First Choice Islamorada Fishing

A mere 30 minutes offshore to the Gulf Stream’s hot spots, our professional charter captain and crew will take you to where the action is. Get ready to get hooked on dolphin, blackfin tuna, amberjack, wahoo, shark, marlin, sailfish, kingfish, and more.

If your interest piqued at dolphin/mahi-mahi, you should book your trip from May to October when the population explodes! The charter boat trolls rigged baits and lures to locate schools of dolphin that range from 5 to 50 pounds. Once a school is found, their voracious appetites and abundant numbers result in a feeding frenzy you’ll never forget. And, since dolphin are excellent table fare, you’ll want to keep them for dinner. Your boat’s mate will gladly fillet them and you can arrange to have your catch prepared at any of the local restaurants.

From November to April, we primarily fish for sailfish, using live bait on light tackle. Catching the baitfish (ballyhoo) on the way out to the deep water is an interesting part of your adventure. The ballyhoo are chummed up to the surface, where they are caught by cast net or by fishing for them using tiny hair hooks. Once the bait well is full, the boat runs to the outside edge of the reef and the action begins. If you’ve never hooked into a 7-foot-long tail-walking sailfish on light tackle, you’re in for a thrill of a lifetime! We practice catch and release for all bill fishing and ask about no-kill fish mounts.

Reef Fishing

Florida is the only state in America with easily accessible coral reefs. Join us for the amazing opportunity to fish these abundant feeding grounds for nearly 600 species of fish just 20 minutes offshore. You’ll be bottom fishing in calm, sheltered water 10 feet to 30 feet deep for snapper, grouper, yellowtail, hogfish, porgies, grunts, jacks, mackerel and barracuda, to name just a few. Once anchored, chum is put out to create a feeding frenzy right behind the boat to give you non-stop action as you catch fish after fish.

Unlike our competition that charges per person, our charter rates cover the “First Choice Merritt Sport fishing vessel” guaranteed clean, fueled, and stocked with baits, spare gear, and a clean ice-filled cooler, as well as two expert crew members trained to ensure you have the best fishing experience possible.

We are a private charter boat so there will only be you and your guests on board (six people max)! In addition to furnishing everything, we will clean and bag your catch at the end of the day. The only thing you bring is food and beverages.

Price: tba

Minimum Passengers: 1

Maximum Passengers: 6

Departure Time: 7 am

Return Time: 12 or 3 to 4 pm

Charter Inclusions for a fee: Food or Beverages

Charter Inclusions for free: Features Specializing in live bait and kite fishing Offering all types of fishing. Everything supplied for your trip, (food and drinks are optional)Half, Three Quarter, or Full Day Charters Licensed crew & experienced staff Up to 6 passengers We never keep your fish! All fish caught will be filleted and bagged!