What To Expect On Your Fishing Charter

Trolling fishing offers first time anglers an opportunity to see what a well rounded fishing charter should be like.

Going on a fishing charter in Orange Beach or Gulf Shores, Alabama can be overwhelming, if you have never been before.   Below is a step by step guide that will help take you through the moment you book your trip until you leave us with all those wonderful memories.

Booking Your Fishing Charter

You have decided on which trip you want, seen the price of the trip and have budgeted for it.   Now it is time to book your fishing charter.   Booking your trip direct is quick, easy and confidential.  All you need is a credit card number on file and we will hold your spot.

After Your Trip Is Confirmed

Mark your calendar and set your reminders as to the date and time of your fishing trip.    You will read our What To Bring page to check off everything that you may need.

Weather On The Day Of Your Trip

We fish in and around rain showers.

We watch the weather forecast every day.  There is a forecast for rain most every day on the gulf coast.  We fish in the rain all the time.  The one thing we care about most is you having a good experience on your fishing trip.  Our goal is for you to have a good time and catch fish.

If weather or rough seas are going to affect your trip, we promise to reach out to you as soon as we know ourselves.   Do not use the local weather forecast because they don’t use the same weather sources we do.   We use marine weather from NOAA.

Parking At The Orange Beach Marina

Our boat is docked in slip E-12 at the Orange Beach Marina.  Our Charter Boat location is simple and easy to get to.   When you arrive in to the marina parking lot, you will be instructed to park in the first lot on the right.  You will likely see other cars parked up toward the middle or north area of that lot.  This is because the northern end of that first parking lot is closest to the walkway that takes you past Shipp’s Dockside Restaurant (on your right) and all the way to the west, past flag pole and to the OB Marina Dock Store.

Finding Our Boat Located In Our Slip

Our boat Distraction is docked in the third slip on the right on the finger pier located to the left side of the OB Marina Dock Store.  Our boat is located on left side of dock store on a finger pier.

Arriving On Time At The Boat On Time

We run tight a scheduled operation.  Our departure and arrival times are adhered to strictly.    Showing up on time shows you care.   If for some reason you are late, we will still be back on time.  This is because we often run a second trip every day, especially during the summer or busy season.   However, there are some circumstances where we only have one trip that day.  If you are having a good time and have the budget, we will ask you if you want to extend your trip and hour or two.  If you say yes, we can keep on fishing.

Safety Briefing and Pre-Trip Meeting

We have a life vest for everyone on board.

After you arrive and load up on the boat, we will talk about safety, life jackets, where you can hang out, using the restroom and a few more things that may be important to you.

Air Conditioned Cabin

Our cabin is air conditioned

Our boat has a clean, comfortable air conditioned cabin where you can hang out and get out of the heat and the rain.   We keep the air conditioning running on days where it is above 75 degrees in the cabin.  This is because our engines are just beneath the sitting area and give off a good amount of heat.  Running the air conditioner keeps you comfortable.  Also, the upstairs wheelhouse gets very hot too.  The air conditioning  is duct-ed up to where the captain sits.

On Days that it is raining or you get wet, please bring a towel or a shirt to change in to.  If you are wet, the air conditioning may make you cold.  We don’t turn off the air conditioning.

Our entire cabin is air conditioned

Restroom On Board

Our restroom is clean and odor free. Our toilet (head) is a full size model and is fresh water filled.

We do have a modern restroom on board.  It is private and we keep it very clean.  However, it is an electric toilet and it is controlled by pressing a button on the wall.   It flushes similar but different than a regular household toilet.   We will instruct you on how to use it.

Heading Out To Sea

After we leave the marina, it takes about 20 minutes to reach the mouth of the Gulf of America.   As long as sea conditions are favorable, you will be invited to come upstairs and look around.   You and or your kids will be offered a chance to drive the boat.   However, if seas are a bit bumpy, we will ask that everyone stays downstairs.

Depending on the trip you have chosen, we may ride anywhere from 1.75 hours to 3 hours offshore.   This is the ride time to get to where we are going to be fishing.   On half day trips, we usually have to go at least 12 to 16 miles offshore before we begin fishing over artificial reefs.   Full day trips, we usually ride for about 3 hours before we begin fishing.

Trolling Fishing While To And From Offshore Reefs

Trolling on full day trips can produce wahoo fish

When the water warms up a big in late spring and through the end of late fall, we have migratory fish available to catch.   These fish are king mackerel, spanish mackerel, bonito (bait fish), jack crevalle and a few more.   We pull lures and bait at a higher speed while riding.   Even though we are riding faster than idle, these fish are fast and can hit baits that are being pulled at high speeds.    We pull these lures in when we arrive at our destination or fishing spot.

Fishing Over Reefs

When we arrive at our fishing spots, we will figure out which direction to aim our boat, so we can hover over the reef or fish.  We call this the “Hold Up.”  Since we do not anchor down, this is the best way to get you into position where you can catch a fish.

Fishing over a reef is easy once you learn how to use our fishing poles.  Your mate will be right there with you and is very patient with kids and adults alike.   Our fishing poles are in good shape and are simple to use.  They have enough line on them and are rigged with a hook and a weight.   Your deckhand will bait your hook for you.  When you catch a fish, they will control your fish so you do not get finned or bitten.   He will then hold the fish for you while getting a good picture.

The Fish You May Catch

Kids learning about fishing is as important as fishing itself.

Most of the fish we catch over the artificial reefs are known as reef fish.  These fish you may catch are red snapper, triggerfish, vermilion snapper, grouper, amberjack, black snapper, lane snapper, red porgy, grass porgy, etc.

almaco jacks can be caught bottom fishing on ful day trips

Red snapper are the most common fish we catch while reef fishing

Fishery Regulations And Bag Limits

Because they taste good, fight hard and some are big, they are highly regulated by federal fishery laws known as the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation Act.   The bag limits and seasons are set according to best available science.    The local group for the Gulf of America is known as the Gulf Council.  

Red snapper is one of the most prized fish that are caught in the Gulf of America

Heading Back To The Dock

During the summer months, we are always trolling to and from the reefs

At the end of your time fishing trip comes to an end, we will begin the ride back to the dock.  During the late spring to late fall, we continue to pull high speed trolling lures behind the boat.  You never know what you are going to catch.   The anticipation of hearing the clicker sound on the reel that a fish has struck releases endorphins like no other.

Arriving Back  In Port

Taking a group picture of your catch is fun

When we get the boat back in the slip, the mate/deckhand will secure it so that it is safe to unload our guests and their fish (if any were kept).   I will then come down and do a post trip meeting and tell you how much we appreciate your business.   We can then go get a final group picture of the fish you caught.

Cleaning Your Fish

When the deckhand gets the boat securely tied up, he will take any fish you caught over to the cleaning table.  There he will clean, filet and prepare your fish to take home.   He will bag your fish in zip loc seal-able bags.  You will also be instructed on how to keep your fish fresh until they are ready to eat.

This is the time where you will need to pay your deckhand in cash.   Don’t forget to tip him if he has done you an excellent job.   Remember, he works for CASH only.

When we arrive back at the marina, we take any fish you have caught out of the cooler and clean and bag them for you.