Big Daddy Sportfishing
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Big Daddy Sportfishing

State licensed
91 reviews
6701 34th Street South
St. Petersburg FL, United States

Big Daddy Sportfishing invites you to join Captain James Pollard for a fishing adventure on and near Tampa Bay, FL. James has been fishing the local waters for more than two decades now and knows all about getting you on the fish and providing you with a memorable experience.

He’ll be taking you fishing on his 24’ NauticStar bay boat that’s powered by a single 250 HP Yamaha engine that can get you to the fishing grounds in a snap. It’s equipped with top of the line Simrad electronics, as well as a dual livewell for bait and a wireless trolling motor when you need to slow things down a notch.

St. Petersburg is one of the best-known fishing destinations in this part of Florida, owing to its plentiful year-round fishery. Depending on when you’re fishing and what you’re aiming for, you can go after anything from Redfish and Snook to Kingfish, Tarpon, and Cobia.

Captain James will supply you with everything you’ll need for a good fishing time, including quality custom-made rods and Shimano reels. He will also clean the catch for your convenience after the trip is over. All you need to do is pack a pair of polarized sunglasses, get some snacks if you want, and get ready to reel ‘em in.

  • Fishing License
  • Live Bait
  • You Keep Catch
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
  • Drinks
  • Child Friendly
  • Ice Box
  • Rods, reels & tackle

Select date to see available trips and rates:

  • Private trip
    Full Day Trip
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 8:30 AM
    $650
    up to 4 persons
    Tampa Bay is well known for offering a wide variety of fish to target. With a full day charter, you will have more time to get into some remote areas. Some of the species you can expect to see include Redfish, Kingfish, Snook, Trout, Tarpon (when in season) and more. The price of the trip includes rods, reels, and terminal tackle.
  • Private trip
    Night Fishing Trip
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 7:00 PM
    Seasonal trip Jun 1 - Aug 12
    $650
    up to 4 persons
    Night fishing is a completely different style of fishing. We will be fishing bridges, dock lights and passes with out the sunburns and the intense heat of the day! Snook, redfish, trout, tarpon, snapper and sharks will be the main target species.
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip (AM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 8:30 AM
    $500
    up to 4 persons
    Fishing in Tampa Bay offers many different species to target. It all depends on the season and what is migrating through the area. Some of the regulars include Redfish, Snook, Black Drum, Sharks, Speckled Trout, and more. Rods, reels, and terminal tackle are included in the price of the trip.
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip (PM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 3:00 PM
    $500
    up to 4 persons
    Fishing in Tampa Bay offers you a wide variety of species to target. It can depend on the season and what is migrating through the area. Some of the regulars you can fish include Redfish, Snook, Black Drum, Sharks, Speckled Trout, and more. Rods, reels, and terminal tackle are included in the price of the trip.
There are 3 people looking at this charter.

About the Captain

James Pollard
St. Petersburg, Florida, United States
Angler's Choice
ID & License verified
91 Customer Reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since February 2018
I've been fishing the waters of Tampa Bay since 1994. I was a very competitive tournament fisherman. What I enjoy most about fishing is teaching people how/what to look for while fishing. Seeing peoples reaction to landing a fish after a good fight is priceless to me! It's about having fun and making memories on the water.

About this listing

Targeted Species

Black Drum Black Drum
Cobia Cobia
King Mackerel (Kingfish) King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Redfish Redfish

Shark (Blacktip) Shark (Blacktip)
Shark (Bull) Shark (Bull)
Shark (Hammerhead) Shark (Hammerhead)
Snook Snook

Spanish Mackerel Spanish Mackerel
Speckled Trout Speckled Trout
Tarpon Tarpon
Tripletail Tripletail

Boat Specs

NauticStar (Bay boat) originally built in 2018. Powered by a 250HP Yamaha engine, with a maximum cruising speed of 30 knots.

Length
24 ft
Capacity
4 persons

Types of Fishing

Inshore Fishing
Nearshore Fishing
Reef Fishing
Wreck Fishing
Flats Fishing
Backcountry Fishing

Fishing Techniques

Light Tackle
Heavy Tackle
Bottom Fishing
Trolling
Spinning
Jigging
Popping
Deep Sea Fishing

Amenities

GPS
Life Jackets
Fishfinder
Live Bait Well
Wireless Trolling Motor
Ice Box
GPS
Life Jackets
Fishfinder
Live Bait Well
Wireless Trolling Motor
Ice Box

Trip Includes

Rods, reels & tackle
Live Bait
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
Drinks
First Mate
Fishing License

Policies

FREE Cancellation
You can cancel or reschedule your booking up to 7 days before the trip. If the captain cannot run the trip due to unsafe weather conditions, your booking can be moved to another date or canceled free of charge.
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child Friendly
You Keep Catch
Catch and Release Allowed

Payment

Book with 30% deposit
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 30% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
Pay remaining balance to captain
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
Cash
Visa
Mastercard
American Express

When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, there is a 3% fee.

St. Petersburg Fishing Calendar

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Customer Reviews

Rating Summary
Photos by reviewers (229)
4.97
out of 5 stars from 91 reviews
See details
Boat
Crew
Experience
February fishing trip
February fishing trip
February fishing trip
+226
Angler Rating
89
2
0
0
0
Anglers Claimed
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Appropriate for children
96%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Catch intended fish
99%
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5 of 91 reviews
Thomas S.
Seattle, WA
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Great day out on the water!

VERIFIED   November 7, 2019
Was taking some Seattle friend of mine to SWFL for a couple days to show them around and have them experience true Floridian...
Thomas S. recommends Big Daddy Sportfishing
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Nick D.
Cincinnati, OH
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Full Day Trip with Captain Jim

VERIFIED   September 21, 2019
Me and my brother booked a 6 hour trip with Captain Jim, and it was worth every minute and every penny.  Captain Jim was...
Nick D. recommends Big Daddy Sportfishing
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Benjamin G.
Lehigh Acres, FL
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Full day of fishing!

VERIFIED   December 27, 2019
Had a great day of fishing with captain James.  A bit breezy and the fishing was slow, but the captain moved us around...
Benjamin G. recommends Big Daddy Sportfishing
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You found this helpful
  James Pollard Captain replied
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Nick C.
Pinellas Park, FL
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Night Trip With Capt. Pollard

VERIFIED   June 23, 2019
Great night of fishing with Capt. Pollard. He is very friendly and accommodating and works hard to put you on fish, and is...
Nick C. recommends Big Daddy Sportfishing
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  James Pollard Captain replied
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Rex J.
Tampa, FL
 5.00
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall

Fishin' the Bay with Captain Jim

VERIFIED   April 16, 2019
Captain Jim is a great guy who shares my passion for the outdoors.  He was extremely professional and worked really hard...
Rex J. recommends Big Daddy Sportfishing
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  James Pollard Captain replied
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