Tom Richardson has come a long way since catching his first fish at the age of six.

The “transformative” experience of reeling in that yellow perch from Rangeley Lake, Maine nearly 40 years ago could be the reason that led Richardson, a Mattapoisett resident, to start an online magazine devoted to the boating world of New England: BoatingLocal.

Since Richardson and Milton resident David Dauer started BoatingLocal in 2009, close to 35,000 visitors come to the site each month to check out destinations, news, reviews and information on boating and fishing in the region.

More interesting than the popularity of BoatingLocal is Richardson’s devotion to “fishing” for good stories.

Growing up in Newton, he often made his own books. Pages of construction paper with yarn-tied spines were filled with childhood tales and poems.

He still has those books in the Boating Local headquarters—a back room in his house.

After graduating college, he went on to work for Salt Water Sportsman and Northeast Boating magazine.

“I feel like a goalie on most days, because there are all of these stories flying at me,” he says. “And I’m trying to catch every one I can. There’s not much down time or a chance to breathe, but it’s exciting.”

It seems as is he never stops writing, either.

Although BoatingLocal does utilize a few correspondents and photographers, a majority of the content comes from Richardson—who didn’t get into boating until visiting Buzzards Bay in the ’80s.

Along with his wife, Elizabeth, and kids Max, Summer and Daicey, Richardson says being on the South Coast and just yards from the water is a dream come true.

“There are so many interesting people and things going on around here,” he says. “The boating community is a tight-knit niche. I can stop by one boatyard following a tip and come back with four or five new stories.”

Many of his skills are self-taught, too.

For instance, Richardson knew nothing about videography or audio editing, but after buying a camera and a some software he dove right in and learned along the way.

“Everything is like a variety show: You never know what comes next. When I’m doing video, sometimes you just have to wing it. It’s time consuming too, because there is so much work involved.”

Part of that work is scripting out an upcoming video series on boat maintenance called “Nuts and Boats.”

Richardson says one of his favorite moments with the magazine happened during last year’s Rochester Memorial Day Canoe Race.

“It was a wake up call,” he says. “It’s so competitive, and you can see a rivalry going between all of the towns. For the first time, I saw this sort of subculture coming from the event. Those are the things you don’t expect or see right away, and that’s what I love about this gig.”

Of course, he says, none of this would be possible without such a great community.

“A lot of Boating Local’s content comes from people sending me tips or sharing their stories,” he says. “New England boating is a whole different lifestyle from anywhere else. I’m just happy to share that passion with them.”