This Ain't No Fish Story

Berlin resident Wayne Wright has always love hunting and fishing but he never thought he could make money doing it or make it a profession.

Wright, a carpenter for the Town of Berlin, started a side job 10 years ago as a mate on a charter boat. That job called for him to set up gear, cut fish, help the customers fish and many other things. 

Now Wright has started a part-time job as a booking agent, through his website http://www.ct2ak.com. 

Through his work as mate, he ended up becoming a big part of a recent Discovery Channel show, 'Taxidermy USA' at Northeast Taxidermy in Middletown. 

"It's been a crazy time for me," Wright said. "I have been working as a mate on charter boats for the last 10 years or so. Every May through November I work night trips or weekends and it has been great.

"I have been able to fish all over the country including in Alaska, that is why I named the business Connecticut to Alaska. I've been to Alaska three or four times and it is amazing. I want to help people or groups to be able to do the trips I have done. A lot of people would love to go to Alaska, and fish but they have no idea how to do it. As a booking agent, I help them be able to make that trip."

Wright has helped Girl Scout troops, work office trips, and just groups of friends fish in different locales. The first trip he booked was a Girl Scout troop looking to do a science project so they dragged nets off the boat. 

He now has a link with New Britain Transportation so that groups can meet at one spot, take the boat to the dock, go out and fish and then take the bus back to their cars.

So how did he end up on television?

"One of the captains I worked for had a 3,800 pound great white shark that needed to be re-done by the taxidermist," Wright said. "I told him that I was friends with Joe Pitruzello of Northeast Taxidermy in Middletown and I told him I would take it there for him. He was happy he wouldn't have to arrange it so he let me take it up there. 

"I didn't know until right before I got there that Discovery Channel was going to be filming for this show 'Taxidermy USA.' I walked in the shop and told Joe and the guys I had something pretty big outside for them to work on. When they walked out and saw the shark, someone said, 'we're gonna need a bigger boat,' the line from 'Jaws.' It was pretty funny."

Wright said people would be shocked to see the showroom at Northeast Taxidermy. It is as impressive as any museum according to Wright.

Being a mate has been a great experience for Wright but he says it is not always easy.

"I'm glad I was a cop for eight years," he said. "You have to have great people skills and customer service. You deal with a lot of different kinds of people and some don't mind having a beer or two. Most people think fishing and drinking go together but if you want to be successful don't drink too much.

"I get the same thrill from helping a little kid catch a barely legal fish to a grown man haul in a beast of a 50-pounder. I'm looking forward to getting the booking business going so I can help people love fishing as much as I do." 

To contact Wright for information about hunting or fishing trips call (860) 402-4007 or email: fishct2ak@sbcglobal.net. Visit his website http://www.ct2ak.com.