Sonny Schindler: One That Almost Got Away

Good Neighbor - June 2024

As a partner in Shore Thing Fishing Charters, there is nothing Sonny likes more than helping someone land their first fish… and he is good at making that happen.

- by Maurice Singleton

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Sonny Schindler is a fantastic storyteller, especially when talking about fishing. He has hundreds, if not thousands, of fishing stories to tell. His stories never get old because he continues to live those stories daily, taking clients on fishing tours out in the gulf waters off the shores of Mississippi and Louisiana.
 
Sonny lives and works his dream job. His day begins early – sometimes as early as 2:00 a.m. – getting bait and ice and preparing for a day of creating memorable experiences for his clients.

 
He says that most of his clients are regulars who have been fishing with him for over two decades. Every now and then, though, they’ll bring someone who has never been on a boat or cast a line.
 
“I try to blow their minds,” said Schindler. “Watching them catch their first fish! When that energy hits, and it’s real, it’s infectious. It carries through the boat. It affects me. You never forget it. In many ways, we’re branding people with memories they won’t forget.
 
“It is unbelievable,” Schindler added. “I am grateful and blessed that God has given me these incredible opportunities. I try to share it with the customers, especially the kids. I’m all about making that memory, putting that smile on their faces, and keeping it there as long as I can.”

 
As a partner in Shore Thing Fishing Charters, he has been immersed in the growth of the business, which he joined after Hurricane Katrina. Shore Thing is the largest fishing charter company on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, with eleven boats that take clients out seven days a week, March through December.
 
Sonny was born and raised in South Mississippi. He graduated from St. Stanislaus in 1995, and after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, he returned to St. Stanislaus to work in the dormitory. During the summer, St. Stanislaus hosts youth summer camps – a local favorite that entertains children with summer activities like fishing, sailing, water sports, and more. During his years as a camp counselor, Sonny discovered his passion for working outdoors, particularly around the water.
 
After taking a fishing trip to Venice, Louisiana, with the late Tony Trapani, Sonny knew the direction his life would take. In 2002, he began work as a fishing charter guide in Venice, which has been his line of work ever since. “I fell in love with the lifestyle and of course, fishing,” said Schindler. “I thought I was never coming back.”

​Schindler said that he was having the time of his life working the fishing charters in Venice, but as fate would have it, Hurricane Katrina changed many things. “I didn’t want to stop fishing, but I wanted to come back home,” said Schindler, whose relationship with his girlfriend (now wife) was also growing. “I was head-over-heels in love with her – and fishing. The logical choice was to come home and start guiding over here.”
 
Mississippi State Senator Mike Thompson had started a fishing charter business, which was doing well. As luck would have it, Senator Thompson was seeking a new partner, and Sonny was ready for the challenge. This very successful partnership has evolved into a 7-day-a-week operation and eleven boats.
 
“We get along great,” said Schindler. “We hunt together, we fish together. Our families hang out. I see it as having nine partners. I work just as hard as the new guys. I like these guys. We’ve built this together. It’s very much a cooperative. It’s tough to find a weak link in our chain. Everybody does everything.”

 
Schindler credits his hometown for the success of Shore Thing Fishing Charters. “A lot of what we are and how we built our business is working with the town,” he said. “We try to help our town as much as our town helps us.”
 
You can read more of Sonny’s fishing stories in Shoofly’s weekly column Sonny’s Fishing Reports. Book your next fishing trip today at https://www.shorethingcharters.com/.

“Keep what you need, let the rest go. Leave some for the next guy.”
– Sonny Schindler

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