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Spartina Tails Charter Fishing 

4.9
(63 reviews)
 
State licensed
 1620 North 14th Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034, United States–
+98
+95

Spartina Tails Charter Fishing 

Fernandina Beach, FL, United States
–
24 ft
4
4.9
(63 reviews)
Trips & prices
Targeted species
Boat info
What's biting
What's included
Contact captain
Trips & prices
What's included
Targeted species
Boat info
Reviews
Contact captain

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Located in Fernandina Beach, FL, Spartina Tails is a charter fishing company that fishes the coastal waters and backwaters of beautiful Amelia Island. Captain Matt Harrelson is proud to offer other trips to accommodate each individual party's needs. If you are looking for a memorable, fun trip on the water, give Spartina Tails a look.

You will be fishing aboard a 22' Pathfinder 22TRS, one of the top bay boats around. It is equipped with top-notch electronics, a wireless trolling motor with Pinpoint GPS, so having to use a bulky anchor is all but forgotten. It makes the whole trip less stressful. The fishing gear used will be all Daiwa BG Reels on 7' rods. Captain Matt has setups ready for all different types of fishing that will be encountered.

You will be mainly using live bait under floats, or jig heads to fish the bottom. Some of the species that are caught here are Redfish, Trout, Flounder, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Jack Crevalle, Sharks and more. Depending on the time of year, Tarpon and Tripletail become abundant too.

All trips will include water, cooler, ice, bait, tackle, rods, reels, fishing licenses and the beautiful backdrop of Amelia Island. Items you should bring are polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, non-marking soles on shoes, and any snacks you may want to eat. Catch and release is normally practiced, but if you want to keep some for the dinner table, Captain Matt will clean and fillet it at no additional cost. There are a few places that will cook your catch, with Salty Pelican being one of them.

Located in Fernandina Beach, FL, Spartina Tails is a charter fishing company that fishes the coastal waters and backwaters of beautiful Amelia Island. Captain Matt Harrelson is proud to offer other trips to accommodate each individual party's needs. If you are looking for a memorable, fun trip on the water, give Spartina Tails a look.

You will be fishing aboard a 22' Pathfinder 22TRS, one of the top bay boats around. It is equipped with top-notch electronics, a wireless trolling motor with Pinpoint GPS, so having to use a bulky anchor is all but forgotten. It makes the whole trip less stressful. The fishing gear used will be all Daiwa BG Reels on 7' rods. Captain Matt has setups ready for all different types of fishing that will be encountered.

You will be mainly using live bait under floats, or jig heads to fish the bottom. Some of the species that are caught here are Redfish, Trout, Flounder, Sheepshead, Black Drum, Jack Crevalle, Sharks and more. Depending on the time of year, Tarpon and Tripletail become abundant too.

All trips will include water, cooler, ice, bait, tackle, rods, reels, fishing licenses and the beautiful backdrop of Amelia Island. Items you should bring are polarized sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat, non-marking soles on shoes, and any snacks you may want to eat. Catch and release is normally practiced, but if you want to keep some for the dinner table, Captain Matt will clean and fillet it at no additional cost. There are a few places that will cook your catch, with Salty Pelican being one of them.

Matt Harrelson
Captain
Matt Harrelson
8 years of experience
ID & credentials verified
responds within an hour
Popular features
Fishing license
Live bait
You keep catch
Catch cleaning & filleting
Drinks
Popular features
Fishing license
Live bait
You keep catch
Catch cleaning & filleting
Drinks

Select date to see availability

Trip date:
Group Size:
November 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
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Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
Change
Almost there...
Quick Trip 2 hr AM
FREE Cancellation 1 day notice
2 hour trip starts at 8:00 AM
Jack Crevalle
Tarpon
Black Drum
Redfish
+4
US $275
Entire boat: 2 people
Quick Trip 2 Hr PM
FREE Cancellation 1 day notice
2 hour trip starts at 1:00 PM
Jack Crevalle
Tarpon
Black Drum
Redfish
+6
US $275
Entire boat: 2 people
Half Day Trip (AM)
FREE Cancellation 1 day notice
4 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Jack Crevalle
Tarpon
Black Drum
Redfish
+4
US $500
Entire boat: 2 people
Half Day Trip (PM)
FREE Cancellation 1 day notice
4 hour trip starts at 2:00 PM
Jack Crevalle
Tarpon
Black Drum
Redfish
+4
US $500
Entire boat: 2 people
5 hr trip Am
FREE Cancellation 1 day notice
5 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Jack Crevalle
Tarpon
Black Drum
Redfish
+6
US $600
Entire boat: 2 people
5 Hr Trip PM
FREE Cancellation 1 day notice
5 hour trip starts at 1:00 PM
Jack Crevalle
Tarpon
Black Drum
Redfish
+6
US $600
Entire boat: 2 people

Customer reviews

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Rating

4.9
63 reviews
4.9
Boat & equipment
4.9
Captain & crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (114)

What anglers say

98%
Great experience
100%
Family friendly
100%
Friendly captain
100%
Good boat
83%
Recommended
88%
Caught fish

All reviews (63)

Frequently mentioned
Showing 1 – 5 of 63 reviews
Marcus Williams
Marcus Williams
us
California, US
Member since 2026
5.0
Verified
Great day fishing
Half Day Trip (AM) on September 5, 2026 • 4 adults

Got out before the heat, got on a few Reds, Flounders and even hooked a tarpon for an hour fight. Captain was great I’ll be back

Reported catch:
Redfish
Flounder
Black Drum
Speckled Trout
+1
Matt Harrelson
Response from Captain

Thank you guys for coming out. Give me a shout when yall get back down this way. It was a fun trip having yall onboard and looking forward to the next one.

Jay Moore
Jay Moore
us
North Carolina, US
Member since 2025
The captain canceled
June 15, 2026
Trip was supposed to happen on June 15, 2026

The charter operator canceled 1 days prior to the trip date. This is an automated posting.

Steven Hommerding
Steven Hommerding
Repeat angler
us
Wisconsin, US
Member since 2021
17 trips
5.0
Verified
February fishing trip
5 hr trip Am on February 17, 2026 • 2 adults

Got into some nice reds that were delicious at the Salty Pelican !

Reported catch:
Redfish
Flounder
Speckled Trout
Cynthia Cadua
Cynthia Cadua
us
California, US
Member since 2022
5.0
Verified
2/26/2022 Half Day with Captain Matt
Half Day Trip (AM) on February 26, 2022 • 3 adults

Captain Matt took my spouse and I out this morning. We had such a fun time! Matt is warm and friendly. When we go out again, we'll get in touch with him. He knew where to fish and taught us a lot about how to catch them. We caught lots of red drum, one too big and several too small, but happily I caught a beauty that was 'just right.' We caught and kept sea trout and whiting. And lots of yellow tail and a sheepshead (which we released). Matt brought shrimp; what a treat to fish with live bait! He worked things so we spent a maximum amount of time with our lines in the water catching fish. He ran a third line to hand off when he had a fish on or to switch out when we needed bait or got caught on the oyster beds.

Matt Harrelson
Response from Captain

Thank you for the review. It was fun today watching y’all catch fish. I’m looking forward to the next trip.

Riley Riggs
Riley Riggs
us
Tennessee, US
Member since 2026
The captain canceled
March 18, 2026
Trip was supposed to happen on March 18, 2026

The charter operator canceled on trip date. This is an automated posting.

FAQs about Spartina Tails Charter Fishing

Spartina Tails Charter Fishing offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $275 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Quick Trip 2 hr AM (2 hours)
  • US $275 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Quick Trip 2 Hr PM (2 hours)
  • US $500 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip (AM) (4 hours)
  • US $500 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip (PM) (4 hours)
  • US $600 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 5 hr trip Am (5 hours)
  • US $600 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - 5 Hr Trip PM (5 hours)
When you book a trip with Spartina Tails Charter Fishing, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Live bait well
  • Wireless trolling motor
Trips booked with Spartina Tails Charter Fishing include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Live bait (Live bait is part of the trip and no cost to the customer. )
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting (I will filet any fish that are kept at no additional cost. )
  • Drinks (Water)
  • Fishing license (All fishing licenses are held by the captain. No customer needs a license. )
Spartina Tails Charter Fishing offers the following types of fishing:
  • River fishing (We will be fishing in and around the rivers of Amelia Island. )
  • Inshore fishing
  • Nearshore fishing
  • Flats fishing
  • Backcountry fishing
Spartina Tails Charter Fishing offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light tackle
  • Heavy tackle
  • Bottom fishing
  • Spinning
  • Jigging
Top targeted fish species with Spartina Tails Charter Fishing include:
  • Black Drum
  • Flounder
  • Jack Crevalle
  • Kingfish (Southern)
  • Redfish
  • Shark (Nurse)
  • Sheepshead
  • Speckled Trout
  • Tarpon
  • Tripletail

Your captain

Matt Harrelson
Matt Harrelson
Fernandina Beach, Florida, United States
ID & license verified
63 Customer reviews
Typical response within an hour
Member since February 2018
I grew up in Camden Co, Ga and have fished this area since I was a child. Fishing has always been a passion of mine and will show on the water. In 2004, I decided to take my career on the water and become a merchant mariner. I am still employed as a merchant mariner but my schedule has allowed me to chase this passion of mine. I work 28 days and then I get 28 days off. In that time off, I started doing charters. I love every minute of the time spent on the water. I want to be able to pass on to everyone, especially the younger generation, about what the outdoors around this area have to offer. The trip will be catered to the style of fishing that each client wants to do.
Our Team
Matthew H.
Matthew H.
Captain
Matt Harrelson
Matt Harrelson
Fully verified
63
reviews
2018
member since
~1h
response
I grew up in Camden Co, Ga and have fished this area since I was a child. Fishing has always been a passion of mine and will show on the water. In 2004, I decided to take my career on the water and become a merchant mariner. I am still employed as a merchant mariner but my schedule has allowed me to chase this passion of mine. I work 28 days and then I get 28 days off. In that time off, I started doing charters. I love every minute of the time spent on the water. I want to be able to pass on to everyone, especially the younger generation, about what the outdoors around this area have to offer. The trip will be catered to the style of fishing that each client wants to do.
The crew
Matthew H.
Matthew H.
Captain

The fish you can target

Black Drum
Black Drum
Flounder
Flounder
Jack Crevalle
Jack Crevalle
Southern Kingfish
Southern Kingfish
Redfish
Redfish
Nurse Shark
Nurse Shark
Sheepshead
Sheepshead
Speckled Trout
Speckled Trout
Tarpon
Tarpon
Tripletail
Tripletail
Black Drum
Black Drum
Flounder
Flounder
Jack Crevalle
Jack Crevalle
Southern Kingfish
Southern Kingfish
Redfish
Redfish

Real catches by this captain

  • Angler holding a freshly caught fish, likely a Snapper, while fishing near rocky structures in a coastal environment.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +2
    Black Drum
    Marcus W.
    Marcus W.
    Got out before the heat, got on a few Reds, Flounders and even hooked a tarpon for an hour fight. Captain was great I’ll be back
  • Solo angler holding a large redfish aboard a center-console fishing boat in a calm coastal waterway.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    David B.
    David B.
    Great trip fished inlet so no seasick issues for wife
  • Adult angler holding a large red drum on the deck of a center-console fishing boat offshore.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    Matt C.
    Matt C.
    I HIGHLY recommend Matt at Spartina Tails Charter Fishing. My son and I booked an all day outing and from start to finish Matt was professional, easy to communicate with and put us on fish all day. It was truly a day a couple of Nebraska sand pit fishermen won't forget!!!
  • Adult angler proudly displaying a large red drum beside the console of a small fishing boat in a scenic coastal setting.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Redfish
    Cynthia C.
    Cynthia C.
    Captain Matt took my spouse and I out this morning. We had such a fun time! Matt is warm and friendly. When we go out again, we'll get in touch with him. He knew where to fish and taught us a lot about how to catch them. We caught lots of red drum, one too big and several too small, but happily I caught a beauty that was 'just right.' We caught and kept sea trout and whiting. And lots of yellow tail and a sheepshead (which we released). Matt brought shrimp; what a treat to fish with live bait! He worked things so we spent a maximum amount of time with our lines in the water catching fish. He ran a third line to hand off when he had a fish on or to switch out when we needed bait or got caught on the oyster beds.
  • Young angler proudly displaying a striped sheepshead aboard a fishing boat in a scenic coastal waterway.
    Fish 1
    Sheepshead
    Robert B.
    Robert B.
  • Young angler proudly holding a large striped inshore fish aboard a center-console boat in calm coastal waters.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +1
    Black Drum
    David S.
    David S.
    Capt Matt provided a very good fishing experience. He was very knowledgeable about where the fish were located and how to catch them. He was very personable. We will definitely use Capt Matt in the future! Thank you Matt!
  • Adult angler proudly holding a redfish over calm coastal waters from a fishing boat.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    Tom H.
    Tom H.
    Fishing started off slow, because of tides. It turned on in a couple hours it was on. We had 15 reds in the before the rain started. Good time for all. Thanks Capt. Matt
  • Adult angler proudly holding a redfish on the bow of a center-console fishing boat in coastal waters.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    William B.
    William B.
    Matt really knew his stuff. He put us on some fish and we had a great trip. No wonder he had all 5-star reviews!
  • Young angler holding a redfish aboard a small fishing boat in a coastal marsh setting.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +3
    Redfish
    Frank C.
    Frank C.
    I took my twins on their 1st fishing trip and they enjoyed themselves immensely. We had such a great time that we are going again in February. Thanks Matt!
  • Adult angler holding a large redfish aboard a small fishing boat in a shallow coastal waterway.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    Jose A.
    Jose A.

What is the boat like?

Boat image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
4 persons
Boat length
24 ft
Year built
2016
Boat manufacturer
Sportsman 247 Masters
Boat type
Bay boat
Engine model
Yamaha
Powered by
1 x 300HP
Max cruising speed
40 knots

What kind of fishing will you do?

River Fishing
Inshore Fishing
Nearshore Fishing
Flats Fishing
Backcountry Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Light Tackle
Heavy Tackle
Bottom Fishing
Spinning
Jigging

Which amenities are available onboard

GPS
Fishfinder
Live bait well
Wireless trolling motor
What's included in the trip price
Rods, reels & tackle
Live bait
Live bait is part of the trip and no cost to the customer.
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
I will filet any fish that are kept at no additional cost.
Drinks
Water
Fishing license
All fishing licenses are held by the captain. No customer needs a license.

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 1 day prior to trip
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 1 day before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.
More details

What the listing policies are

Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child friendly
There are no age limits for kids onboard except anyone under the age of 6 has to wear their life jacket while underway.
No alcohol
You keep catch
Catch and release allowed

How you can pay

Book with 25% deposit, pay rest to captain
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 25% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
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
 PayPal
 Checks
When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 2.5% charge will apply.

What’s biting in Fernandina Beach right now

Black DrumBlack Drum
FlounderFlounder
Kingfish (Southern)Kingfish (Southern)
RedfishRedfish
SheepsheadSheepshead
Speckled TroutSpeckled Trout
TarponTarpon

Compare similar fishing charters

Current
Spartina Tails Charter Fishing
Spartina Tails Charter Fishing
State licensed
4.9
(63)
24 ft
Group size 1 - 4
1 - 4
Fish 1
Fish 2
+8
4 hour trip • 4 persons
US $500