About Captain Mark Cockerham
For proof of Captain Mark Cockerham’s fishing ability, you need look no further than the International Gamefish Association’s Book of World Records. His name appears four times… three times for bonefish and once for permit.
Cockerham is perhaps the world’s most accomplished light tackle angler. Cockerham holds the 2-pound, four-pound, and 6-pound bonefish world records. He also holds the 2-pound record for permit.
Mark has guided clients to multiple world records as well. These include the 12 pound tippet bonefish on fly tackle and junior male bonefish world record.
Mark grew up fishing these waters and exploring the region’s many islands and channels. Mark Cockerham’s family moved to Islamorada in the late 1950s.
After a career operating his family’s marina and fishing the professional tournament circuit around the Florida Keys, Cockerham began running charters full time in 2008.
As a guide, Cockerham has won more tournaments than we have space to list here.
Mark owns a number of fishing boats of various sizes. As a result of his fleet, he can match the size of the boat to the number of anglers and the species they wish to target.
Cockerham’s specialties include tarpon, bonefish, permit and redfish. Whether you are an avid fly fisherman or light tackle specialist, Cockerham has the knowledge and expertise to put you on fish.
Cockerham has won the Islamorada Bonefish World Championship many times. In 2020, Cockerham’s team of two anglers released an astounding 457 redfish in a single-day tournament. This redfish release record may never be broken—in the Florida Keys or anywhere else in the world.
Another of Captain Mark’s points of difference is his personability on the boat. Cockerham is at home poling the flats putting serious anglers on site fished tarpon or permit on light tackle or with fly equipment.
He is also quite adept at tailoring fishing trips for kids and anglers who are just getting into the sport. While this may seem to be something that would be obvious, stories of guides hollering at clients for missing a cast are common when it comes to this sort of thing. That will not happen with Captain Mark.
Cockerham uses his experience to teach angling techniques and explain the fishing environment of the Florida Keys. Fishing with Captain Mark Cockerham is a pleasure, whether you are trying to catch a world record or just fill up a cooler of snapper for dinner.
Captain Mark Cockerham is committed to conservation of the fisheries that we all enjoy. He is 100% catch and release when it comes to tarpon, bonefish, and permit.