Captain Harlan Trammell was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and raised on the west coast of Florida. He learned how fish in south Alabama from his mom and began fishing and diving with his dad in the lower keys during the mid 1970's. He graduated from Georgia Southern University and moved to the keys in the 1980's, where he earned his Captain's License and began running fishing charters and commercial fishing in Marathon.

He later took a job as a Full-time Captain for the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. During this time, he began building his house on Big Pine Key. Upon completion of his new home in the lower keys, he returned to the keys permanently, where he has since operated Fishing/Snorkeling Charters, in addition to being a Full-time Contract Fishing Captain for the Boy Scouts of America's Brinton Environmental Center on Summerland Key.

He has extensive woodworking skills and builds/sells several fine skiffs, such as ""Any Tide,"" which is used as his charterboat. He maintains a 50-ton Master's Coast Guard Captain's License and is an Open-Water Certified Scuba Diver.