Meet the Captain
Erik Perna
A life on the water.
For Erik Perna, the water has never simply been a place to visit — it has always been where he belongs.
Meet the Captain
Born on the coast, at home offshore.
Erik Perna grew up on Florida’s coast, fishing aboard Miss Emma and competing in tournaments long before most people find their calling. What began as a childhood passion became a way of life.
Today he holds a USCG Master credential and has fished both the Atlantic and Pacific — from the Bahamas to Costa Rica — including a roughly 2,000-nautical-mile offshore run to Cabo San Lucas.
— Capt. Erik Perna
The Making of a Waterman
Raised on Florida’s coast.
Growing up in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, Erik was surrounded by the ocean from an early age. Some of his earliest and best memories were spent on the water — fishing, boating, swimming, and learning the lifestyle that comes with growing up along Florida’s coast.
As he got older, his connection to the ocean only became stronger. He spent more and more of his time fishing and working around boats, learning not from a classroom, but through countless days offshore. What started as a childhood passion gradually became a way of life.
From Florida to Two Oceans
Aboard Miss Emma, and far beyond.
Erik grew up fishing aboard Miss Emma, competing in Florida tournaments and developing the skills and instincts that only come from time on the water. That experience eventually took him well beyond his home waters — from Florida and the Bahamas to the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Over the years, he has crossed the Gulf Stream, navigated international waters, and fished extensively in both the Atlantic and Pacific — including long-range offshore passages such as an approximately 2,000-nautical-mile journey from Costa Rica to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
2,000 nm
Costa Rica → Cabo San Lucas
2 Oceans
Atlantic & Pacific
USCG
Master Credential
More Than a License
Master captain — and complete waterman.
Today, Erik holds a United States Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Credential as a Master — but his experience goes far beyond a captain’s license.
At the Helm
Equally comfortable running the boat offshore in any conditions.
In the Cockpit
Hands-on working the cockpit, rigging, and putting anglers on fish.
Mechanical
Maintaining the vessel and troubleshooting machinery far from port.
In the Water
A true waterman — just as at home in the ocean as on it.
“A deep respect for the ocean.”
Erik is a seasoned waterman with years of hands-on offshore experience and a deep respect for the ocean. His time on the water has shaped both his skills and his mindset — built through real-world experience in changing conditions, far offshore.
Gallery
On the water with Erik.
Fish With Erik
Come chase the fish of a lifetime.
Book your traveling offshore adventure with Captain Erik and Miss Emma Sportfishing.