I had an incredibly disappointing experience with Jodi Lyn and would not recommend it to anyone. From the moment we boarded the boat, it was clear that this operation was more focused on making money than providing a safe or enjoyable experience for their customers.
The captain never introduced himself, the first mate was impersonal and seemed in a bad mood from the start. (Several times throughout the trip he would just be standing there shaking his head to himself).
First off, the weather/water was not good. It was uncomfortable, and the crew seemed to know that. We expressed our concern and asked if he (first mate) had been out in this bad before and he assured us that it had been just as bad or worse the two days before and it was ok and fish were still caught. Now, keep in mind we had already rescheduled once due to weather and are perfectly reasonable people who would be willing to reschedule again, especially for that amount of money. We were briefed on safety procedures and life jacket's and were met with dismissive attitudes.
The entire trip our friends and family were being tossed around the cabin, off the bench, even the coolers were being tossed around.
The fishing itself was poorly organized. The fish weren't biting at all, they offered to go bottom fishing but warned us that the boat would be beaten worse and we would be tossed around more (that right there shows you they knew our experience was already less that pleasant ). The first mate seemed rushed and frustrated through the process. Barely talked to us, did seem to talk more to the younger people on the boat though. There was little guidance or effort to make the experience enjoyable for everyone, and it felt like we were just a means to an end -- filling spots on their boat for a quick profit.
What frustrated me the most was how clear it was that safety and customer satisfaction took a backseat to their bottom line. When we called the owner afterwards to express our concerns he literally said "I don't blame them for not wanting to call the boss and reschedule again."
This was not a fun, relaxing outing, that we paid for, for our son's birthday-it felt like an operation where we were just numbers to them. Save your money and find a charter that values both your safety and your experience. This one does neither. read more