Join Jon Gatlin Guide Service for a perfect opportunity to target some of the area’s most popular species. Head down to beautiful Rockport, Texas, to enjoy cool breezes and hot fishing action!
No matter if you are looking for a family vacation with your kids, a get-away for the adults, company team building or a client appreciation trip, you’ve come to the right place. Fun is the name of the game and Captain Jon guarantees you will have a great time!
Whether it’s your first time, your thousandth or somewhere in-between, you can count on Capt. Jon for an enjoyable and stress-free experience. Leave the work to your knowledgeable and experienced local guide. He enjoys teaching young and old, doing all the "work" for the experienced who just want to focus on the "fun" part.
The foundation of any day on the water starts with utilizing quality equipment for an unmatched experience. Board the 23’ customized Haynie Bigfoot together with 3 of your friends and you’ll find plenty of deck space and a smooth ride. Equipped with a trolling motor and power pole, the shallow waters are a breeze to navigate.
Your adventure of a lifetime will include exploring the inshore flats in the area, abundant with a variety of species from Black Drum and Redfish, to Spotted Seatrout and Flounder. Kids of all ages are welcome, just bring the life vests for the little ones’ comfort. Your captain will clean the catch after the trip and provide all the gear you need.
All anglers are responsible for purchasing a Texas fishing license with a saltwater stamp prior to the fishing trip. A cooler and ice will be ready for any drinks or snacks you want to bring. Pack your bags and some sunscreen and book your trip with Jon Gatlin Guide Service today!
Captain
Jon Gatlin
Most popular features:
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (53)
Angler rating
Anglers claimed
Good experience
97%
Appropriate for children
97%
Friendly captain
100%
Satisfied with the boat
99%
Recommend this charter
99%
Caught fish
94%
United States
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
6 Hour Bay Fishing Trip (AM) on April 24, 2021
My wife, her cousin, her cousins husband, and I, went on a half day trip with Captain John in the bay today. We had a fantastic day with him. He took us to several of the known spots for red fish and drum and was very knowledgable about the local wildlife habits. He had great supplies and his boat was a smooth ride. He baited the wives hooks and would even cast for them if we were a ways off from the target. Fun was had by all and John was a good sport with all of our joking. Overall we caught drum and red fish that were keepers and had a ton of fun fights with catfish and stingrays. John as very personable and very honest about the fishing outlook for the day today. He also took the time to clean our fish when we were done. We would highly recommend John to anyone looking for a relaxing fishing trip. We will be using his services again in the future.
My wife, her cousin, her cousins husband, and I, went on a half day trip with Captain John in the bay today. We had a fantastic day with him. He took us to several of the known spots for red fish and drum and was very knowledgable about the local wildlife habits. He had great supplies and his boat was a smooth ride. He baited the wives hooks and would even cast for them if we were a ways off from the target. Fun was had by all and John was a good sport with all of our joking. Overall we caught...
San Antonio, TX
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
6 Hour Bay Fishing Trip (AM) on March 24, 2021
Jon was polite, patient and fun. He offered tips and instruction on catching drum vs. reds. He was attentive, but also let me and my party "be ourselves". The fishing. Yeah, it was incredible. We maxed out on Reds (big ones) and Black Drum (also big ones). It was awesome. The fish put up a fight and the experience was awesome. We ended up catching about 24-25 fish over a 6 hour period (16 were legal "keepers"). I loved this trip and will definitely book with Jon again. Glen N., San Antonio, TX
Jon was polite, patient and fun. He offered tips and instruction on catching drum vs. reds. He was attentive, but also let me and my party "be ourselves". The fishing. Yeah, it was incredible. We maxed out on Reds (big ones) and Black Drum (also big ones). It was awesome. The fish put up a fight and the experience was awesome. We ended up catching about 24-25 fish over a 6 hour period (16 were legal "keepers"). I loved this trip and will definitely book with Jon again. Glen N., San...
Boyd, TX
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Summer Weekdays Half Day Fishing AM on August 12, 2020
Took 3 of my kids on a trip out with Jon. A 19 year old boy, 13 year old girl and 9 year old boy. Slow day of fishing, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Moved spots a few times and had quite a few on that got away. Totally expected with all the kiddos in the boat. We kept Jon on his feet helping everyone out. Very nice guy and would highly recommend for family friendly experience. Only ended up with 3 keepers for the day, but an experience that will help to teach my kids to love and respect fishing for what it is and not everyday is a boat filler!! When we got back on the dock the TPWD marine biologist was there checking fish and said most of the boats coming in had no fish!! Thanks Jon, we enjoyed it and I apologize I forgot to get a pic of you with the kids!!
Took 3 of my kids on a trip out with Jon. A 19 year old boy, 13 year old girl and 9 year old boy. Slow day of fishing, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Moved spots a few times and had quite a few on that got away. Totally expected with all the kiddos in the boat. We kept Jon on his feet helping everyone out. Very nice guy and would highly recommend for family friendly experience. Only ended up with 3 keepers for the day, but an experience that will help to teach my kids to love and respect...
McKinney, Texas
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Summer Weekdays Half Day Fishing AM on June 12, 2020
Captain Gatlin gets only excellent remarks here. Before the trip, he was available and communicative which is wonderful when booking trips on the internet. While fishing, he was knowledgeable of the entire bay area and took us to so many spots to catch fish. He was patient with us, did our casting, baited our hooks and taught us tips and tricks along the way. Ended the trip with a nice stash of speckled trout cleaned up and ready to go. Very personable and would highly recommend to others when booking a guide at Port Aransas. Great Captain!
Captain Gatlin gets only excellent remarks here. Before the trip, he was available and communicative which is wonderful when booking trips on the internet. While fishing, he was knowledgeable of the entire bay area and took us to so many spots to catch fish. He was patient with us, did our casting, baited our hooks and taught us tips and tricks along the way. Ended the trip with a nice stash of speckled trout cleaned up and ready to go. Very personable and would highly recommend to others...
Leander, TX
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
6 Hour Bay Fishing Trip (PM) on June 9, 2021
Normally I don’t equate the word great with an off fishing day. However on this day our guide John worked hard to put us onto some fish. We never felt bored , and that says a lot when two of the three in our party were novices at fishing. They were thrilled to bring catch and bring some keepers home .
Normally I don’t equate the word great with an off fishing day. However on this day our guide John worked hard to put us onto some fish. We never felt bored , and that says a lot when two of the three in our party were novices at fishing. They were thrilled to bring catch and bring some keepers home .
Jon Gatlin Guide Service offers the following trip to customers:
When you book a trip with Jon Gatlin Guide Service, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
Trips booked with Jon Gatlin Guide Service include:
Jon Gatlin Guide Service offers the following types of fishing:
Jon Gatlin Guide Service offers the following fishing techniques:
Top targeted fish species with Jon Gatlin Guide Service include:
Rockport, Texas, United States
''Born and raised in Rockport Texas, I have spent my entire life fishing these waters. I began fishing when I was 3 years old and started running a boat at the age of 14.'' Captain Jon's lifetime of experience includes everything from bay and offshore fishing, to duck, goose, dove, hog, and deer hunting. This job brings a lot of joy to him, especially seeing the smiles of people and watching kids catch the fish.
Inshore Fishing
Nearshore Fishing
Flats Fishing
Light Tackle
Spinning
Drift Fishing
GPS
Live Bait Well
Both live and dead bait are used
Ice Box
Rods, reels & tackle
Live Bait
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
Free cancellation up to 30 days prior to trip
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 30 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.
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child Friendly
You Keep Catch
Catch and Release Allowed
Book with 20% deposit, pay rest to captain
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 20% 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