This Gulf Coast Captain Customized His Boat and Gear So He Could Guide Disabled Anglers

Dana Sanders was an environmental consultant for most of his working life. But after retiring two years ago, the 58-year-old Mississippi resident started guiding anglers on inshore fishing trips from his one-of-a-kind, 18-foot Carolina Skiff. The specially modified boat is wide and stable, and it’s part of the inspiration for his newest venture: offering charter trips for disabled anglers.

“I named that boat ‘Jason’s Joy’ after my 20-year-old son, who has cerebral palsy,” Sanders tells Outdoor Life.

Sanders says that he and his wife Adrian had always fished the rich waters around their home in Pascagoula, targeting redfish, seatrout, flounder, and other inshore species. They wanted to bring their son out on the water, too, so Sanders had someone modify the 18-foot boat to make room for Jason’s wheelchair.

“He loves it,” Sanders says. “Fishing is his real joy.”

The custom boat has been perfect for Jason’s needs. And after seeing the happiness that fishing from a boat has brought his son, Sanders realized there were others like Jason who just needed a way to get out there. His goal now is to provide those opportunities.

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Sanders says he’s bought an additional wheelchair for his boat, along with a battery-operated electric reel, and he plans to start offering disabled fishing charters in October. The half-day charters will run $500 and include up to three people. He’s already booked some trips, and he’s even had people donate their own money to pay someone else’s way.

“It’s really amazing how many have stepped up wanting to help others in need,” he says. “There are so many good-natured people out there who know that fishing is an all-encompassing outdoor passion that’s enjoyed by everyone.”

Sanders’ new business model will also fill an important void for him his wife. He and Adrian used to be the local directors of Hope Outdoors, a volunteer group that specializes in taking people hunting and fishing who are disabled or terminally ill. He says they found that work fulfilling, but that the local program was shut down during the Covid pandemic and had never recovered.   

“That customized Carolina Skiff is a way to get [these folks] on the water,” Sanders says. “I just want to be that vessel for them to enjoy fishing the way we do.”