Booked a private charter on the C-Salt through Corolla bait and tackle. I am an experienced fisherman and told capt Keith who owns the fleet exactly what I wanted to do. Wanted to go offshore and fish. Was told a whole story of what we would fish for Go offshore and fish for amberjack and barracuda etc. then come in a bit and go for tuna, mahi mahi etc. NEVER said ANYTHING about trolling! Keith told us to leave our place in Corolla around 5 am for the boat as the marina was about a half hour drive. So we left the rental house at 5 and when we plugged the address into the GPS it said we wouldn't arrive at the marina until 6:15. WTF. So we sped to the marina to make up time, but still didn't make it in time. So the captain announces "well you have just lost 20 minutes fishing time". When we told him the bait and tackle shop told us to leave at 5 and that he said it was only 30 minutes away, he says "yeah I don't know why he always tells people that". So why doesn't the boat captain let him know???? We obviously weren't the first to complain.
We were told the boat has an air conditioned cabin and a kitchenette. It did not. The door for the bathroom would not stay shut, but the captain told me "don't worry, no one is looking ". Try telling that to my teenage daughter. The sitting area was hot as hell as the captain had the vinyl enclosure completely zippered shut with only a small window opening.
So it took an hour and 45 minutes to get to the navy tower where we could catch amberjack, barracudas and other species. There were four of us, yet only two poles were set up to fish. When I asked why we didn't all have a pole, the captain said because we would tangle. I fish party boats all the time with 30 to 40 people and don't tangle that often. But we need to worry abut this with only 4 anglers?
Then we all stood around watching the mate as he baited the pole, dropped the line in the water, hook the fish, and then handed the pole to one of us to reel in. Really?? I just paid $900 for someone else to fish for me? And all I get is the chance to reel it in?
Amberjacks are good fighting fish. And pretty heavy. Yet this guy had us fishing with very light rods and spinning reels. The first fish my cousin reeled in BROKE the rod!! it was only a 10 pound fish. When I asked Keith back at the shop next day, he said that they like customers to feel the fight of the fish. It was extremely difficult and frustrating trying to reel in these fish on a light rod with a spinning reel ...not fun at all. The captain had an attitude when I questioned him about having our own poles and actually fishing ourselves.
So now we have caught our limit of amberjacks, one fish per person. We all got to reel in one fish. Captain says that the bigger fish are under the amberjacks and hard to get to without the amberjacks taking the bait. So why don't you put a heavier sinker on the pole and let it sink down quicker? He says no you can't do that. Really?
So now what? Well the captain says we can stay here and play catch and release, or we can troll. I ask if we can go bottom fishing. He says no, we don't do that. Again, really? This is what I asked to do.
So we trolled for the next 3 hours while sweating to death. Caught a very tiny mackerel. That was it. When I asked the captain about head boat fishing, he said that is more like an excursion with a little fishing. Well isn't that what we are doing now?
Then, we get back to the dock and , after being expected to tip the mate 20% , we now have to pay to have our fish filleted. The guys that filleted the fish had the personalities of a wet mop. I asked if I could have the carcasses for crab bait, but they refused to give me a bag for them, and I could not fit them in my cooler so I had to leave them.
It was an absolutely horrible experience. A very expensive mistake. Sure, if you want to spend over $1000 for someone else to catch four fish, then this is the charter for you. Otherwise, don't waste your money and precious time with this fleet. And when I went back to Corolla bait and tackle to complain the next day, I was given excuses and then asked if I wanted to book and pay for another charter. I told him no chance in hell.
They also deleted my reviews on Facebook and on their website, of course. read more