Welcoming him onboard are Hell’s Bay pro staffers Flip Pallot, Chico Fernandez, Andy Mill, C.A. Richardson, Rob Fordyce and Blair Wiggins who appear at special events and boat shows. Hell’s Bay is supported by over 100 pro guides on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts.
Still very active on the water at age 82, Apte continues to stay in the limelight with guest appearances on numerous TV shows, conducting seminars on all types of fishing and hosting his ninth annual fly fishing sailfish tournament this December in Guatemala.
“Stu’s considered one of the world’s best all round anglers sharing his knowledge on a wide variety of fishing subjects and one-on-one interactions at shows like Ft. Lauderdale,” said Hell’s Bay Dir. of Sales & Marketing Capt. Todd Fuller. “He’s an iconic and patient fishing educator, especially with fly, promoting professionalism, ethics and conservation practices on the water.”
Apte said,” I’m impressed with what Hell’s Bay, through owners Capt. Chris and Wendi Peterson, has done in the marine industry over the past decade. Not only through the evolution and refinements on their variety of technical flats skiffs, but taking the lead in worthy conservation groups like the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust and people causes such as fishing with the wounded war veterans like Project Healing Waters and its own Military Appreciation Program with active service personnel.
“You can’t do enough for those men and women,” said Apte, a Korean War fighter pilot.
On layovers as a career pilot for Pan Am Airlines, Stu would scout out potential international fishing destinations gaining knowledge of fishing techniques and fish species. He achieved even more experience guiding in the Florida Keys where he makes his home.
