Well, there's nothing like starting at the top. . . But without lots of money or experience, you will need to start at the bottom.
Go. . . Get a job on the size and type vessel you want. Work you're ever loving' tail off. . . Learn every single thing you possibly can. . . after you are the very best at your job - start learning everyone else's.
By the time you can handle every single job on the boat better than everyone else - you will be real close to getting your own.
Now. . . having said that - yes there are options with starting small, but there is a huge difference between "commercial fishing and commercial fishing vessels" vs "Charter fishing and Charter fishing vessels". Additionally, you haven't mentioned what kind of fishing. Do you want to run Long Lines? Nets? Crab? Tuna? Shrimp? Just what did you have in mind? Sport fishing?
If it is "Charter Boat" fishing you want, and you want to get your OUPV Captains license. Here is a link for what you need to know to start that process:
http://www.uscg.mil/nmc/ Success in any of the above (and I mean success to the point of just making a good living) comes slow. You have to know the waters, the vessel, and the fish. You have to know the fish habits and habitat, environment, where they go when it's hot, cold, raining and spawning - and how to catch them. Do they swim with the current or tide or against it? Can they see your nets coming?
Like learning and getting to be the best at your job, you have to learn the business of fishing, and get to be the best at it before you will ever be able to compete. Right now, buying a boat of any kind would just bankrupt you that much faster. You are bucking an awful lot of experience - and most of them are hungry. They also know the waters they are fishing in better then they know their own living rooms.
Get the job, learn the trade, learn the business first, if you are successful at that, you will be noticed, and the rest will come.
Answered By: Capt. John - 5/23/2012