To book a Guided Kayak Fishing Trip or for Custom Jig Requests,
please leave a message in the form below, or call/text (860)-575-8962.
Thank you for visiting ctfishnerd.com!
- Josh Rayner
(Please Complete Form Below)
About Josh and
CT Fish Nerd, LLC
My name is Josh Rayner and I'm addicted to fishing, specifically kayak fishing. I'm 43, happily married, and live in southern Connecticut where I was born and raised. I have been fishing for as long as I can remember, learning how to catch bass, bluegill, and crappie from my father, my uncle, and my grandfather. In fact, some of my grandfather's stories about fishing for striped bass as a young man with his father in Jamaica Bay, NY were what ignited and fueled the fire inside me to pursue stripers as avidly as I do. My love of kayak fishing started in 2007 when I got my first true "fishing kayak", an Ocean Kayak Prowler, which was a traditional paddle kayak. It didn't take long to realize a paddle kayak wasn't the way to go, especially on moving water which is the majority of what I fish. After years of paddling, I finally moved up to a Hobie Outback in 2017, and barriers were broken. Rougher conditions were conquered, more water was covered, and more fish were caught on any given trip. Since purchasing that first Outback, I have aligned myself with several of the major Hobie dealers in Connecticut, learning the ins and outs of these amazing kayaks and the kayak fishing industry as a whole, and I've met some really great people
along the way.
I initially started my guide service in 2013 as a side gig, guiding from paddle kayaks. The kayaks were obviously not ideal for what I wanted to use them for, and I still had a lot to learn about running a business of this type. No matter how skilled or knowledgeable you are when it comes to fishing, guiding is not something you pick up the skillset for overnight. I worked hard at my craft and slowly accumulated enough quality gear to supply clients with. I eventually added another two Hobie Outbacks to my fleet, and there was no looking back. I'm now in my fifth consecutive year of guiding full time.
In the "off-season", I fill my time by tying and selling Hair Jigs and Bucktail Jigs for fresh and saltwater use, as well as other freelance work within the fishing industry. I've also been writing the monthly Eastern Connecticut Fishing Planner for On The Water Magazine for going on four seasons, with one full length article published as well.
I am a multi-species angler through and through. I love the challenge of targeting different fish in different environments, and sometimes changing things up and visiting different bodies of water or areas can keep things interesting. My favorite fish to target are striped bass, false albacore, blackfish, smallmouth bass, and northern pike, but I will fish for just about everything that swims, no matter the time of year. There are so many great fishing opportunities over the course of the season right here in Connecticut, and so little time to fit it all in. I try to learn on every outing, whether the fishing was good or not. Sometimes I learn more when having to make adaptations on a tough day, or simply observing the target species or their preferred forage. No matter how good an angler gets, there is always something to learn, and the only way to properly learn is to spend time on the water and grind. I am on the water every chance I get over the course of the year, whether it is with clients, friends, family, or all alone.
-Josh Rayner