't be possible to land it, you know. Yeah, the kayaks only have so much capacity, and you have to add the weight of that fish to that capacity. But I I think you know, a Mahi, some football tuna, you know, some sharks, you know. I I I know because I've landed five and a half foot sharks in the backwaters, and it, you know, but you get a six, seven foot Mako, you can land that on a kayak. You want to cut the line before it gets too close.

Scotty Sevins:

Or at least get a clean release. That's a little scary.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, so so I'm really excited about doing that. I definitely want to do that this year, and uh and and it does you do have to have a legit captain, though, when you do that, because there's a lot that goes into it. You need somebody that isn't just a weekend fisherman with their 42 Viking who doesn't know how to maneuver it, they don't know you know, the larger boats, they don't know how to use thrusters, and they don't know how to pull up alongside somebody and land a fish for a kayak. Whereas most captains can do that because I mean they can their boat is essentially a part of them, especially the offshore guys, they can do all that stuff. They're landing tuna and everything through those doors, they can do it. Yeah, so that's that's my that's my big one that I want to do this year.

Scotty Sevins:

That that's a really awesome one, Rich. I I don't have a kayak, but if somebody wants to donate one, I would I would totally be up for an adventure.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

It would be fun, it'd be so much fun.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, yeah, really would they?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

So we'll see if we can pull it off. We'll see if we can pull it off. It would be great. There were some some guys that said that they would do it, and they're like, Yeah, if I'm just going out, we'll just throw it on the front. But again, they were like, they're not real captains, and they said that you know the problem that I'm gonna have is the recovery and all that stuff. And I was like, look, that's a lot of responsibility. We gotta we gotta get somebody that we pay that does this professionally.

Scotty Sevins:

So I'm I'm with I'm with Paul. Let's just do it right and get some inflatable swans. I'm gonna bring the inflatable unicorn and I'm gonna fish from that. How about that?

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Those videos, Scotty, those videos pissed me off back in the day because everyone thought they were real with these guys like, oh, I just caught it at the beach and I'm 16 miles off. I'm like, no, you're not. No, you're not, man. Yeah, what was that? It was the uh uh I forget the guy's name, fishing in Florida that did he he also pretends that he catches uh red fish in the storm sewers in Miami. Like he just puts a line down there, pulls a red up. No, it's somebody no no noster mic? No, no, not him. No, I think he's more legit. Yeah, so there's that's kind of like my pet peeve. There's those inflatable people.

Scotty Sevins:

Clickbaiters, yeah.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Total clickbait.

Scotty Sevins:

No, but I I I actually want to do it. I don't know about sharks though. I I don't I don't want any dangling feet, but I'll I'll do it on the inflatable unicorn.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Well, that's what I'm saying. Like if if it is to be sharks, it has to be people that really are experienced, right? Because yeah, all it takes is one capsize, one bad move, and all of a sudden you're in the water with it, which is where you don't want to be. But look, man, if we could go out for Mahi, I would love that. Just find a whole string of pots, yeah. You know, let the the game.

Scotty Sevins:

Or even like uh jig jigging yellow fin, man. Like, imagine how cool that would be on kayaks, you know, and that that's absolutely attainable.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah. Sorry, I had my phone is not silenced. I don't know if you heard that. So, all right. Any last goals that you want to share?

Scotty Sevins:

Me, no. I just listen, I just want to just say how much I appreciate this community. Like I said, like that this this this community has become a family, and and I love that, and that that's a testament to you, Rich. And you should give yourself a real pat on the back because this is I met some really amazing people from the Fat Dad family. I really have.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, I appreciate that. I'm gonna say this one thing. It's not, I don't think it's really I look, I don't think people went on that trip because I was there, right? I don't think people will do anything because I'm there. I think this just turned out to be a pretty good place for like-minded people to kind of connect. Yeah, and there are people in that chat right now that didn't know each other and they fish together now. Yeah, so yeah, so it's all about them. If there's not that interaction, none of this is happening. You know, it's just a podcast that never grows and nobody ever listens to. So yeah, I do I do appreciate it.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah, you you need to give yourself more credit for it about it though. You you you you built the you you built you were you were the the vessel that brought everybody together, and and I'm I'm grateful for everybody out there and the fat dad family, everybody in the chat, and everybody that I've met through through this. So looking forward to more good things in 2026.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, me too. And just kind of, you know what then? Let's just make I'll just make this the year of meetups and community, bringing people together in person whenever possible. So we already have this on Monday night. So we'll we'll see if I can, even if I can't go, maybe we could still schedule stuff. You know, if somebody's doing something, you know, next Thursday or whatever, and you want people to join you, let me know ahead of these streams and I'll announce it. I'll say, look, community member.

Scotty Sevins:

Let's get a fat dad group group text together.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, may as well. Everybody already has my number.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, let's let's do it. Let's get a fat dad group text.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

All right, we could try to do that. We'll definitely try to do that. I can't commit to it.

Scotty Sevins:

If anything, it'll probably be full of some funny stuff.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, yeah. We'll have to find a way that people can join it on their own. You know what I mean? Because I can't just start adding people. I don't that's a good way to piss people off. But oh, it's funny. So my brother said he went on the trip for you, Scotty.

Scotty Sevins:

You know what? I had a really good conversation with your brother at the show. I felt so bad that I did not get to talk to him on the trip at all. Yeah, like not even once. And like it, I had a pit in my stomach about it for weeks, for weeks. And when I saw him that he was at the show and I finally got to talk to him, I was like able to get it off my chest. And so I Tom, I'm really glad that we were able to talk at the show. It was really good talking to you, buddy.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

All right, so blah, blah, blah. Tom, Tom, Tom. Okay, here's something I totally forgot. So, sorry, at the show, can you talk about the booth that you were at? Because they had awesome jig containers that people should really look at, actually. Yeah, they'll the only thing that I'll say, you know, full disclosure, I don't even remember the name of them, they don't have a waterproof version today. Maybe they will, but if you have a boat or if you're just looking to organize tackle, what are what are those jig boxes? Because those are amazing, especially the one where you can put the rigs.

Scotty Sevins:

The the the jig box or custom jig box. Okay. Um, in fact, if you go to like a lot of my Instagram posts or or I I believe, especially with the release in the sheep's head, he's tagged in. When I put up a post about about the show from yesterday on my Facebook business page, he's linked. That's my buddy Eddie Kim. In fact, that's that's how I met Chell. Eddie and Chell did a trip with me. I mean, they both do a few trips with me a year, and it it's just amazing how this community works, and you just become like, okay, they they did a trip with me, but like we can't we became friends, you know what I mean? Yeah and Eddie Eddie is has a a beautiful mind, man. He really does. And he he thinks outside the box, like he's a forward thinker, and his jig boxes. I mean, I I don't I I didn't get paid for for being there. Like I was there to support him, like, because I I believe in his product, you know what I mean? And and what he's doing, and he's a great dude. And I usually I don't post about products or get behind products that like first of all, I don't get paid by anyone, really. But like I don't get behind products that I I don't believe in, but Eddie's doing some awesome things, and you really need to check him out. I man, I wish I had this website right now, but yeah, that's all right.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

I I can put it, I can put a link. Uh don't worry about that. I I just wanted to mention that because there were there were some pretty interesting things at the show. I'm I'm biased. I thought Paul's setup with those kayaks was friggin' amazing.

Scotty Sevins:

Just the oh yeah, absolutely. I yeah, I did think that those Paul's one of the big dogs over there at that show.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

The the jig boxes the jig boxes surprised me, and I don't know the guy. And as a matter of fact, I don't know the owner, I never talked to him. He was talking to somebody else, and you know, I wasn't buying one at the moment, so I didn't bother him, but yeah, it just stuck in my mind. I was like, I was like, yeah, you know what? I I'm gonna I'm going to order these. So I got the card with the the information. It's it's sitting in my office because I am gonna get some.

Scotty Sevins:

I believe that if a lot of his stuff is pre-order right now, and if you use it, I like up to it might even be today or tomorrow, whatever it is, you get 20% off in free shipping. Don't quote me on that, but oh check it out. Yeah, uh, definitely, definitely give like you're talking about supporting small businesses. He yeah, he he he did his homework and he did everything right. And and like I said, he is an incredible human being. So yeah, yeah, I just wanted to mention Eddie Cam.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

Yeah, I wanted to mention him, Sport Fishing Outlet. They always do it up, they're always right next to Hutchinson with the fisherman magazine. They have, I think, four or five booths in a row. But the the other one that I want to mention for those that fish freshwater primarily, there's a company, it's a local company called Stinky Balls. Check check those out. Yeah, check those out. I I I looked at them last year, and you know, I wasn't, I knew last year I wasn't gonna be doing any really any freshwater, but it turns out that there's some some fluke baits that they make too that you might want to try out. So that's another good one to to check out. But uh, it was a great show for those that didn't make it. I'm gonna say it is back to what it used to be pre-COVID. Uh almost. It's not quite as busy, but I mean the line goes out into the parking lot again, and it was it was a full building, whereas three years ago it was like four rows. Dave has done a great job building that back up, and it's not all jerky, you know. Who they tend to fill all the empty spots. That's not what it is, it's all fishing stuff. So it was a phenomenal show.

Scotty Sevins:

Yeah, yeah, especially for a Philly show. Yeah, but look at this, Rich. We were talking about doing a half hour on that. We did we we hit an hour in a blank.

Rich Natoli - Fat Dad Fishing:

You have no idea how much I need to cough right now. So, all right, everyone, with that, we're gonna cut it. I I don't have the guest for next week yet. I'm working on it. Um, we do have one, I'm not gonna say the name, but we do at least have the 26th covered, we believe. Um but yeah, so that's gonna be a fun one. Do me a favor. If you know people that are would be of interest, send me an email. Uh Natolyrealestate at gmail.com or rich at fatdadfishing.com. I check obviously the real estate one more often because it's my job. Uh, but either one will work. Any suggestions that you have, just know this. And I I have to say this. You may recommend and say you have to have this YouTube person on. I'm just gonna say right now, without saying any names, there are some YouTube people that uh I will never have on. And you don't need to know why. Just know that I will never have them on. So if you don't see them come on, I'm just gonna leave it at that. Um, we we get a lot, especially from outside in New Jersey, we get a couple of people that are always recommended. I know these guys, and I know that I do not want them anywhere near the show because I know these people. Yeah, so I just want to make that clear. It would bring big numbers to us. And what I'm not gonna do it, just not gonna do it. So I just want to mention that. Um, but yeah, with that, everyone, thanks for tuning in, Scotty. Thanks for thanks for putting up for the hour. We just thought this was gonna be a half an hour. Everybody else, we'll be back next Monday. Until then, get out there, get on the water, and get some tight lines.

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Rich Natoli

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