We had the good fortune of connecting with Scottie Nguyen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Scottie, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
I believe that private fishing charters are more about the connection that one would make with their charter clients. You are not fishing for yourself. You are not fishing with your mates. You are not trying to catch everything that swims. You are tailoring an experience on the water with the group that you have for any given day. You need to read the room. Listen and connect by conversation. Be attentive to the different needs. A 7 year-old may have been watching YouTube and is so excited when they can name the species caught. A group of young adults, fresh in college, may want to have more banter and jokes flying around with the crew. A grandparent may be on one of their last ever fishing trips and may want just a little break on the ride back to the harbor – to snap a photo of the sunset while on the water. Fishing charters are about the customer service. About the memories that your groups take home and that you share with them in your heart.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Our Brother, Dillon, is a primary factor that sets our charter company apart from the rest. He has a heart and soul that is a generation older than the rest. His life experiences have molded his temperament and sets the tone for our crew and operations. Dillon did not complete high school but was no dead beat. Started as a grocery bagger at 16 years old. Moved on to work 2 jobs at a time. Saved to purchase what he could, worked on things with his hands, flipped around and sold said things to build up his nesting assets. Sacrificed youth years for overtime hours in the naval shipyard. From small items, to vehicles, to boats; Dillon snowballed his way on up. When it came to starting Brothers Sport Fishing, Dillon provided our Parker 2320 (which we still have in service now in 2024) and I was to be the sweat equity. At times, we both get frustrated. Emotional. Rude. But it does not take long for Dillon to tackle such issues with a selfless reasoning. Not punitive, but a degree removed, to see the larger picture and give reasoning that brings our crew back level. No endeavor is a straight line. Entrepreneurship has it’s high-highs and low-lows, and Dillon has been a steady foundation to our success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Easily my first choice would be to cruise over to the Coronados Islands off the coast of Mexico. Is only a 18-30 mile run from San Diego, has great fishing year-round, and the Coronados Islands have a natural beauty for being mostly uninhabited by humans. Beautiful island scenery, barking sea lions, myriad of sea birds, strong bottom fishing and with the chance for larger pelagic gamefish. The Coronados Islands is the easy choice. For freshwater, Lake Cuyamaca is my favorite as it is San Diego County’s only natural trout watershed. All other San Diego freshwater reservoirs cannot sustain trout year-round and so the Cuyamaca fishery and fish species standout from the others. Three Sister’s Falls in the spring and early summer months is my favorite hike, when the melting snowpack is coming down the three waterfalls. But for other times of the year Annie’s Canyon is awesome for its mix of slot canyons, greenery shading, and coastline breeze. For bites to eat we would have to fit in a brunch at Snooze, a lunch at Bahn Thai, and a fancy dinner at Island Prime. Absolute musts. I might have to twist an arm for this one, but love great memories of Hot Balloon ride off Del Mar with calming nights listening to the waves break in the darkness at Torrey Pines beach. Deep conversations to ensue. Pro tip – Fall evenings can have beautiful bioluminescence water displays. At least one day for kayak tour into La Jolla cave, snorkeling La Jolla Shores with leopard sharks, and walking Pacific Beach/Mission Beach Boardwalk for classic people-watching. That would be my week to remember.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Through my trials & tribulations, I would like to dedicate thanks & gratitude to my wife Amy. When starting Brothers Sport Fishing in 2018, I was just 25 years old and we had just gotten engaged. I was just a few years out of graduating from UCSD, simply working an average office job at $20/hr, and did not have any prior entrepreneurial experience. Some of my closest fishing friends and mentors doubted that I could make it. Criticized the boat we were going to start with. Criticized that we were targeting 4-pack instead of 6-pack fishing charters. Forecasting my failure. Even father had his doubts and suggested that I should go the safe route with looking for a government job for good benefits. But Amy grounded me. Amy advised that there will always be struggles, issues, and setbacks. It was up to me to figure it out. Find the solutions. Work at it. That is what set us off to giving it 110%. Maximum effort. For if we failed after giving it our all, at least we could stand back and say that we did not leave anything off the table.

Website: https://www.brotherssportfishing.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brotherssportfishing/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brotherssportfishing

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/brothers-sport-fishing-san-diego-2?uid=DeCO09ok0HO5swjYzfKPUg&utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brotherssportfishing5807

Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/uHtebi7qBfcZwvw77

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