Sport fishermen—especially pelagic warriors who favor billfish, tuna and wahoo—have a distinct preference in things artistic. It tends to center on their favorite creatures of the deep and the boats they use to pursue them. If fortunate, a select few can use their artistic ability to share that passion, depicting scenes that catch the eye and garner the patronage of the men and women who fish those offshore waters. This small circle of artists and patrons is the rarified atmosphere in which Steve Goione thrives.
Steve eats, sleeps and breathes fishing, and the boats that make it possible. His 30-plus years at the easel have honed his skill as an artist, but it’s his passion that makes his renditions a celebration of great gamefish, along with the game boats and people who make up tournament fishing’s brother and sisterhood. To him, it’s something you can feel, like the beat of a powerful diesel engine as it vibrates up through your feet into your very soul. Currently, he fishes as a team member with some of the best tournament crews in the business, acting as either an angler, or simply a keen observer of the environment around him. His many years of experience in that realm have given him the perspective that only comes when you “walk the walk”.
Steve knows the tension that comes with the preparation for another day on the grounds, and the optimistic expectations of the team. It’s through these moments that his art is inspired. For those who know, there’s always an air of concentration while offshore, one that only intensifies once that first glimpse of a billfish shows those bright colors as it makes its approach into the spread. As an angler, and as an artist, he has felt the exhilaration that flows between team members when a challenge has been met and another billfish is successfully released. Those feelings are ingrained in the images he puts on paper and canvas.
When selected as TBF’s official Artist of the Year to celebrate the 40th Anniversary, Steve was beyond honored. “Being selected as The Billfish Foundation’s Artist Of The Year for 2026 really does feel like a full‑circle moment, and it means a great deal to see how deeply my journey in the billfishing world has been intertwined with TBF from my early days until now. I’m truly looking forward to celebrating the 40th Anniversary together and honoring everything TBF has contributed to our community over the years. It’s an exciting year ahead, and I’m grateful to be alongside TBF for it.”
To commission a Steve Goione original: call 910-409-4000 or e-mail at [email protected]. You can also view his latest commission deliveries and follow his works in progress on Instagram at STEVEGOIONE.ART. To review his limited-edition print gallery, which features over 70 of his most sought after limited prints, go to STEVETGOIONEPRINTS.COM
