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My dad is turning 60 this year. He has always talked about wanting to go across the gulf stream & fish for yellowfin. I've been thinking I'm going to charter a trip for he & I along with a few of his closest friends. I was hoping someone would have a recommendation on who to charter a trip like that with. Also when is the peak of the tuna season out of the Canaveral area. I know most of you are from all up & down the coast, but many of you must live near enough to here to help me out. Or at least have visited my area & chartered with someone. I've rarely ever chartered, usually just take my own boat, but I'm gonna have to hire out for this one. Any recommendations, or even input on what to look for when hiring would be greatly appreciated.
__________________ They say the 2 best days of a boat owner's life are the day you buy it & the day you sell it.... Maybe so, but I plan to have a helluva lotta fun in between!!!
May, June, and July are the best combination for weather and fish. You can try "The Ticket" but Eddie Dwyer is booked months/years ahead. There are a number of other nice boats like "Big Game" that do productive "otherside" trips.
The way fuel prices are going up it will cost you about $3,500. I charge$2,000 for 4 people on a 31 contender, the bigger sportfishers are nice ,but they drink the fuel."The Ticket" is a very nice rig . Anyways good luck with your trip ,I am sure your dad will appriciate it.
I have thought about this as well as I would like to catch some tuna, and after looking at the charter costs and the long trip required from Florida in this area I wonder if it wouldn't be preferrable to hop a 2 hour flight to the bahamas and fish a charter there. not sure where to go but I have heard there are times of the year there where the Tuna are a short offshore trip. could make a vacation out of it for less money or not much more. take the 2 hour flight out of Daytona on vintage airlines and fish the bahamas for a couple days?
Well lets see. 175 to 200 gallons of fuel at $ 2.70 a gallon Thats $550.00 Mates pay is $200.00 . Bait is $ 80.00. Ice $ 20.00 16- 18 hours long. What do you mean "HOW CAN YOU JUSTIFY IT". Charter boat insurance $3500.00 125,000.00 dollar boat. . The Bigger sportfisher charge $3500.00 How would you justify that. We have to make a profite or there would not be any Charter boats. ???
Kengolding how do you know he can do much better ??? Some of my east side trips , I come back with 60 head of dorado , A limit of 40 to 80 lb yellowfin and a billfish or two. I am not saying i am the best , But dont dish me??
I fish the other side and still believe 2000 is a little much for a 31 Contender. I fished an older sportfish on a charter one day and it was 2200, granted this was 4 years ago and fuel was a lot cheaper. Also I could have fished the ACY "Outlaw" in costa rica for 2400 a day running 40-50 miles. Thats a 6.5 million dollar custom burning 80-100 gallons an hour. If they are charging 3500 for a day out of canaveral for a big sportfish it is probably a private boat that does a limited number of charters. My friend does this on his viking and I believe he charges 1500-1800 a day for sailfish tournaments plus mate. The 3500 is actually a lot less than I figured for charter boat insurance, especially if you can amoritize the cost over 100 or so charters. Good luck though, they are tough days and very long. I have actually thought of turning them into overnight trips like they do in the northeast and maybe try to catch a sword at night.
Yes 4 years ago I was $1200.00 ,Time has changed . And you are right the 31 contender is not for everyone , but when you can be there in two and a half hours alot of hard core fishermen would rather spend more time fishing than traveling . I only run about 10 or so east side trips , most of my charters are 10 hr west side trips , bottom fishing and trolling. What kind of boat do you run to the other side????
Previously it was a 35 contender with twin 0x66 250's. Typically the trip would run 80-120 miles and a ton of gas. We got a 34 sea vee in september with 12kw radar and a 540 diesel which we feel is better suited for other side trips and island runs. Both boat cruises at 34-35mph so the speed is the same between the two. Top end is less, but we would never run WOT all the way out anyways. Most of the time we had one of our friends go with us in a 27 contender (two friends have one), and rarely did they ever out run us even though they are "faster" boats. I say "faster" because your boat is only as fast as the conditions allow. Your 31 is probably great boat for 4 to fish from and hopefully you have good luck this season.
Spear, 4 years ago, diesel was $1.25 or less so fuel has not just gone up, it has more than doubled. I am not in the charter business but I am a businessman. Majority of charters can't just raise their prices when costs go up. I thought Fireman made a nice presentation of what he has to go through although I will add some things for him. He forgot to say, cost to replace an engine when it blows - $10K+, misc repairs to the boat - $5K - $6K per year, fishing tackle - $1000's, trailer tires, boat storage, HIS TIME(why is his time not worth anything?), the expenses go on and on. $2000 for an "otherside" trip certainly seems justified.
Compare - charter a 40 year old wooden sportfisher in the keys for $800-$1000 to go 9 miles offshore to catch cudas and kings. Justified?
We live in a free market economy, when no one charters Firemans boat, he will adjust prices accordingly, but if he is any good and people want to charter him again, he has to make a living. I am sure Fireman will agree, no one is getting rich in the charter business. That is not why you do that kind of work.
Fireman, I am interested in getting the info to charter a trip this late spring from you! I understand the costs and I'm willing to pay them for what your offering. Can you shoot me a pm to let me know how to contact you to set up an otherside charter!
Cape Canaveral Tuna charters 
