Matt Esposito (Enterprise photo — Aaron Marbone)

SARANAC LAKE — Matt Esposito goes out fishing just about every day, even when he’s not guiding. But, for him, taking someone out on the water is even better. And his favorite thing is teaching kids how to fish.

Esposito recently launched Morning Mist Charters, branching out on his own guide service after working with Battle Fish Charters for the past five years. He’s offering free guided fishing trips to local kids 18 years old and under, now through Memorial Day.

It’s the off-season right now, and he wants to give kids who might not have the chance to fish from a boat the opportunity to see the place they live from a different perspective.

Lots of kids have caught bluegill or sunfish from a dock. But Esposito said it’s cool to see them feel them pull the line or hear the drag of the reel as they pull a pike that’s almost as large as them into their kayak.

“It’s the best thing ever, watching a little kid hook into a big bass or a pike and reel it in,” Esposito said. “You net it for them and they are freaking out. That is the best thing ever.”

Right now, he’s got 26 trips scheduled through Memorial Day, and though it’s filling up, he’s still got openings.

To book a trip, he said to message him on his “Morning Mist Charters” Facebook or Instagram page, call him at 315-214-1868 or email him at adkyakangler@gmail.com.

A charter costs $110 for four hours normally. But on these kid-centric trips, he said parents can join for free.

“Even if you’re not into the fishing, you can have a great time paddling,” Esposito said.

Esposito provides the boats, gear and life jackets. Kids should bring a water bottle and some bug spray.

Esposito grew up in Syracuse and fished the Adirondacks with his uncle for years. After playing hockey for a while, he said he needed to do something different and fell in love with fishing. He realized being a guide could be a job, so he got licensed and got into the field.

Becoming a successful guide takes “years of exploring and fishing on your own” … and patience, he said.

“Angling isn’t just a hobby — it’s a lifelong passion,” he said.

On the water, he teaches the basics — how to tie a knot, catch a fish, remove it from the hook and safely release it. He studied biology at SUNY Cortland, so he takes the opportunity to talk about lake ecology, wildlife and the interconnectedness of the natural world.

Esposito hopes the skills, confidence and passion for fishing he gives encourages the children to go out and do it on their own.

“We’re so lucky where we live. You can drive 20 minutes in any direction and there’s water,” he said.

The act of fishing is almost a means to an end for him.

“More than catching the fish, it’s about the beautiful places it takes me,” Esposito said.

When he’s out on his own, he doesn’t just go back to the spots where he knows he’ll get a bite. He’s exploring new ones. His company, “Morning Mist,” gets its name from his love for the calm of paddling into the mist at dawn.

Right now, he’s scheduling after-school trips, as well as morning paddles on weekends.