Find out more details on which fishing charter option may work best for you depending on your goals for the day, type of fishing and target species desired.
Most economical option for getting out on the water. Best for quick trip out and back to bend some rods and enjoy the sights. Not recommended for technical fishing (bonefish, permit, tarpon). Half days are a great option for beginners or first timers!
Also an economical option but provides more time to expand on certain fisheries or try different ones. A 6-hour trip is the captain’s minimum recommended time for technical species (bonefish, permit, tarpon).
Always the recommended option for an optimized experience. This trip allows for a multitude of techniques, areas, and tidal opportunities. Best option for technical fisheries (bonefish, permit, tarpon).
For the serious fisherman that wants the maximum opportunity per fishing day. Allows for the ability to fish almost two full tides and allows us to cover the most ground possible.
More common fish family examples would be: Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon, Sharks, Barracudas, Snappers, Groupers, Cowfish, Jacks, and many more.
Every Trip
General Charter Information
All rods, reels, and terminal tackle are included in the price so you can focus on what really matters, fishing. The captain will supply all the needed fishing licenses for your trip. You can keep anything you catch, as long as it’s legal to do so.
Rods, reels & tackle · Lures · Live bait, if requested · Fly fishing equipment
Fishing license. All licenses needed are provided in the cost.
Drinks. The boat will have a cooler onboard with waters and ice.
Catch cleaning & filleting. Capt. John will filet and bag your catch for you to take to a local restaurant or prepare yourself.
The boat
Your trip begins on board a 18’ Dolphin Backcountry Pro that can fit 2-3 anglers. This skiff is designed with the need to run shallow while still offering a comfortable ride across large open stretches of water.
Captain
Capt. John will do his best to make sure you have a fun day full of fishing. He specializes in fly fishing, drift fishing, popping, and spinning, all to get you on that bite.
Fishing
Inshore fishing, flats fishing, backcountry fishing, and light tackle.
Departure
Purple Heron Charters typically departs from the Historic Charter Boat Row unless a different departure location is agreed upon with the captain. 1801 N Roosevelt Blvd, Key West, FL 33040.
Payment
Cash is easiest but you’re welcome to use a card. A 3% fee will be applied to all credit/debit card transactions. We do not take checks.
Customer Reviews
Customers love our trips!
4.9
★★★★★
215 reviews on FishingBooker
4-Hour Trip
Will definitely book another trip!
★★★★★
“Outstanding experience on a 4 hour charter. Catered to exactly what I wanted to target and stuck with it throughout the entire charter.”
Yakinup Fish · Google Review
3/4 Day Trip
Top Notch Fishing Guide!
★★★★★
“Excellent trip. John has a lot of experience and knowledge of the area. He will put you on the fish and offer a lot of technical knowledge in the process.”
Santi L. · FishingBooker
Full Day Trip
Nice Fishing Trip with Son!
★★★★★
“Very nice 8 hours long fishing trip together with my 16 years old son. We used different techniques and have catched different types of local species.”
Barracuda on the flats during windier, colder days. Bonefish, Permit, Tarpon are available during nicer weather periods.
Larger migratory Tarpon start to show up stronger and become a great option. The beginning of Tarpon season.
SummerMay – July
Primetime for Large Tarpon.
Permit, Bonefishing, and Tarpon fishing is excellent with the right weather. General fishing this time of year is primarily jacks, snappers and sharks.
FallAugust – October
Primetime for Bonefish, Permit, and residential (Juvenile) Tarpon fishing.
Best time of year to chase a grand slam. Snappers, sharks, and jacks still available for general fishing targets. Weather is usually very mild and stable.
WinterNovember – January
Barracudas and Jacks are the primary targets on the flats during colder and windier stretches.
Permit, Bonefish, and Tarpon possible during stabler weather patterns.
Need help deciding? Find out more details on which trip option may work best for you by visiting our trip options page and scrolling down to the recommendations guide. You can also reach out to us directly and the captain will be happy to make recommendations depending on your goals for the day, type of fishing, angler expertise and target species desired.
What’s biting right now?
There are some species available to us year round in similar quantities throughout such as snappers, sharks, etc. Other species such as Tarpon, Barracuda, or Seatrout may have certain seasonal fluctuations in size or volume that are better at some times of year vs. others. There is always something thats a good option to fish for based on what your goalset is. If you’re looking to plan a trip for a particular species or style of fishing please feel free to reach out and we can strategize the best time of year for that. Check out our page on the seasonality of fishing for more details on times of year for certain targets.
Am I guaranteed to catch a fish?
There is no guarantee in fishing that there will be “catching”, and that is where the achievement is in successfully catching a fish. Some fisheries will have a very high catch rate, but not a lot of species variety or large size. Other fisheries will have a very low catch rate on average but very large sized or incredible fighting characteristics. Sometimes it comes down to angler ability of making an accurate cast or proper presentation of the bait. I will do everything in my power to positively increases all of the factors in my control to facilitate your success as best I can. I will ask you before we depart but it’s best to consider what the ideal type of fishing is for you to ensure maximum personal satisfaction with the day. Your happiness is my main goal.
Can we keep our catch?
Yes, it depends on the species. I am more than happy to retain, clean, and bag for you enough for a meal if you’d like. Depending on what is in season, and of legal size. Usually 2 Snappers per person, or one Yellowjack is a sufficient amount for a meal to be prepared yourself or at a local restaurant which I’d be more than happy to provide recommendations. If you’re interested in keeping more than that or taking fish home I’d be more than happy to give you referrals for reef or offshore fishing charters. The backcountry waters are a very delicate ecosystem and we try to limit our impact as much as possible.
How do I pay the balance?
Cash is easiest but you’re welcome to use a card. A 3% fee will be applied to all credit/debit card transactions. We do not take checks.
