Veteran owned and family run. The captains, the first mate, and the boat that makes it all happen.
Rebel Fishing Alliance exists to give people the same opportunities Capt. Tim had as a child — to get closer to God, connected to nature, and confident in themselves — no matter your faith, gender, or age.
That mission runs through everything: education, ministry, and conservation. It’s why we work with veteran organizations, why we teach kids to tie their own knots, and why every trip leaves the water better than we found it.
Capt. Tim is a father, husband, Marine, and creative entrepreneur. His drive to serve others and his love for the outdoors underpin his mission for RFA. He finds his deepest connection with God in nature, considering the outdoors his church, and loves sharing it with others to serve education, ministry, and conservation.
As a child he loved camping and exploring the woods of southeast Michigan — every creek, pond, and great lake. He took part in adventure camps where a small group travelled into the wilderness by train, then was dropped off with canoes and gear to camp for a week. He could never quite articulate the peace and deep connection he got from the land and wildlife, but it fuelled the confidence and creativity to accomplish hard things.
Later Capt. Tim served in the United States Marine Corps as a heavy machine gunner and small unit infantry leader. Having served, he witnessed some who struggled — mentally or physically — from experiences attributed to their service, and volunteered with several veteran organizations dedicated to providing therapy through fishing and the outdoors.
It became clear to Capt. Tim what gifts and training he’d been given, and the calling to start RFA was heard and obeyed. He left a long career in corporate America to heed it, and now wants to serve others with the same opportunities he had as a child — to become closer with God and connected to nature, no matter your faith, gender, or age.
Capt. Matt is a father of two spitfire little girls, a husband, a firefighter and an EMT — a true adventurer who runs toward a crisis, not away from it.
He enjoys anything to do with the outdoors: fishing, hunting gator, python, waterfowl, turkey, deer — pretty much any creature you can imagine. You might have even seen Capt. Matt on the local news fighting a hammerhead shark for his king mackerel from his kayak several miles offshore.
Originally from Kansas, Capt. Matt grew up hunting and fishing and passed the trait down to his young daughters. Barely speaking yet, his first born was already hooked on fishing and always wants to be out on the boat. A man of action, faith, and devotion, Capt. Matt loves to serve and loves outdoor adventure.
Capt. Eloy owns SWFL’s Jupiter Kayak Fishing LLC, a veteran-owned and family-operated guide service. He specializes in catching not only fish but a great time as well. He is a father of three and husband to the real brains behind Jupiter Kayak Fishing, Megan, who keeps everything running smoothly.
Capt. Eloy is an RFA Officer we trust to provide the best paddlecraft fishing experience possible here in Southwest Florida. If your angling pursuits include earning your skull and cross paddles device, Capt. Eloy is the guide you’re looking for.
1st Mate Zach is Capt. Tim’s son. This kid loves the outdoors and has a work ethic and focus that rivals Nehemiah. Zach loves sailing, boating, playing lacrosse, Legos, 3D printing, and video games — but above all, fishing.
Zach is dive certified and holds his NASBLA certification for a Safe Boating License in the State of Florida. He is working to become a sailing instructor, and you can find him volunteering his time and talents with the Edison Sailing Center as a Blueshirt leader for their youth programs. He also hopes one day to add aviator to his list of accomplishments.
Zach has been fishing since he was old enough to hold a pole — reeling in 30″-plus snook and 8lb tripletail from his Spiderman Zebco rod (that dad upgraded with 10lb braid) at the age of two.
Nikki is a Southwest Florida native, artist, lifelong collector and founder of Shell & Spell, a colorful little world built around her fascination with seashells and the stories hiding inside them.
Born and raised here in SWFL, Nikki spent years in corporate America before finding her way back to the beaches she grew up around. About five years ago, what started as a serious shelling obsession became something more. She began creating one-of-a-kind seashell jewelry, studying the colors, patterns and symbolism found throughout the natural world, and developing her own distinctly Shell & Spell way of looking at what the ocean leaves behind.
She believes shelling is as much about noticing as finding. Walk the same shoreline with five people and everyone will come home carrying something different. Her specialty doesn’t come from the traditional perspective of a marine biologist or professional conchologist, it’s teaching people how to notice. Nikki loves helping guests slow down enough to see the shoreline through a different lens, finding the beauty in things they might otherwise walk right past.
When she’s not on the beach, Nikki is busy running Shell & Spell, designing jewelry, curating color stories, working markets and dreaming up new ways to share the things she finds beautiful. Which is really just a long way of saying she’s probably still playing with shells.
Through Shell & Spell, Nikki brings that world to The RFA Fishing Lodge with private shelling experiences, Shell Reveals, and creative gatherings to discover that sometimes the best treasure isn’t necessarily the rarest shell. It’s the one you couldn’t leave behind.
A Carolina Skiff Ultra Elite 26′ powered by a 300HP Yamaha. This fishing machine boasts skinny-water 8″ draft capability with the smooth ride and feel of a deep-V hull, and plenty of room to fish six anglers comfortably.
The gear, guides, and outfits we’ve partnered with to give you an unparalleled experience on the water.
