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Owner/ Operator Capt. Mike Rinaldo
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• Age: 46
• Resides Englewood, Florida
• Status: Married, 20 year old son
• Member of the Contender Yamaha team support program -
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Boat & Equipment
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2005 31’ Contender Open Fish
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2005 31 foot Contender boat twin 250 Yamaha four stroke motors.
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With 300 gallons of fuel and weather permitting we can cruise 35-45 MPH all day long!!
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State of the art Raymarine electronics: GPS,Bottom Recorder/Fish Finder,Radar,Auto Pilot,2 VHF ship to shore radios 200Watt JVC stereo system.
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Penn,Diawa,Shimano reels
Penn, Shakespeare,Star Rods -
Hi-Seas Quarto,Berkley Vanish,Momoi Diamond and Berkley Fire Line Fishing Line.
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Biography
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Born in upstate New York Capt. Mike Rinaldo spent the first 17 years of his life hunting fishing & trapping along the rivers and tributaries of Lake Ontario. In 1979 he moved to Tarpon Springs FL. To finish his high school education and graduate from Tarpon Springs High School in 1980.In 1981 he moved to Tampa Fl. to pursue a college education in the horticulture and agronomy field as well as to be closer to his family.
It was at this time that he developed a passion for fresh water bass fishing in the lakes of central FL.
Around 1984 the passion that he had turned into an infatuation as well as a competitive sport. He purchased his own bass boat and started competing in some small local bass tournaments. Through out the next few years he became extremely competitive and decided to take his tournament fishing to the next level. Joining the East Pasco bass masters he and teammate Mark Solovitch began competing. In 1986 he purchased a new 18 ‘ hydra sport bass boat. Fishing between 12 to 16 tournaments a year they started battling through the field of anglers and moving through the ranks at a rather rapid pace. By mid season 1987 they were finishing in the top of the field in most tournaments. In 1989 they achieved the year end points leader (angler of the year) honors as well as won the year-end classic.
In 1991 Mike decided to move away from central FL. to the southwest Florida coast to pursue a job opportunity that was afforded him. It was at this time that he started salt water fishing the flats and beaches of Boca Grande and Charlotte Harbor and Englewood’s Lemon Bay, which is where he called home and still lives today. For the next four to six years he did his best to become well versed in back water and flats fishing in some of the worlds most renown backwaters. -
Always missing the mix of competition as well as the fun of fishing, he was introduced by a friend, the sport of king fishing and the Southern Kingfish Association. Which at the time was probably the closest thing to tournament trail bass fishing that he had been exposed to. Like with bass fishing he purchased a small offshore boat and started fishing some small local tournaments. After a couple years he decided to join the Southern Kingfish Association and take his king fishing to the next level. While the competition was much more fierce than he had previously witnessed and much more equipment dependent, he became totally obsessed and set his goals on working hard to gain the equipment and the knowledge necessary to become competitive in the Southern Kingfish Association tournament trail. It was at this time (2004) that he and four team members, which he still fishes with today, formed Team Never E-Nuff and began their rookie year. The team fished a few tournaments in the ’04 season, tested the waters, and started to become more educated as well as schooled by the incredible talent that surrounded them on the tournament trail. 2005 was the first year they fished complete divisions with their sites set on qualifying for the National Championship. With a lot of hard work, dedication and expense by everybody involved the team accomplished their goal and qualified for the national championship in the 2005 season.
Mikes love for the sport of fishing both inshore and offshore also inspired him to pursue his U.S. Coast Guard captains license and start his inshore/offshore charter fishing business which he still runs today.