The Captain's Blog

  • July 1 through July 10 will be the only days during 2012 that both Red Snapper and Gag Grouper will be in season.

  • Even outside of the Spring runs we are still catching plenty of nice Kings on light tackle. On 15lb spinning gear these fish put up a great fight! Sharks, Permit, Goliath Grouper, and Cobia are also frequent catches in the same areas.

  • Did I mention Permit? On recent nearshore trips we have been tearing it up with the Permit fishing. The weather has been fantastic and the fish have been plentiful. Read more about Nearshore Fishing Trips.

  • Red Grouper season is back open for the rest of 2012. After the first of April we made short work of filling the Redemption Song with some quality fire-trucks about thirty miles offshore.

  • For families looking to bend a rod on something a little more challenging than trout and redfish, you can’t go wrong with a family nearshore trip.

  • Amberjack like this one that Liz and dad Adam put a beating on in early April have been cooperative enough to allow us to catch them right on top well within sight of the boat.

Don Pedro Island Fishing Charters

Deep Sea, Nearshore, Tarpon, Shark and Goliath Grouper. Even fishing for the entire family.

Serious anglers looking for a dedicated guide, intermediate thrill seekers hoping to catch their big one, and even young beginners unsure how to hold the rod, will all find Captain Tom to be competent and reliable resource and friend.

Captain Tom understands there are just as many types of anglers as there are types of fish. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or provide any useful information so Captain Tom is able to customize your trip in order to meet your highest expectations on the water.

Don Pedro Island in Southwest Florida is a small barrier island located between Little Gasparilla Island and Manasota Key. This incredibly scenic area offers some of the most productive year-round waters found anywhere in the US. This breathtaking scenic area offers everything a beginning or advanced angler could want including freshwater and brackish river mouths, mangrove lined salt creeks, expansive grass flats, miles of oyster bars, many deepwater passes, holes and even offshore wrecks, reefs and other structure.

This extremely diverse ecosystem is what allows us to successfully target so many highly sought after gamefish. This is also a lot of territory to cover so having a top-notch guide with the right boat can make the difference between a productive, enjoyable, action packed trip and a frustrating day striking out on the water.

Captain Tom offers a broad selection of fishing trips based on preferred type of catch, level of intensity, skill level of the angler, and, time of year. It is often best to ask his opinion of what will bring you the greatest level of success based on your criteria–that way you know you have the best chance of enjoying a successful day on the water.

Fishing Charters
Deep Sea Fishing, Nearshore Fishing, Boca Grande Tarpon Fishing, Shark and Goliath Grouper Fishing. Even fishing for the entire family -- all ages and skill levels are welcome aboard! See all of our fishing charters.
Fishing Reports
Recent fishing reports from Captain Tom McLaughlin.  Read more on what's swimming, what you could expect to catch, and what recent fishing charter customers have experienced. More
About the Captain
Captain Tom McLaughlin has spent every spare moment chasing  a myriad of inshore, nearshore & offshore species from Palm Beach to the Keys. Now he shares his experience with you. Read more about Captain Tom.
The Captain's Blog
Read the latest entries from Captain Tom's blog including fishing reports and forecasts, recent fishing trip photos and videos, fish recipes, changes in fishing regulations, and more! The Captain's Blog