florida fishing charters florida fishing charters

Where are you located?
We use the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs area as the hub for our charter services. We act as a "fish nomad" and travel from Homosassa to the north and Boca Grande to the south, depending on where fishing is best for the specie in quest. This luxury also allows us to travel within that range for our guest who are under restricted time restraints and to run our fishing charters where we feel the fishing will be best. Bottom line is---minimum running time... we do all the traveling on our time and before you fishing charter begins

What is Florida flats, backcountry and near shore fishing?
This type of fishing involves the best of both hunting and fishing. In our area of Florida the Gulf of Mexico drops about a foot a mile, for about 10 miles offshore. These flats feature gin clear water that blanket plush grass flats. These grass flats are host to a variety of marine life and the start of the food chain. Game fish prowl these flats as the source of their nourishment, and as a breeding ground. The shoreline features many spring fed creeks, rivers, and bayous. Black mangroves, saw grass, rocks, turtle grass and oyster bars act as the vital structure that in turn host our game fish. Fish are located in these different areas at different times of the year. It is not uncommon to actually sight the fish we are hunting. Without question this is the most popular type of Florida fishing charters available today.

What kind of boat do you have?
We feature a high performance Key West Stealth flats boat, rigged with the current year/ model Mercury 150 horse power DFI. The "Bounty Hunter" is specially designed to fish the Florida backcountry terrain and flats featured on the Gulf coast. She has a very shallow draft, a semi "v" hull, hydraulic jack plate and trim tabs. These features allow for a safe, dry, and fast access to/in the fishing grounds. The boat is about 900 pounds and features a platform we use to push the boat (via a push pole) to stalk spooky fish in shallow water. The boat offers over 24 feet of uncluttered casting deck and is "snag" free... offering a very enjoyable light tackle and flyfishing environment. A elevated forward casting platform and dual 70# thrust trolling motors are added for tarpon fishing. The "Bounty Hunter" meets all Coast Guard requirements, in addition, a GPS, high powered sonar, plotter, vhf radio, and cellular telephone. Sorry.......no air conditioning, or cable tv. We do have a fish box, top of the line equipment, and a knowledgeable/ professional guide who does this as his ONLY source of income.

Do we need to be expert fishing people to fish with you?
Hardly! While we do specialize in the elite species and sometimes use advance techniques...we fish a many novices. Families, kids and women are more than welcome. We are pleased to offer kind and friendly instruction. A open mind and following a little advice is all that is needed. We use a mild mannered approach, and am one who doesn't use the "barking" program. We are very well established. You catching each and every fish is not as important to us as you having a good time. We do appreciate being recognized for the opportunities we provide. Remember that no matter who or where you choose a fishing charter...nobody wants you to catch fish more than your fishing guide. Some of the elite species are difficult in that, they are very temperamental or very strong. We suggest that when inquiring about a specific target, ask particular questions on what to expect.

I get sea sick easy...are your waters often rough?
No. In fact the majority of our fishing is done in less than six feet of water and as shallow as a foot. Our fishing is nearly "weather proof" as we fish mostly protected water. We are rarely out of sight of land. On our coast you need not go miles and miles offshore to catch big fish. Here, big fish live in skinny water.

Can I bring my own tackle?
Sure. We suggest that you express your intentions in advance so we can advise you if it is adequate. We provide and feature all top of the line tackle for your use. We take all responsibility during its proper use. We are not responsible for neglect and/ or abuse. All baits, lures and flies are too included. We often employ the use of "white magic" or live scaled sardines when available. The only way we get these crickets is to catch them in a cast net daily. We offer this highly effective bait as a service and is part of your trip.

What do we need to bring on our Florida fishing charter?
We suggest you dress accordingly to the Florida fishing conditions.
White cotton shirts seems to be the most comfortable next to supplex nylon (10K, Columbia Wear, Tarpon Wear, etc.).
A long billed cap or a wide rim hat, to reduce glare off your face and the sun on your ears.
Light colored sole, tennis shoes or deck shoes (no flip-flops without non-skid PLEASE).
Polarized sunglasses.
Sunscreen with a spf of at least 15. We find that the brand "Bull Frog" works best in the marine environment( available in drug stores in Florida).
Cameras and camcorders are welcome.
Food and drink. Our coolers are pre-iced for you. We ask that you bring your nourishment to the boat in bags to condense with the boat's cooler. Beer and wine(or wine coolers) is accepted, intoxication is not.

Do we need a Florida fishing license?
No. Everything is covered in the charter fee, except food and drink.

Can we keep our catch?
You are welcome to keep whatever you wish under the state of Florida strict guidelines. The guide's limit is not to be counted in the charters "bag limit". Most often...I release the fish that exceed the passenger limit. All tarpon are released except under special circumstances. Under these circumstances, a $51 tarpon tag must be attached to the fish(state statue). We have tags on board and are additional costs to your party.

How many people can you accommodate?
We can fish a maximum of three adults on one vessel. We are very comfortable with two. Giant tarpon trips are limited to two anglers. When fly fishing we allow only one person to wave the wand at a time, unless we are fishing outside the boat wading (optional). We can accommodate a party of any size. We do this by the means of multiple boats. Over the past few years this has become a favorite of those engaged in business meetings. We utilize a few hand picked fishing guides as partners. We work very closely together( via vhf radio/cellular phone) to insure equality of guest satisfaction. However, some like to put all the marbles on the table and compete in mini tournaments between the boats. This makes group charters a great time, just remember to take it easy on the boss. Remember Florida fishing charters are business tax write offs, if a little business is conducted on board.

Please feel free to e-mail us, or give us a call toll free. We are pleased to answer any questions about our Florida fishing charters and guide services on an individual basis.

There are so many Florida fishing guides listed on the NET, what should I look for?

The best advise is to use common sense. Beware of claims like:

TV show host...anybody can buy time on public access television . A lot of these guys suffer from "parrot syndrome"....what they hear goes in one ear, and out their mouth to you...as if it were first hand knowledge from being on Florida water full time. More often than not...the information content on these shows is a combination networking (phone-fishing) and reading published daily and weekly Florida fishing information
Outdoor writer...writing about catching fish,and catching fish are two different things. Being the writer and being the writer's subject, are apples and oranges in most cases
Officer of a political organization/fishing club...most are self nominated and what does this have to do with catching you fish other than being present for professional seminars and to attain Florida fishing information from club members. While this may not apply to everyone...it is where many of the NEW GUYS come from
Full time fishing guide...doing all these other activities, how could they be?
"Winner of several fishing tournaments"...really, which ones? Verified specific tournament wins and IGFA World Records are important. This gives you an idea on what to expect from a guide during sanctioned competition, which is exactly what YOUR Florida fishing charter is. Fishing under tight rules,regulations and the same (and often difficult) fishing conditions can be a lot different than what some say they caught yesterday.
"Born and raised here, native"...good, how long have you been a full time fishing guide? Even better yet, how long have you been fishing?
Full time fishing guide...sometime during your trip you will find the truth to this claim, whether the fish are biting or not . Look for credentials, achievements and several quality fish photos throughout web sites....if they got 'em they'll tell/show you. Trust me.
While researching, beware of fees below the going rate. This is often a dead giveaway of a part time guide. In the end...you may regret spending a few extra dollars on someone who knows what it cost to run a full time, first class operation. As in other aspects of life...you get what you pay for. True full time guides are not receiving pensions from previous employment, are not stock brokers, beneficiaries of million dollar trusts, or have a full time jobs on land, but are fish farmers that do not receive federal aide.
You get the idea. There are some hoax fishing guides spamming the NET, get their credentials and ask questions.While none of these points should exclude a charter guide, hiring based on these spam merits is not suggested. We will put our guide services up against any of them. Whether you decide to fish with us or not.......please protect yourself, our families and our trade. Our livelihood and being on your fish day in and day out depends on it. Thank You!