How much does a fishing charter cost?
An Anna Maria Island fishing charter costs $600 for 4 hours for the first 4 people, then an additional $50 per person for the 5th and 6th persons. A 6-hour fishing charter costs $900 for the first 4 people, with an extra $50 for either the 5th or 6th person. An 8-hour full-day fishing charter costs $1200 for the first 4 people, plus $50 for the 5th and 6th persons. During certain seasons, like tarpon season from late April to early July near Anna Maria, we charge $800 for 4 hours, $1200 for 6 hours, and $1600 for a full day of tarpon fishing. These prices are slightly higher because of the costs for bait, high-quality reels, rods, leaders, hooks, and the time invested. It’s all worth it when you hook a 150-pound giant tarpon.
How long should we book a charter for?
Choosing how long to go out can be tough, but I am here to help you decide what’s best for you. If you have younger kids, I recommend the 4-hour charter because that’s all you’ll need to catch plenty of fish and enjoy a fun morning of fishing. Usually, younger kids lose interest in the last 2 hours of the trip, even if the fishing is good. If you’re with some buddies who are hardcore fishermen and want an extra few hours of fishing, maybe offshore targeting bigger species like cobia, kingfish, permit, etc., then the 6 or 8-hour charter is perfect for you! During tarpon season, I’d recommend a 6-hour trip. Sometimes, those last 2 hours are when everything really happens!
What should we bring with us on the charter?
I will have a cooler with water and ice, so all you really need are any other beverages, snacks, and food you’d like for the trip. I would also suggest bringing a pair of sunglasses and a hat. I always keep top-of-the-line sunscreen on my boat that guests are welcome to use, but you’re more than welcome to bring your own. A phone or camera is always handy to capture some great pictures of the fish we will be catching!
Where do we go to get picked up?
I can pick up guests from various locations, including any dock, canal, or boat-accessible area near you. Most of my guests are picked up from the 63rd Street boat ramp at 6398 Marina Way, which is conveniently located in the middle of the island on Holmes Beach. This site tends to be the most accessible. I can also pick up from the Palmetto boat ramp, 59th Street boat ramp on the Manatee River in Bradenton, the Kingfish boat ramp on Anna Maria, either of the Coquina boat ramps on Bradenton Beach, and the 10th Street boat ramp in Sarasota Bay. I am highly flexible about the pick-up location and will choose the most convenient spot for where your family is staying.
What will we be catching on an Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter?
There are many different species of fish we catch on my Anna Maria Island fishing charters, but the three main targeted species throughout the year are snook, redfish, and sea trout. These are the primary three that we catch on an inshore fishing charter, but we catch many more. In the spring months, we also catch cobia, grouper, permit, kingfish, Spanish mackerel, jacks, and more. During the summer months, we catch snook, tarpon, permit, mangrove snapper, big houndfish, and others. In the fall, we catch a lot of redfish, snook, trout, kingfish, sharks, hogfish, cobia, and gag grouper. In winter, we catch hogfish, sheepshead, redfish, grouper, black drum, and bonnethead sharks. We have an incredible fishery that allows us to charter fish year-round, stay productive, and keep the rods bent.
How long in advance should I book a charter?
I am starting to book up a couple of months in advance, and it’s never a good feeling when someone you’ve gone fishing with before calls at the last minute and I can’t fit them into my schedule. I try to plan as far out as possible, but at least a month in advance. Sometimes we get lucky, and I have a slot available, but from February until August, it gets really busy—especially during tarpon season. I’ve been super lucky and blessed to meet so many awesome people who come fishing with me every year, and I would love to be able to take the same families again and again!
