Tony Peña started fishing the muddy backwaters of San Diego Bay, California with a handline when he was five years old. It was a great opportunity to learn about tides and the natural world first-hand while developing a sense of persistence and wanderlust that continues to serve him well as he pursues his dream of finding the ultimate unspoiled fishing paradise. A low budget, 37-hour train ride to Mazatlan, Mexico resulted in his first billfish catch in 1969 which only whetted his appetite. As a graduate assistant in geography at San Diego State University in the early 79’s, Tony read copies of SWS while administering exams to undergraduates, thinking of ways to fish the exotic locales described in its pages.
Using his background in geography he became a city planner in 1972 and, true to form, bought a fishing boat before he purchased his first home. After setting several IGFA world records in San Diego’s offshore waters, Tony got his first article published in a regional magazine in 1978. By 1984 he expanded his technical how-to articles to include fishing destinations such as Australia and was well on his way to becoming a leading international fishing and travel authority. His first feature for SWS “Brazil’s Offshore Carnival” (November 1994) was especially pleasing to him given his early ties to the magazine. More recently Tony has contributed several feature articles including “Panama By Panga” (December 1999), “Revealing Bikini” (May 2000) and “Tarpon Revival” (January 2001).As a freelance writer and photographer, Tony has traveled to over 17 countries including Thailand, Marshall Islands, Palau, Fiji, Panama, Costa Rica and Venezuela and has set 18 IGFA world records in the process. As a fishing guide he has led other anglers to 17 IGFA records as well. Tony recognized early in his career that photography is an important asset to an outdoor writer and he was awarded “1998 Best Photo Series” by the Outdoor Writers Association of California. A strong advocate of wildlife conservation, Tony is a member of United Anglers of California as well as promoting the benefits of catch and release throughout his travels.
