How To Book A Fishing Charter: How To Choose The Right Charter Boat: Preparing For Your Fishing Charter

By working out as many details as possible, you will avoid misunderstandings. Here are the questions you should ask the captain or booking agent:

• How much is the charter and what is expected for a crew tip? (15 to 20 percent is customary)
• What are the policies for deposits and cancellations?
• What is included in the charter rate? (food, beverages, fishing licenses, bait, etc.)
• How has the fishing been recently or what's biting during the time of year when you want to go?
• What time should you arrive for the charter? What time do you return to the dock? How long does it take to get to the fishing grounds?
• What kind of tackle is provided? Do you need to bring your own?
• What type of safety gear do they carry? Is there an EPIRB? What type of electronics and communication equipment is on board?
• Who keeps the fish that are caught during your trip. Can you hook your own fish?

Fishing half day charters: 
If a half day is all the time you have or if you are limited by budget than it's got to be a half day. Because every day of fishing is a new adventure, the more time you are out there fishing will generally produce a more desirable catch.

Picking the cheapest boat:
Everyone wants a good deal, but choosing a charter boat based on price is almost always a bad idea. A low price could mean several things: The boat isn't properly maintained; the tackle isn't properly maintained; the boat is small; the crew is working for less money; the captain doesn't do this full time; or a host of other things and few of them good. Remember, 'sometimes you get what you pay for'!

Picking the right boat:
The best thing you can do is go to the charter dock, speak to several captains and take a good look at the boat and the tackle they have to offer. If you can't see the boat in person then ask a lot of questions. You should at least feel comfortable speaking to the captain on the phone.

Setting unrealistic expectations: 
Be realistic with your expectations, this is fishing! Be open to suggestions from an experienced pro at the helm and you can avoid a lot of disappointment at the end of the trip.

Prepare for a day offshore: 
You may be fishing with people who swear they never get seasick but all of a sudden they are over the side. If there's any doubt, always ask your charter companions to use a seasick prevention pill at least an hour before departure, or for breakfast they should have doughnuts or bananas because they taste pretty much the same coming up!
Don't forget a hat, sunscreen, polarized sunglasses and a camera. If the charter doesn't include food or drinks be sure to bring your own.
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A New Adventure Every Day

Every day that I go out fishing I feel lucky. Some days are better than others. You can't go out every time and catch spectacular fish. I always try my best for the customers and for me, but fishing is fishing. One day you catch some nice sized Dolphin and the next you catch Bonitos, Jacks, Bluefish and Spanish Mackerel!                         

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October's Adventures

October's fishing has been a mixed bag. Early in the month we were catching Dolphin and Tunas. On one good day we caught this beautiful Sailfish while we were trolling for dolphin and tuna. It was the anglers 'dream come true'. You know how 'elephants eat peanuts', this Sailfish ate a half ounce feather!

Sport fishing yesterday was more difficult. We caught a nice Spanish mackerel, lost a good sized Dolphin at the boat, another hit and spit and we had a couple misses on the deep lure.
Every day is a new adventure!

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September Heat

It was hot in September and the charter business was slow. We fished and had some fun. Most of the fish we caught were within 3 miles of shore.

We caught some nice Blackfin Tunas, some very large Bonitos, did I say Bonitos, a lot of Bonitos and a few Kingfish. 

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Good Summertime Fishing

July and August has brought us mostly calm and warm days. We've been able to catch Dolphin, plenty of Bonito and a few Wahoo.
Most of the Dolphin we were catching in July were at least 5 mile offshore. We saw some nice sized fish in some of the schools, but there was an abundance of small ones, too small to keep. The size minimum is 20 inches, measured from the head to the fork in the tail.

Years ago I would see some fishermen get into a school of small Dolphin and throw a net on them. There are still some people who kill babies!

August brought us more and more small Dolphin. We were finding them a little further offshore. The action was real good but too many had to go back in the water to get bigger.

Bonitos, Bonitos and more Bonitos just 2 miles from shore. All you want, come and get 'em!


To sum it up, we had some pretty good fun filled days.

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From Bonitos to Dolphin

 We had to wait until summer to get our springtime run of Dolphin!
We caught so many Bonitos in May. It seemed like no matter which way we went or what we put out, we caught Bonitos, Bonitos and more Bonitos. Don't get me wrong, they are a great fighting fish and some people eat them, but where were the Dolphin?

Finally, it took a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico   to bring us stormy days and schools of Dolphin!

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A New First Mate

After ten years of fishing with the same first mate I find myself trying to teach a new first mate how to be better at his job! 
Charlie fished with me for a long time. He took care of the boat, he was great with the customers, we were friends (more like father & son at times). We had a lot of fun fishing together. Now, Captain Charlie has landed a great job in the Virgin Islands. He is captaining a new 43' Cabo with twin 800 hp Manns for a 'world record holding lady' that's looking for more world record fish. Good luck Charlie and have fun!
Alex has been fishing with me for a short time and is learning how to take care of my boat and how to fish on my boat (we'll be working on that for a while). I like him and I think in time it will get to be more and more fun. He's great with the customers, they leave with a smile!

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