Matteo Scena’s introduction to offshore sportfishing came by chance. While helping wash boats one summer, he was invited aboard Lights Out by Rob Carmichael — an invitation that would change the course of his life. At the time, Matteo’s fishing background was limited to striper fishing off the beach, but one offshore trip was all it took to get him hooked. “I had no clue what I was in for,” he recalls. “But ever since then, I’ve just been hooked on it.”

The progression was fast. Within just a few years, Matteo went from being a curious newcomer to competing in high-level tournaments with the Lights Out crew. Learning the sport through observation and experience, he quickly found his footing. “With fishing, there’s no textbook to follow. You just have to watch, try, and figure out your own way,” he explains.

Balancing high school with life on the water wasn’t easy — Matteo often found himself doing schoolwork from the cockpit while traveling to tournaments. But the challenge only fueled his determination. Now a Maritime Academy student, he’s charting a clear path toward a future in the marine industry, with sportfishing at its core.

Among his most memorable moments is a five-and-a-half-hour battle with a massive marlin on a lightly crewed fun trip. The fish, hard-won against the odds, remains a defining highlight of his young career.

Today, Matteo is driven by the same passion that first pulled him onto the Lights Out deck. From long runs off Cape Cod to international tournaments in the Bahamas, he thrives on the challenge, the camaraderie, and the chance to keep building a career on the water.