8 Reasons Why Fishing from a Kayak Beats a Motor Boat Any Day

Florida charters explain why they prefer fishing from an agile kayak rather than a bulky motor boat

At first glance, you may not think a narrow, low-riding kayak is the best thing for fishing. In many cases, this is true – a larger motor boat is what you’ll need to reach fishing spots a long way from the docks.

However, there are many wonderful fishing spots that are not far from good launch points. Florida’s inshore waters are known for its miles upon miles of seagrass beds, mangrove-lined shores and other shallow water spots that are home to a plethora of popular gamefish.

5 Tips for Setting Proper Expectations When Fishing Aboard Charters in NC

Having realistic expectations is important for just about anything.

Have you ever heard someone rave about some restaurant to the point your mouth watered? You couldn’t wait try the chili-cheese dog or their famed biscuits and gravy. When you arrive to satisfy the craving, you come away a bit disappointed since you were expecting the most awesome meal ever.

Having wild expectations can lead to much disappointment whether it’s something as simple as a meal at a restaurant or a day out on a fishing charter.

Being disappointed at something simple like a meal isn’t that big a deal – you didn’t spend a lot of money, so no big loss.

How Exactly Did Branson, Missouri Become Such a Popular Fishing Destination?

Image courtesy of Billy Hathorn via Wikimedia Commons

When most people around the United States here about Branson, Missouri, their first thought isn’t fishing, but rather its entertainment venues and attractions centered mostly on country music. 

Not only do visitors enjoy live shows from such luminaries as Lee Greenwood, the Eagles, or a tribute to the 80s rock band ABBA, there are also several other attractions like the local Ripley’s Believe It or Not, interactive Titanic exhibit and one of many wineries nestled in the surrounding Ozark Mountains.

What most people from other parts of the country don’t realize is the amazing fishing around Branson, Missouri. In fact, many visitors come to this small town for just the fishing – not only is Branson nestled within in the Ozark Mountains, it also sits between two large man-made lakes that are well known for their healthy numbers of Bass, Crappie, Catfish and Trout.

Boca Grande’s Exciting Tarpon Fishing History

The visitors and patrons aboard tarpon fishing charters in Boca Grande are generally focused on two things – one is snagging a “silver king” and watching one of these majestic fish leap 6 feet out of the water while the other is the subsequent adrenaline pumping action of fighting the fish.

What’s rarely considered is how tarpon fishing came to be in Boca Grande, a tiny island town at the mouth of Charlotte Harbor in southwest Florida. Just how did this sleepy little town and paradise become known as the “Tarpon Capital of the World”?

How the Phases of the Moon Can Improve Fishing Around Cocoa Beach

Fishing charters around Cocoa Beach and other spots throughout Florida have to keep a close eye on weather conditions and other factors that can affect their trips. They not only do this for the safety of their patrons, but also to get an understanding of how the fishing will be and whether they should make any adjustments to their plans.

One factor that can affect fishing is the moon phase (i.e. full moon, new moon, first quarter and third quarter).

Although other conditions like the weather also play a role, many anglers like to time their outings around certain times during the lunar cycle when fish will be more active.

How Sarasota Deep Sea Fishing Charters Stay on a Good Spot

In a lot of respects, finding a good fishing spot offshore is like finding gold to charters and general anglers in Sarasota. If you begin catching healthy Snapper or Grouper for example, you’ll want to be sure and stay on the same spot for as long as possible.

Unless you’re trolling, fishing charters stay stationary most of the time, with the exception of the trip out and back of course.

Even if a spot doesn’t seem to be doing too hot at a particular moment, many captains will sit and wait for a little while to see if the bite starts picking up.

Once they’re on a desired spot, deep sea fishing charters and general anglers will use an anchor to keep themselves stationary while they fish. While it’s easy to think that staying in one place is as simple as throwing and anchor into the water, it’s actually a bit more involved, especially if the captain is doing it right to avoid damage to any underwater reefs or rocks. Also, the captain needs to also make sure they don’t drop anchor on a wreck and end up getting their rope tangled in the debris below.

Keeping Your Skin Protected from the Ravages of UV Radiation

Naples fishing charters want anglers visiting Florida’s southwest coast to not get burned by the sun’s intense rays

They don’t call it the “Sunshine State” for nothing…

While the sunshine is a welcome site for many visitors to Naples, it carries some risks that you need to be mindful of to ensure your skin isn’t burned. A severe enough sun burn that leads to blisters can be incredibly painful. Prolonged exposure can lead to wrinkly skin and premature aging.

If you expose yourself to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays long enough, you can eventually develop cancerous melanoma cells, which left untreated, can be fatal. In 2005, over 1 million Americans were diagnosed with skin cancer.

Although the sun’s rays can be harmful if you go out on the water without protection, there are precautionary steps you can take to ensure you still have a good time but not suffer from painful blisters and peeling after you return.

8 Tips for Gaffing a Fish Offshore and Getting that Monster into the Boat

Boca Grande fishing charters explain how to use this common tool for getting your trophy catch out of the water

If you’re fishing for larger offshore species like Wahoo, Dolphin or Marlin off Boca Grande, you’ll probably want to keep a couple to filet, take home and cook up. Boating smaller fish like a Red Drum, Trout or some other inshore species is relatively easy – just reel the fish in and either scoop it up with a net or lift it into the boat.

However, if you’re reeling in large gamefish, you’ll need to use what’s called a gaff to hook the fish and lift it into the boat.

You’ve probably seen videos on a fishing TV show or online of a couple of anglers gaffing a large Tuna or Wahoo and think “Gee, that doesn’t look very hard.” Once you’re out on the water though, you’ll soon learn why it’s more difficult than you initially think. The seas are rocking and rolling and the fish is thrashing about.

Recreational Kayaks

Let’s talk recreation kayaks. Many may not even know what types of kayaks fit into this category, myself included. So I did some researching. Turns out, according to Wikipedia, “A recreational kayak is a type of kayak that is designed for the casual paddler interested in recreational activities on a lake or flatwater stream; they presently make up the largest segment of kayak sales.” Hmmmm, wouldn’t all kayaks technically fit this category? My answer would be yes, so what I have decided to do is to discuss some of the things to look for when purchasing your “recreational kayak."

7 Common Courtesies All Hilton Head Fishing Charters Ask Their Customers to Observe

While always “following the rules” can get a bit dull in some areas of life, there are certain common courtesies that anglers need to keep in mind when on a fishing charter.

The charter boat captain has a myriad of laws and regulations he needs to follow. For anglers, any official rules are rather minimal.

However, that doesn’t mean you can just come on board and do as you please…you wouldn’t go into a restaurant and start pounding your fists on the table, right?

6 Tips for Maximizing your Snook Catch When Fishing in Florida

Courtesy of Wikimedia

Of all of the fish in the inshore waters around Florida, the Common Snook is considered one of the most popular to catch. Like the Tarpon, the Snook delivers a feisty fight and makes a noticeable thump when they hit a lure or bait.

Unlike the Tarpon though, Snook can be eaten. In fact, the Snook has a higher proportion of edible filets than most fish. Their mild flavor makes them a favorite for many.

Found in bays and close coastal waters throughout North and South America, the Common Snook is also referred to as the Linesider, Sergeant Fish, Robalo and more.

Fishing Coolers

                Coolers are just like everything else in the fishing industry: constantly changing. Technology, cost, size and weight are all driving factors when it comes to choosing a quality cooler to not only hold the day’s catch, but to also keep the post fishing beer cold. There are soft-sided and roto-molded, 20 quarts all the way to 350 quarts, as well as tons of features and accessories! So how do you know which cooler is right for you?

Boca Grande Fishing Charters Overview

Boca Grande, Florida

Boca Grande itself is actually a small community on Gasparilla Island. This is located on Florida's Southwest coast. Boca Grande has become known as a fishing mecca for a few reasons, one in particular that usually comes to mind is world class tarpon fishing. From a visitors standpoint, the beaches here are white (sugar) sand backed by a blue water ocean.

5 Places You Can Take a Shallow Draft Boat You Can’t Take a Motor Boat

Popular motorized fishing boats like a center-console or sport fishing boat can get you a lot of places quickly, especially if you’re going offshore.

On the flip side of this coin though, there are many out of the way places that you can’t even take the smallest jon boat. A motorized flats boat may not have that much “draft” itself, but an outboard motor adds at least a foot or two to how much water you need to safely navigate.

Simply defined, the draft of a boat is “…the depth that the hull protrudes into the water.”

Commonly Used Live Baits for Halibut Fishing in Ketchikan and Throughout Alaska

Image courtesy of Andrea Pokrzywinski @ Flickr.com

When thinking about fishing around Ketchikan, the Pacific halibut is just as significant as the salmon in terms of its food value and importance to native Alaskans. This flat fish actually swims sideways on the bottom of the sea floor and is certainly much larger than most salmons. Many visitors to Alaska actually prefer coming during peak Halibut season (early summer).

Whether it’s a native Alaskan village, a fishing guide in Ketchikan, or a general recreational angler, most agree that live baits are the best option for attracting and catching healthy-sized Halibut.

What Makes High-End Fishing Coolers So Much Better than Regular Coolers

Over the years, the fishing coolers for sale on the market have become more durable and provide superb insulation. Today, it’s possible to buy a fishing cooler that will keep your food and drinks cold for several days.

While these coolers are a bit more expensive than your standard $20 Coleman ice chest from Walmart or another big-box retailer, many report only using a fraction of the amount of ice a standard budget cooler uses.

When you’re out on an open fishing vessel in the sun all day, you don’t want your ice to melt in 6 or 8 hours.  If you’re having a good day and need to preserve fish, it’s best they stay on ice the entire way back.

Record Catches for 10 Common Inshore Species Found in Florida

Light Tackle Adventures fishing charters explore state and worldwide records for a variety of species that call Tampa Bay home  

Snagging a fish out on Tampa Bay that gives you a vigorous fight is an experience unlike any other. 

Most fish caught by anglers are generally pretty average in size depending on the species. If they’re small, it’s highly recommended or even mandatory that you throw them back so they can grow and breed.

Sometimes though, there are fish that live for quite a long time without being caught by a fisherman or eaten by a predator. They are either allowed to fully grow or some genetic or environmental anomaly makes them bigger than the average fish.

Proven Techniques for Powering your Standup Paddleboard Rental

Standup paddleboards are fast becoming the go-to method for reaching out of way spots throughout the Indian River Lagoon ecosystem and other wild places. While motorized boats will get you between point A and point B much faster, their noise and speed makes it virtually impossible to fully experience the area’s natural wonders.

Before paddleboards came onto the scene, kayaks were the preferred non-motorized way to reach those out of the way places.

How Florida’s 10,000 Islands Provide a Unique Fishing Experience

Just by itself, the Ten Thousand Islands on the southern tip of Florida is one-of-a-kind place. Despite the fact that Florida has literally thousands of miles of coastline, the Ten Thousand Islands provide a unique blend of both fresh- and saltwater. It consists of a chain of islands and mangrove mini-islands or “keys” located along Florida’s southwest coast between the towns of Goodland and Chokoloskee.

Image courtesy of University of South Florida

Although limited access to this area makes you feel like you’re in the middle of a wilderness, the 10,000 Islands chain is only about a 40 minute drive from Naples and 90 minutes from the metro-Miami area.

The actual number of “islands” in this region of the western Everglades is much less than 10,000 to be sure, but there are enough that you will lose count before too long.

Continue reading to learn more about this area rich in marine life, history and opportunities for snagging a nice tarpon, snook, redfish, or even a bass.

5 No Risk Things You Can Do to Help Ensure a Bright Future for Fishing

Charters around Homosassa and Crystal River want anglers to understand how to enjoy the majestic Nature Coast responsibly


When you first visit Florida’s Nature Coast region around Homosassa, you may be thinking how it’s such an unspoiled and seemingly endless wilderness of fish, turtles, birds, seagrass and coastal wetlands. It’s easy to forget how this area and other places along the Gulf coast are still vulnerable to a variety of risks.

If you’re fishing for redfish, snook, tarpon, snapper or a variety of other fish species that live in these waters, you have an additional responsibility to ensuring the resource is available for future visitors, and generations, to enjoy.

Fortunately, this responsibility is easy and doesn’t require a big commitment or much extra effort on your part. It mainly requires you to be respectful of the place you’re visiting and fishing and mindful of your actions.

Below are a few items fishing charters, local residents and fellow anglers want visitors to keep in mind when fishing the inshore areas around Homosassa.

Redfish in Louisiana – An Overview

Learn more about one of the most popular sportfish for anglers and fishing charters in south Louisiana


Officially known as the Red Drum, or Sciaenops ocellatus, the redfish goes by several other names, including channel bass, spottail, red bass, or simply “reds.” They are one of the most widespread inshore and nearshore species living in Louisiana’s coastal waters and along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

This common species is called a red “drum” because of a drumming sound they make during their spawning season or when they’re taken out of the water. The sound is caused by muscles rubbing against an inflated air bladder.

Redfish are also one of the most popular fish for anglers and fishing charters across coastal Louisiana. Besides their exhilarating fight and impressive strength, the redfish also makes for a great meal at the end of a long day of fishing.

If you’re interested in seeing and catching a few real redfish in south Louisiana, there are many fishing charters across the region who can guide you to the right place and coach you on the right bait and tactics for landing one of these exciting fish.