Anthony Cadorin, Researcher, Explorer, Head Janitor of Pelagic Finder

There aren’t too many places in the United States for a person to grow up that are further away from saltwater sportfishing than Wisconsin.  The annual highlight of my summers, a trip to our grandparents’ cabin “up north,” were spent dreaming of Musky but living the Bluegill-on-a-Bobber reality of fishing with a plastic Zebco 404 spincast reel.  College in Arizona sidetracked any fishing (despite some of my wiser friends’ attempts to get me into Arizona’s excellent largemouth bass fishing) in lieu of drag racing and late nights partying. Interspersed were trips to Mexico, but, at that time, not exactly to enjoy the Sea of Cortez.  

These things are magnetic though, and once your compass has been set, the magnetism seems to steer you back on course.

It all changed with the move to an urban lake in Tempe.  Just ten steps outside the front door of that tiny apartment was a tiny dock and in front of that tiny dock was a tiny lake and, coincidentally, in that tiny lake, was a year ‘round supply of not-too-tiny largemouth bass.  This resulted, at 27 years old, in the purchase of a real life spinning reel, rod and artificial worms.

Although the start of it was severely delayed, the process hit critical mass and accelerated exponentially after that, as it does with many things.

A casting rod was purchased.  Then, when all the fish from that tiny shore were surveyed, a kayak was borrowed to get out onto the tiny lake.  Then a kayak was purchased. Then, all of a sudden, the Sea of Cortez looked less like a backdrop for Margaritas at sunset, and more like the enormous “world’s aquarium” that Jacques Cousteau once called it and the first time I hooked into a Corvina I knew that cleaning salt off of reels was what I wanted to do at the end of the day.  I will never forget my first experience seeing a jumping Marlin, and I know that you won’t either.  I wasn’t on the reel that day, but I did have my first DSLR camera on me and got it out as fast as I could.  The shots that I grabbed very briefly with my starter lens that day I’ll always cherish and the fortunate angler who did catch the fish couldn’t have been more grateful for me being there to capture his first marlin.  I hope to do the same for you.

Hopefully you feel the same drive that I do to experience and explore these wonderful resources and I hope that Pelagic Finder can help you on your journey like it has on mine.

Awards and Publications

2014 Arizona Mountaineering Club Photo Contest 1st Place and 2nd Place – Humor Category

2014 Arizona Mountaineering Club Photo Contest 2nd Place – Climbing Category

2015 Arizona Mountaineering Club Photo Contest – 1st Place – Climbing Category

2016 Reel Rock Tour Phoenix Photo Contest 1st Place

Sportfish UK January 2019 Photo Contest 1st Place

Muskies Inc February/April 2019 Photo Contest 1st Place

Sportfish UK March 2019 Photo Contest 1st Place

Shutter Nutters May 2019 Motion Blur Contest – Judge’s Pick

Muskies Inc 2020 Calendar – Cover Photo, May 2020 Photo