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Big John's Fishing Guide 

4.9
(5 reviews)
 
State licensed
 501 East Maxan Street, Port Isabel, TX 78578, United States–
+12
+9

Big John's Fishing Guide 

Port Isabel, TX, United States
–
24 ft
6
4.9
(5 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

*NO CATCH, NO PAY*

Big John's Fishing Guide is a private fishing charter in Port Isabel, Texas that offers fun and unique trips on the Lower Laguna Madre. Join Captain Big John in exploring inshore and nearshore fishing spots, fishing from flats to reefs. I also accept offshore charters for an extra charge of $1500 for 1-4 people.

Captain John's comfy 21' Shallow Stalker saltwater fishing boat can take up to 6 people and is powered by a 300 HP E-TEC engine. It's got GPS and fishfinder systems which add to trip safety and will take you to the fish fast. The boat's equipped with a livewell, and it features a multimedia system and ice-box.

Some of the numerous species you'll encounter on your trip include Jack Crevalle, Black Drum, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead, and Pompano. Using light or heavy tackle, you'll be bottom fishing, deep sea fishing, trolling, popping, and drift fishing. Captain John welcomes all kids on his boat, so take your whole family and have a great time on the sea.

Big John's Fishing Guide's got you covered for all reels, rods, terminal tackle, lures, as well as drinks. You may only want to pack some food, and don't forget to bring your fishing licenses.

Enjoy Laguna Madre's fascinating scenery and have a fun and enjoyable fishing trip with Big John's Fishing Guide.

*NO CATCH, NO PAY*

Big John's Fishing Guide is a private fishing charter in Port Isabel, Texas that offers fun and unique trips on the Lower Laguna Madre. Join Captain Big John in exploring inshore and nearshore fishing spots, fishing from flats to reefs. I also accept offshore charters for an extra charge of $1500 for 1-4 people.

Captain John's comfy 21' Shallow Stalker saltwater fishing boat can take up to 6 people and is powered by a 300 HP E-TEC engine. It's got GPS and fishfinder systems which add to trip safety and will take you to the fish fast. The boat's equipped with a livewell, and it features a multimedia system and ice-box.

Some of the numerous species you'll encounter on your trip include Jack Crevalle, Black Drum, Snapper, Spanish Mackerel, Sheepshead, and Pompano. Using light or heavy tackle, you'll be bottom fishing, deep sea fishing, trolling, popping, and drift fishing. Captain John welcomes all kids on his boat, so take your whole family and have a great time on the sea.

Big John's Fishing Guide's got you covered for all reels, rods, terminal tackle, lures, as well as drinks. You may only want to pack some food, and don't forget to bring your fishing licenses.

Enjoy Laguna Madre's fascinating scenery and have a fun and enjoyable fishing trip with Big John's Fishing Guide.

John Ruiz
Captain
John Ruiz
20 years of experience
What this charter offers
You keep catch
Drinks
Child friendly
Ice box
Rods, reels & tackle
What this charter offers
You keep catch
Drinks
Child friendly
Ice box
Rods, reels & tackle

Select date to see availability

Trip date:
Group Size:
November 2026
SuMoTuWeThFrSa
Group Size
2 adults • 0 children
Change
5 Hour Trip - Morning
Non-refundable
5 hour trip starts at 7:00 AM
Jack Crevalle
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Snapper (Red)
Snook
+8
US $575
Entire boat: 2 people
5 Hour Trip - Afternoon
Non-refundable
5 hour trip starts at 2:00 PM
Seasonal trip
(Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat)
Jack Crevalle
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Snapper (Red)
Snook
+8
US $575
Entire boat: 2 people

Customer reviews

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Rating

4.9
5 reviews
4.8
Boat & equipment
5.0
Captain & crew
5.0
Fishing Experience

Anglers' gallery (6)

Reviews (5)

  • James Brian Smith
    James Brian Smith
    Repeat angler
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2015
    2 trips
    4.7
    Verified

    Great trip. Caught a lot of fish. Had a great time and everyone caught fish.

    5 Hour Trip - Afternoon on August 7, 2025 • 4 adults • 1 child
  • Raul Salinas
    Raul Salinas
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2022
    5.0
    Verified

    Fishing trip of excellence!!!

    5 Hour Trip - Morning on July 1, 2022 • 4 adults

    Captain Big John is awesome, highly recommended. Will spend quality time answering any questions you may have. And will definitely put you on the fish!!!

  • Barry Bernstein
    Barry Bernstein
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2023
    5.0
    Verified

    Half day with Captain John

    5 Hour Trip - Afternoon on June 7, 2023 • 3 adults

    Excellent captain! John put us in the fish and we limited out. Had a absolutely great time. Super friendly and helpful! I highly recommend him and I will definitely be using john in the future! Thanks for the great time John Barry

  • Leslie Smith
    Leslie Smith
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2020
    5.0
    Verified

    Fishing with John

    5 Hour Trip - Morning on December 28, 2021 • 2 adults

    None better . Excellent guide , put us on the fish and kept us fishing non stop

  • Brian Parker
    Brian Parker
    Repeat angler
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2019
    3 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great trip!

    5 Hour Trip - Morning on June 16, 2021 • 2 adults

    Captain John worked hard to get us in the fish, never gave up. Great job, hard worker, nice guy!

FAQs about Big John's Fishing Guide

Big John's Fishing Guide offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $575 per group, additional US $125 per person after 2 guests - 5 Hour Trip - Afternoon (5 hours)
  • US $575 per group, additional US $125 per person after 2 guests - 5 Hour Trip - Morning (5 hours)
When you book a trip with Big John's Fishing Guide, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Live bait well
  • Multimedia system
  • Ice box
Trips booked with Big John's Fishing Guide include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Lures
  • Drinks
Big John's Fishing Guide offers the following types of fishing:
  • Inshore fishing
  • Nearshore fishing
  • Reef fishing
  • Flats fishing
Big John's Fishing Guide offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light tackle
  • Heavy tackle
  • Bottom fishing
  • Trolling
  • Spinning
  • Jigging
  • Popping
  • Drift fishing
  • Flounder gigging
  • Deep sea fishing
Top targeted fish species with Big John's Fishing Guide include:
  • Black Drum
  • Flounder
  • Jack Crevalle
  • King Mackerel (Kingfish)
  • Pompano
  • Redfish
  • Sheepshead
  • Snapper (Mangrove)
  • Snapper (Red)
  • Snook
  • Spanish Mackerel
  • Speckled Trout

Your captain

John Ruiz
John Ruiz
Port Isabel, Texas, United States
5 Customer reviews
Typical response within 13 hours
Member since March 2020
Captain John Ruiz and his charter have got over 30 years of experience and they guarantee you'll return with a catch of a lifetime. You're not going fishing, you're going catchin'!
John Ruiz
John Ruiz
5
reviews
2020
member since
~14h
response
Captain John Ruiz and his charter have got over 30 years of experience and they guarantee you'll return with a catch of a lifetime. You're not going fishing, you're going catchin'!

The fish you can target

Black Drum
Black Drum
Flounder
Flounder
Jack Crevalle
Jack Crevalle
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Pompano
Pompano
Redfish
Redfish
Sheepshead
Sheepshead
Mangrove Snapper
Mangrove Snapper
Red Snapper
Red Snapper
Snook
Snook
Spanish Mackerel
Spanish Mackerel
Speckled Trout
Speckled Trout
Black Drum
Black Drum
Flounder
Flounder
Jack Crevalle
Jack Crevalle
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
King Mackerel (Kingfish)
Pompano
Pompano

Real catches by this captain

  • A family proudly displays their catch of multiple fish on a board at a fishing dock, showcasing a successful day on the water.
    Fish 1
    Black Drum
    James B.
    James B.
  • Three anglers posing together with a variety of fish displayed on a board at a fishing dock, showcasing their successful catch after a day of fishing.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Redfish
    Raul S.
    Raul S.
    Captain Big John is awesome, highly recommended. Will spend quality time answering any questions you may have. And will definitely put you on the fish!!!

What is the boat like?

Boat image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
6 persons
Boat length
24 ft
Year built
2021
Boat manufacturer
Shallow Stalker
Boat type
Bay boat
Engine model
300 Suzuki
Powered by
1 x 300HP
Max cruising speed
45 knots

What kind of fishing will you do?

Inshore Fishing
Nearshore Fishing
Reef Fishing
Flats Fishing

Which fishing techniques you can try

Light Tackle
Heavy Tackle
Bottom Fishing
Trolling
Spinning
Jigging
Popping
Drift Fishing
Flounder Gigging
Deep Sea Fishing

Which amenities are available onboard

GPS
Fishfinder
Live bait well
Multimedia system
Ice box
What's included in the trip price
Rods, reels & tackle
Lures
Drinks

How cancellations work

Deposit non-refundable
If it is unsafe to travel, you may still cancel free of charge or change the date(s) of your booking.
More details

What the listing policies are

Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child friendly
You keep catch
Disabled accessible

How you can pay

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
 Visa
 Mastercard
 American Express
 Bank transfer
When paying the remaining balance with a credit card, an additional 3% charge will apply.

What’s biting in Port Isabel right now

Black DrumBlack Drum
FlounderFlounder
Jack CrevalleJack Crevalle
King Mackerel (Kingfish)King Mackerel (Kingfish)
PompanoPompano
RedfishRedfish
SheepsheadSheepshead
Snapper (Mangrove)Snapper (Mangrove)
Snapper (Red)Snapper (Red)
SnookSnook
Spanish MackerelSpanish Mackerel
Speckled TroutSpeckled Trout

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