It is recommended to book your trip as far in advance as possible to retain your preferred date. Captain Tom’s schedule usually books up solid, especially during busy seasons. That being said, we will gladly accommodate a last minute trip as late as the night before you want to go out if we are able to. Please feel free to inquire about a trip through email or over the phone.

For trips booked April 1st though July 15th we ask that you do so no later than 45 days before your trip. Cancellations between 44 days and 30 days prior to your trip will cause a forfeiture of deposit. Cancellations of less than 30 days prior will be charged for the full amount of the trip. For trips all other times 30 days notice is needed in order to refund the deposit, and 15 days to avoid full payment. If you need to cancel due to unforeseen circumstances (a death in the family, weather related delays preventing you from getting into town, an injury, etc.) please just let us know and we will try to get you rescheduled and work something out with you as quickly as possible. PLEASE NOTE: Captain Tom will do his best to fill your day should you need to cancel. If he is able to fill your slot with another trip we will gladly refund your full deposit, no matter how close to the trip it is. Please provide as much notice as possible even if your past the cancellation deadline so we can work hard to refill your date!

There are always many great game fish to chase in this area, its always prime fishing time for several of our species, and there really is no off season. However, if you have a particular target species then there is definitely a best time to book a trip. Tides and wind also greatly affect fishing for many of the target species in our area. When you call to book your trip we will try to schedule it around the best possible tide for the type of fishing we plan to do. As far as seasons for each species, our fish page has prime seasons for most of our target species. This is only a loose reference and many times we will catch five or six species on a single trip. Please contact the captain if you have any questions or concerns about when to book your trip.

We provide: the boat, fuel, fishing licenses, all safety equipment, bait, ice, and only the finest rods, reels, and tackle. We will try our best to take digital photos, however sometimes there is so much going on (especially with multiple anglers) that we are not able to take many, so it’s always best to take your own camera.

You should bring: a hat, polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, shoes with non-marking soles, any beverages you require, snacks, lunch (full day trips especially), your camera, and, any rods and reels you may have a special attachment to. Those particularly susceptible to sunburn may prefer to wear a lightweight long sleeve shirt and long pants for additional protection. You may bring additional coolers aboard for your beverages and food if you prefer.

Deckhand Jordan works exceptionally hard to ensure that you have the best time on the water possible. His work starts well before you arrive at the boat and continues long after you head home from a great day fishing. In the fishing business, deckhands work only for tips. For this reason, gratuity for your deckhand is required. Generally speaking 15-20% is considered an appropriate tip for your deckhand. If you feel you received exceptional or less-than-exceptional service from Jordan, let your gratuity reflect that. Please remember the most important thing about tipping: It is the job of your deckhand to not only assist in fishing, but also to make your day as comfortable as possible. Please base your gratuity on the SERVICE you receive and NOT on how many fish you catch. In the extremely unlikely event that your trip does not meet your expectations, take that up with Mother Nature and/or your Captain! You may provide your gratuity by cash, check, or it can be added to your balance on the credit card used to pay for your trip. Minimum gratuity of 15% will be added automatically if other arrangements are not made. Gratuity for your Captain is never expected, but is of course appreciated.

Please be on time for pickup and wear non-marking shoes. Be respectful of the boat, gear, your Captain and crew. In return your Captain will be friendly, courteous, helpful, on time, and put you on great fishing. Ask many questions! If you are unsure about what to do, how to do something, a question about what is considered OK and what is not, or just about anything you have ever wanted to know, please feel free to ask. If there is ever anything your Captain can do to make you trip more enjoyable or make you more comfortable please let him know right away and he will be sure to do what he can to accommodate your request. You are welcome to bring beer or other alcoholic beverages, however please do not become intoxicated. The most important piece of boating and fishing etiquette is to always HAVE FUN!

Yes. You may bring any gear you feel like you can’t be without. The boat will be fully equipped with only the finest rods, reels, bait, and tackle available. However we understand people have things they hold a special attachment to. Feel free to bring what you feel is appropriate and we will make every effort to make sure you catch some fish with it if it. Likewise, if there is anything you feel like you would like us to include that is not mentioned, feel free to drop us a line before your trip and we will be happy to try to accommodate you.

This is determined by your preference and/or the particular season and weather patterns. We want you to have the best possible fishing trip. Your Captain will inform you of the current situation and likely scenarios both at the time of booking as well as shortly before your trip. You will decide together what will not only provide the best action, but also the best chance to accomplish what you would like to get out of the trip. Generally speaking we target Tarpon, Snapper, Cobia, King Mackerel, Sharks, Grouper, Goliath Grouper, Amberjack, Tuna and other inshore, near-shore and deep sea species. Most of the time we can target many of these at once making for a fun, action packed day. Please let your Captain know what you would like to fish for specifically, or if you just want to do what he thinks will be best for your particular situation. We are sure you will not be disappointed.

This depends primarily on the type of trip you book, your target species, and the current conditions. Captain Tom always goes where the fish are.  We generally will fish the closest area that is reliably holding your target species.

One of the great things about fishing in Southwest Florida is the large number of extremely good eating fish. Snapper, Cobia, Pompano,  and Grouper are just some of the many species considered to be top-shelf table fare. There are many closed seasons, minimum and maximum size limits, and bag limits applicable to your catches, as well as some species that are not harvested anytime. We follow all applicable local, state, federal, and National Marine Fisheries Service laws. In addition, conservation is of the highest priority for Another Keeper Charters. For this reason you will be unable to keep Tarpon (even if you possess the required tarpon tag) and sharks caught on any trip with Captain Tom McLaughlin unless it is identified as a potential world record fish. See the fish page for more info on the fish we might catch during your trip.

Having such a productive day that you don’t want to get off the water is a frequent occurrence with Captain Tom at the helm, so this question comes up a lot. Provided there is not another trip scheduled for the second half of the day, and your schedule allows, we will be glad to extend your trip while we are out on the water. If you feel like you want to stay out and keep on top of the action, just ask your Captain and he will be able to accommodate your request if at all possible.

Multi-day bookings are common, especially during peak seasons for target species. However, due to our full schedule and the time, energy, and great expense that Another Keeper Charters goes through to provide you with first class service, we do not offer discounts for multi-day bookings. We work just as hard on subsequent days of fishing as we do on the first!