Half day reef trip
a boat, from$520
- Bottom fishing over the inshore reefs
- Sails at 06:00 or 12:30
- Catch cleaned and bagged at the dock
- Good for families and first timers
Lines in the water before the sun is up
Half day and full day charters for groups of up to six, with a licensed skipper, rods, bait and life jackets aboard. The skipper reads the wind and swell the evening before, and the boat only leaves the marina when the sea suits the trip.
6 anglersat most on each trip
4 or 8 hourshalf day or full day
All gearrods, bait and tackle aboard
- Groups of up to six
- Life jackets for the whole trip
- Rods, reels and bait supplied
- Half day and full day trips
Trips for every kind of angler
Prices are for the whole boat, not per person, and cover the skipper, rods, reels, bait, ice and a life jacket for everyone aboard. Fuel is included for the waters each trip fishes.
Full day offshore
a boat, from$980
- Trolling and deep drops past the shelf
- Heavier rods for bigger fish
- Skipper and a deckhand aboard
- For anglers happy on open water all day
Sunset estuary trip
a boat, from$340
- Light tackle in the estuary and the bay
- Sheltered water close to shore
- Lures and soft plastics supplied
- Children from 6 with an adult
Shared half day seat
a seat, from$140
- Take a spare seat on a reef trip
- Suits solo anglers and couples
- Sails once four seats are taken
- Same gear and catch rules as a charter
When the skipper confirms, a quarter of the price secures your date and the balance is settled at the marina on the morning. If the skipper calls a trip off for the weather, you pick another date or the deposit is refunded in full.
Aboard the Reel Deal
A ten metre sportfisher with a shaded cockpit, padded seats along the rail and a cabin with a marine toilet, so a long day offshore stays comfortable for everyone. Sonar, a chartplotter and two radios sit at the helm, and the skipper explains what the screen shows as you drift over the reef.
Rods are rigged before you arrive, matched to the trip and to whatever is running that week. First timers get a short lesson on the dock, and regulars are welcome to bring their own reels if the line suits the trip.
- Shade over the whole cockpit
- Marine toilet in the cabin
- One ice box for drinks, one for the catch
- Rods and reels rigged before you board
What bites through the year
A guide drawn from past seasons on this stretch of coast. Fish follow the water temperature and the weather, so read it as a likely picture rather than a promise.
| Season | Inshore reefs and estuary | Offshore |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | Snapper, bream and flathead | Bonito and the first tuna |
| Summer | Mackerel, trevally and whiting | Tuna, dorado and the odd marlin |
| Autumn | Snapper and kingfish on the reefs | Tuna and wahoo |
| Winter | Bream and flathead on calm days | Deep drops for grouper |
Marlin and other billfish are always released. Seasons fall in different months depending on where in the world you fish.
How a trip day runs
Four parts to every charter, whether it lasts three hours in the estuary or eight hours offshore.
Meet at the pontoon
Arrive 30 minutes before sailing at the visitor pontoon, with snacks, sun cream and a layer for the wind.
Safety briefing
The skipper shows where the radio, the first aid kit and the life raft are kept, and everyone puts on a life jacket before the lines come off.
Fish the marks
We move between reefs, wrecks or open water as the fish and the weather allow, and the crew helps with every bite and every tangle.
Back at the dock
Fish kept within the local limits are cleaned and bagged on ice, and a photo of every released fish is yours to keep.
Safety at sea, every single trip
The sea sets the rules, so these stay the same on every charter, however calm the morning looks.
Life jackets, always
Everyone wears a life jacket from the moment we leave the dock until we tie up again, adults and children alike. Child sizes are aboard, and the crew checks every fit.
A weather call the night before
The skipper reads the wind, swell and tide forecasts the evening before and calls you by 18:00 with a go, a change of plan or a new date.
A licensed skipper
The skipper holds the commercial licence the boat needs where it fishes. Licences and boat rules differ by country, and we explain ours whenever you ask.
Gear checked before sailing
Radios, flares, the first aid kit and the life raft are checked before every trip. If anything goes wrong at sea, the skipper calls the coastguard by radio.
Seasickness
If you are prone to seasickness, choose the sheltered estuary trip or ask a pharmacist about remedies before you sail. Tell the crew early and we head for calmer water.
Drinks aboard
Water and soft drinks are kept on ice in the cockpit. Glass stays ashore, and alcohol waits until everyone is back on land.
From the deck
Reef fish, open water runs, careful releases and the cleaning table at the end of the day.
Anglers back on dry land (example reviews)
Our group of five had never fished from a boat. The skipper rigged every rod, untangled every line and still put us onto snapper over the reef before lunch.
A long day offshore with two tuna and a dorado in the box. The deckhand knew exactly when to hand over the rod and when to let us fight the fish alone.
Our eight year old kept her life jacket on all trip without a single complaint, because the crew wore theirs too. She caught a flathead and let it go herself.
Questions from the dock
Do we need a fishing licence?
Rules differ by country and by area. In some places the charter's licence covers everyone aboard, and in others each angler needs a recreational licence. We tell you which applies to your trip when we confirm it, and how to get one if it is needed.
How many fish can we keep?
Catch limits, size limits and closed seasons are set by the local fisheries authority and change from place to place. The skipper measures every fish, keeps only what the rules allow and releases the rest with care.
What should we bring?
Snacks or a packed lunch, a hat, sun cream, sunglasses, a warm layer and soft soled shoes. Rods, bait, tackle, water and ice are already aboard.
Can children come along?
Children from 6 are welcome on the sunset estuary trip and from 10 on the reef and offshore trips, always with an adult. Every child wears a life jacket for the whole trip, just like the crew.
What if the weather turns?
The skipper decides on the morning and again at sea. If it is not safe or comfortable, we move you to another date or refund the deposit, and if we turn back early for the weather, the balance is halved.
Can we take our catch home?
Yes. Fish kept within the local limits are cleaned, bagged on ice and handed over at the dock, so bring a cooler box for the drive home.
Check a date with the skipper
Choose a trip, a date and how many are coming aboard. The skipper replies within one working day to confirm, to suggest the nearest open date, or to explain why the tide does not suit that trip on that day.
- Nothing is held until the skipper confirms
- 25 percent deposit once confirmed
- Weather call by 18:00 the evening before
Call the charter office
The office phone is answered whenever the office is open, and emails get a reply the same evening, after the boat ties up.
Charter office
Sailing from the town marina; groups meet at the visitor pontoon
Office hours
| Monday to Saturday | 07:00 to 19:00 |
| Sunday | Trip days only |
| Weather calls | By 18:00 the night before |
Finding the boat
Reel Deal berths at the town marina. We meet every group at the visitor pontoon 30 minutes before sailing, and there is parking beside the fuel dock.
Check a date