Explore the backcountry of Florida Bay with Wayne Gatling Guide Service and fish the unspoiled flats of Marathon, Florida like a true local! You’ll be blown away by the Keys and its surrounding islands while traversing its calm inshore flats in search of some impressive creatures that reside in shallower waters.

The Captain’s 25’ custom center console is powered by a 200 HP Yamaha engine and equipped with a fishfinder, GPS, a live bait well, ice box, and necessary safety gear. It fits up to 4 guests per trip and is great for a weekend outing with friends or the whole family. Capt. Wayne also welcomes children of all ages as he looks to inspire a new generation of anglers to come!

The Florida Bay is perfect for those who don’t like the rough ocean, but would still like to catch a wide variety of fish while staying closer to shore. You’ll mainly be fishing inshore and nearshore, as well as over reefs and wrecks along the coast.

Capt. Wayne specializes in light tackle spinning and bottom fishing, so you can expect to challenge everything from your hefty bottom-dwellers like Black Grouper, to your more acrobatic jumpers like Tarpon. Other species you’ll be targeting include King and Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Bluefish, Yellowtail Snapper, and Spotted Seatrout.

Penn rods and reels, tackle, and bait are supplied on each trip to ensure the best quality experience to all anglers. The captain will take care of your fishing license prior to departure, so you can just focus on relaxing and having a good time out on the water. Just be sure to pack some of your favorite snacks, drinks, and perhaps some lunch for your longer trips.

Whether you are an avid fisherman or just a beginner, you can count on Wayne Gatling Service to show you an awesome time. Bring some sunscreen, your favorite pair of sunglasses, and a camera to capture some truly unforgettable moments and book your next fishing trip with Capt. Wayne!



Select date to see available trips and rates:

  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip – Backcountry (AM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 8:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Jan 5 - May 20
    US $650
    Explore the backcountry of Florida Bay and target a range of species including Mangrove, Yellowtail Snapper, Spotted Seatrout, and many more. This 4-hour morning trip is perfect for families and fun for kids! Book your next trip with Wayne Gatling Guide Service and experience the thrill of backcountry fishing in Florida!
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip – Backcountry (PM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 1:00 PM
    Seasonal trip Jan 5 - May 20
    US $650
    This 4-hour afternoon trip is perfect for families and fun for kids! You'll prowl the backcountry waters in search of delicious Snapper to reel in and bring home for dinner.
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip – Tarpon Fishing (AM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Mar 15 - May 20
    US $650
    Come challenge the big, bad "Silver King" in his domain and see if you can tame the beast! The Tarpon is an acrobatic fish that certainly likes to put up a fight, so you'll definitely have some work cut out for you. This is a fun 4-hour trip for the whole family, or group of friends looking for a fun morning of some action-packed sportfishing!
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip – Tarpon Fishing (PM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    4 Hour Trip, starts at 4:00 PM
    Seasonal trip Mar 15 - May 20
    US $650
    Wayne Gatling Guide Service offers Tarpon trips in the afternoon as well. On this trip, your main target will be the "Silver King," a truly acrobatic and tough fighting fish. This is a fun trip for the whole family or friend groups of 4, looking for a fun-filled afternoon of some action-packed fishing!
  • Private trip
    Full Day Trip - 7 hours (AM)
    FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
    7 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Jan 5 - May 20
    US $950
    This 7-hour morning trip is perfect for families and fun for kids! You'll prowl the backcountry waters in search of delicious Snapper to reel in and bring home for dinner.

FAQs about Wayne Gatling Guide Service

Wayne Gatling Guide Service offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $650 per group - Half Day Trip – Backcountry (AM) (4 hours)
  • US $650 per group - Half Day Trip – Backcountry (PM) (4 hours)
  • US $650 per group - Half Day Trip – Tarpon Fishing (AM) (4 hours)
  • US $650 per group - Half Day Trip – Tarpon Fishing (PM) (4 hours)
  • US $950 per group - Full Day Trip - 7 hours (AM) (7 hours)

When you book a trip with Wayne Gatling Guide Service, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Live Bait Well
  • Ice Box

Trips booked with Wayne Gatling Guide Service include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle (Penn)
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
  • Fishing License

Wayne Gatling Guide Service offers the following types of fishing:
  • Inshore Fishing
  • Nearshore Fishing
  • Reef Fishing
  • Wreck Fishing

Wayne Gatling Guide Service offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light Tackle
  • Bottom Fishing
  • Spinning

Top targeted fish species with Wayne Gatling Guide Service include:
  • Bluefish
  • Cobia
  • Grouper (Black)
  • King Mackerel (Kingfish)
  • Snapper (Mangrove)
  • Snapper (Yellowtail)
  • Spanish Mackerel
  • Spotted Seatrout
  • Tarpon

Meet the Captain

Wayne Gatling
Marathon, Florida, United States
1 Fishing Report
ID & license verified
93 Customer reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since March 2019
Captain Wayne Gatling has been in the fishing and hunting business since 1971, spending most of his life outdoors as an avid angler. He is originally from Maryland, however, he grew up spending his winters down in Florida, fishing with his father and uncles. After sending his last kid off to college, Capt. Wayne finally decided to expand his business to Florida and guide fishing charters during the winter seasons. Since then, business has been non-stop with customers booking trips from all over the US. Choose Wayne Gatling Guide Service for your next fishing trip and enjoy an action-packed fishing marathon aboard the Fishin’ Fool!

About this listing

Targeted species

Bluefish Bluefish
Cobia Cobia
Grouper (Black) Black Grouper
King Mackerel (Kingfish) King Mackerel (Kingfish)

Boat specs

Custom (Center console) originally built in 1996, and restored in 2018. Powered by a 200HP Yamaha engine, with a maximum cruising speed of 25 knots.

Length
25 ft
Capacity
4 persons

Types of fishing

Inshore Fishing
Nearshore Fishing
Reef Fishing
Wreck Fishing

Fishing techniques

Light Tackle
Bottom Fishing
Spinning

Amenities

GPS
Fishfinder
Live Bait Well
Ice Box

Trip includes

Rods, reels & tackle
Penn
Catch cleaning & filleting
Fishing License

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 7 days prior to trip

You can cancel or modify your booking up to 7 days 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.

Listing policies

Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child Friendly
All ages welcome!
You Keep Catch
Catch and Release Allowed

Payment

Book with 10% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 10% 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
Checks

Marathon Fishing Calendar

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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.8 / 5
out of 5 stars from 79 reviews
Boat
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Crew
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (106)
April fishing trip
Great day with Captain Wayne.
Half day afternoon back country with Captain Wayne
+103
Angler rating
67
8
1
0
0
Anglers claimed
Good experience
98%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
95%
Appropriate for children
94%
Satisfied with the boat
98%
Caught fish
94%
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Showing:
5 of 79 reviews
Racheal P.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fishing with Wayne

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip – Backcountry (AM) on April 26, 2023
Racheal P. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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Racheal P. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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Ed R.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Great guide

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip – Backcountry (AM) on March 16, 2024
Very helpful and worked hard to get us into fish.
Ed R. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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Paul S.
Sanford, FL
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

May fishing trip

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip – Tarpon Fishing (PM) on May 9, 2023
Wayne knows the waterways and where to find Tarpon. He came through for us with a great fight at the end of the day.
Paul S. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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Paul S. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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Bill R.
Roswell, GA
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Very good
4.0 / 5
Overall

Full day charter

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip - 7 hours (AM) on April 22, 2023
Trip was half day tarpon and half day light tackle bay fishing (full day) Tarpon were light so we changed up tackle...
Bill R. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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  Wayne Gatling Captain replied

Josh S.
Stevensville, MD
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

3/4 day tarpon and snapper fishing

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip – Backcountry (AM) on March 12, 2023
My brother and I booked Wayne for a 3/4 day trip. Arrived to fishing grounds right at sunrise and, BOOM, it was hammer time!...
Josh S. recommends Wayne Gatling Guide Service
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