The Fish Circus Fishing Team
Dave Schunke
David Schunke has been fishing his entire life. He has taken his craft from freshwater to saltwater and then to his true love – offshore canyon fishing. Dave spends a large portion of the year on the water, including several trips to the Bahamas on his boat. Dave also fishes over 15 major tournaments per year from Florida to Massachusetts out of a 39-foot center console. He has published numerous articles in various fishing magazines, has several TV appearances, and has conducted seminars at fishing and outdoor shows. In addition, he has participated in benefits and charitable events, such as the Make a Wish Foundation and Wounded Warrior Project.
Jerry and Jon Harris
Jerry and Jon were born and mostly raised in Virginia. Part of an Air Force family, they spent most of their childhood traveling around as military brats.Both brothers served in the United States Navy: Jerry rode submarines and Jon was an Air Traffic Controller. Currently, they are both active in the construction industry and own their own businesses. In 1965, their grandparents purchased a cabin on the Rappahannock River and it’s been nothing but fishing ever since. Jerry and Jon have fished tournaments for many years and, in the last ten, have towed their 38’ center console boat up and down the coast fishing for whatever bites. This opinionated pair cherishes the journey as much as the destination.
“There ain’t no need in doing it, if it don’t make a good story.”
Robb and Chris Pami
Robb and Chris were born and raised in northern New Jersey. Growing up, they taught themselves not only how to fish fresh water but to have fun doing it. Their experiences ranged from sneaking into reservoirs to being dropped on a remote island by seaplane to fish for a weekend. On the boat they are Dave’s right and left hand, since he loves to say “I just drive.” Anything Dave breaks, these brothers can –and do –fix. Their reputation as pranksters precedes and follows them wherever they go, and their sense of humor makes long days short.Being owners of a family construction business sometimes can sometimes make things tough because they don’t get a break from each other —even on the weekends. Their transformation to saltwater fishing has been just like everything else they do in life: steady, methodical, meticulous and inventive.
Relationships
Five guys, from very different backgrounds, bond together as they travel the country and fish on a sponsored team. With two sets of brothers and one brother-in-law, three from the North and two from the South, you now have a team of five brothers. With the different personalities of each teammate as well as the guests that stop by, there is bound to be drama and laughs. Instead of letting their differences divide them, they use their differences to make a stronger and more competitive team. They
will live with the stress and the ever-present uncertainty that their sponsors might not carry them for the following season. Follow the team, as they try to maintain existing sponsorships and find new ones for the future.
Childhood Dreams
They are all living their dream, traveling to distant places, launching their boat and fishing competitively. For each of them the dream started differently. From fishing from the dock at their grandpa’s lake house to sneaking out of school to fish the polluted Passaic River for carp to fishing the fresh and saltwater ponds, lakes and rivers of Virginia, they all share a long time love of fishing.
Underdogs
These 5 guys fish the same rough watersand tournaments as the multi-million dollar sport fishers. They are usually the smallest boat in a fleet of million dollar yachts. Just like luxury liners, thosebehemoths of the ocean are air conditioned, heated and have full kitchens. On the other hand, the boats that the Fish Circus crew runs are horse-powered monsters, built for one thing –winning tournaments. On the team’s center console,there’s no hot food, no heat or air conditioning and no protection from the elements. Sometimes just holding on in rough seas is the biggest win.