Hello, all! My name is Matt Haeffner, I am a native Long Islander currently living in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and I joined the NYSOWA in late 2023.

I’m a dedicated fisherman and general outdoor enthusiast who enjoys surfcasting, kayaking, and backpacking/hiking. Growing up, I spent nearly every weekend on the North Fork of Long Island visiting family, which is where I learned the basics of fishing from my grandfather and fell in love with the sport, and with the sea. When we weren’t visiting the North Fork, we were in Vermont at my parents’ summer/ski home, where I met my second love—the mountains.

I later attended Ithaca College where I received a B.S. in Recreation Management and Health Studies. For several years I worked as a kayak instructor and Ops Manager at LL Bean’s Long Island & Yonkers locations, while managing my own small tackle business and briefly writing for The Fisherman Magazine. I moved to Massachusetts to be closer to my now fiancee—who I met in Ithaca—and landed a job as Assistant Editor at On The Water Magazine on Cape Cod.

At On The Water, I regularly contribute feature articles, fishing reports, and columns about all things saltwater and freshwater fishing. One column I really enjoy writing is called Angling Artists, which showcases the life and work of fishing-focused artists from Maine to Virginia. I enjoy it because I get to meet and speak to some very unique, creative, and sometimes flat-out zany individuals. I also manage several of OTW’s social media pages, oversee our online editorial content, and discover new writers to help them share their stories, among other duties.

In my free time, I enjoy surfcasting or wading/shore fishing, kayaking, hiking, lounging on the beach with friends, and listening to records.

You can reach me via email: mhaeffner@onthewater.com and/or follow me on Instagram @matthaeffner. I look forward to meeting you all and learning more about my fellow NYSOWA members!