Private Fishing Tours 101: What First-Timers Need to Know Before Booking (From a Captain Who’s Hooked Thousands of Happy Anglers)

Hey there, rookie reelers and future fishing fanatics! Captain Scott Fleischer here, owner of BottomsUpAdventureCharters.com, and if you’ve ever secretly dreamed of pulling in a 40-pound mahi or watching a tarpon explode on your bait like a submarine missile, you’re in exactly the right place. I’ve been running private fishing tours out of Fort Lauderdale for over ten years, and I can promise you this: your first trip doesn’t have to be intimidating, expensive, or (worst of all) fishless. Let me walk you through everything you need to know so you can book with total confidence and show up ready to crush it.

If you’re on the fence about pulling the trigger on one of our private fishing tours, stop overthinking and start reading. By the time you finish this, you’ll be texting your buddies the booking link before the coffee gets cold.

Why a Private Fishing Tour Is the Only Way to Fish Fort Lauderdale

Let’s get the big myth out of the way: you do NOT need to spend $1,200 on a crowded party boat or join some 6-person “split charter” with strangers who hog the rod and smell like yesterday’s bait. Our private fishing tours mean the boat, the crew, and the entire day are 100% yours. Want to chase sailfish all morning? Done. Want to bottom-fish the reefs, grill fresh snapper for lunch, then hit the sandbar for beers? We do that every single week.

You get me (or one of my hand-picked captains who I trust with my own family), a badass mate who ties knots faster than you can say “goggle-eye,” and tournament-grade gear that costs more than most people’s first cars. And yes – the cooler is stocked with ice, water, and plenty of room for whatever you want to bring.

“But Scott… I’ve Never Fished Before – Will I Look Stupid?”

Short answer: impossible. Long answer: I’ve had NFL linebackers, 70-year-old grandmas, and 6-year-old kids who out-fished their dads on their very first drop. Private fishing tours are literally designed for beginners. We teach you everything – how to cast (or not cast – most of our fishing is straight down or trolling), how to set the hook, how to fight a fish without wrapping the line around your legs like a Christmas light disaster.

My mate will bait your hook, take the fish off, clean it, and even fillet it dockside so you can walk straight into the restaurant next door and have them cook it. You just hold the rod, feel that screaming drag, and scream louder than the reel when the fish jumps. That’s it. That’s the entire job, and it’s the most fun you’ll ever have wearing sunscreen.

What Actually Happens on a Private Fishing Trip with Us

Here’s the play-by-play so you know exactly what you’re buying:

• 5:30–6:00 a.m. – Meet at the dock behind Shooters Waterfront (free parking, coffee in hand).

• 6:15 a.m. – We blast off, catch live bait if needed (threadfins, goggle-eyes, pilchards – whatever’s thick).

• 7:00 a.m. – Lines in the water. Depending on season and conditions we’re either kite-fishing for sailfish, slow-trolling baits for mahi and kingfish, wreck-fishing for grouper and snapper, or live-baiting tarpon in the inlet.

• Whenever you get hungry – We fire up the grill. Fresh ceviche, fish tacos, or whatever you brought.

• Afternoon option – Anchor up at the sandbar for a swim, or keep fishing until the cooler is empty and the fish box is full.

• Back at the dock – Mate cleans your catch, bags it on ice, high-fives all around, and you leave with dinner and a story nobody back home will believe.

Half-day (4 hours) or full-day (8 hours) – you pick. Most first-timers go with the full day because once you hook your first big one, four hours suddenly feels like four minutes.

What Fish Are Biting Right Now (and Why Fort Lauderdale Is Insane)

Fort Lauderdale isn’t called the “Sportfishing Capital of the World” for nothing. Here’s what we’re seeing in real time (December 2025 as I write this):

• Sailfish: thick along the edge, multiple hookups per trip

• Mahi-mahi: schooling under birds 8–15 miles offshore

• Blackfin tuna: footballs and 30-pounders at night

• Wahoo: screaming runs that melt drag

• Snapper & grouper: reef bite is on fire

• Tarpon: 100–200 pounders rolling in the inlet at dusk

And that’s just winter. Summer brings monster tarpon, permit on the wrecks, and mahi schools you can see from the tower. Basically, something big and angry is always eating here.

What to Bring, What NOT to Bring, and What We’ve Got Covered

Bring:

• Sunscreen, hat, polarized sunglasses (trust me on the polarized)

• Snacks, drinks, adult beverages (we’re BYOB and judgment-free)

• Camera/phone (waterproof case recommended)

• A cooler in your car to take fish home

We provide:

• All rods, reels, tackle, bait

• Licenses (you’re covered under our charter license)

• Ice, water, cooler space

• Bluetooth sound system (yes, you control the playlist)

• Floating mat if you want to mix fishing with sandbar time

Leave at home: banana anything (old captain superstition – I’m only half kidding), glass bottles, and bad attitudes.

Why First-Timers Keep Coming Back (and Bringing Everyone They Know)

I get the same text every single week: “Scott, that was the best day of the entire vacation.” Dads who never get along with their teenage sons suddenly high-five over a double-header mahi. Wives who “don’t fish” end up fighting a 50-pound wahoo longer than their husbands did. Bachelor parties that planned a quick morning trip stay out until sunset because nobody wants to leave when the bite is on.

Private fishing tours aren’t just about catching fish – although we do a lot of that. They’re about unplugging, laughing until your face hurts, and making the kind of memories that become “remember that time…” stories for the rest of your life.

The Investment (and Why It’s Cheaper Than You Think)

A lot of people see the price tag on private fishing tours and immediately assume it’s out of reach. Here’s the reality: when you split a full-day offshore trip between 4–6 people, you’re each paying less than a nice steak dinner for an experience that blows any restaurant out of the water (literally). Plus, you go home with 30–100 pounds of fresh fish that would cost hundreds at the market.

And unlike party boats where you might not even touch a rod, every single person on my boat gets one-on-one coaching and as much reel time as they want.

Ready to Turn “Someday” Into “Best Day Ever”?

If your heart is beating a little faster right now, that’s the ocean calling your name. Don’t let another season go by watching other people’s fishing photos while you sit on the couch.

Grab your crew, pick your date, and lock in your private fishing tour before the calendar fills up (spring break and winter months book 60–90 days out). Whether it’s your first fish ever or your five-hundredth, I guarantee you’ll leave the dock with sore arms, a cooler full of filets, and a story that starts with “Dude, you’re not gonna believe this…”

Head over to https://www.bottomsupadventurecharters.com right now, click “Fishing Charters,” choose your date, and let’s get you on the books. The fish aren’t getting any smaller, and the best days are going fast.

Tight lines and screaming drags, Captain Scott Fleischer BottomsUpAdventureCharters.com