Turtlehead Charters Crystal River
Turtlehead Charters Crystal River
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Welcome to Crystal River, Florida, and the fishing trip of a lifetime! Captain Frank Viola and Turtlehead Charters are thrilled to have you here. We're truly grateful for every new friend we make and honored that you've chosen to trust us with your vacation and fishing adventure.
Your experience means everything to us, and we're committed to making every day on the water unforgettable. From the moment you step aboard, our goal is to provide exceptional service, expert guidance, and lasting memories.
Captain Frank Viola is one of the world's premier tarpon fishing guides, renowned for his expertise and passion for the sport. Growing up in Orlando, he spent his early years bass fishing local waters and chasing saltwater species in the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons. However, it was a family vacation to the Florida Keys that sparked his obsession with tarpon, setting him on a lifelong path toward mastering the species.
While his father, Frank Viola, is a Hall of Fame baseball player, Captain Frank's dream was never to play baseball, it was to become a world-renowned tarpon fisherman. He made that dream a reality, starting his guiding career in Clearwater, Florida, before bringing his knowledge and skills to Crystal River, where he now resides with his family.
After a brief stint in North Carolina as a professional bass fisherman, Captain Frank returned to Florida to do what he loves most, guiding anglers in pursuit of redfish, snook, trout, and, of course, tarpon. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a first-time fisherman, he's ready to share his passion and expertise, ensuring an unforgettable day on the water.
Welcome to Turtlehead Charters!!!
Welcome to Crystal River, Florida, and the fishing trip of a lifetime! Captain Frank Viola and Turtlehead Charters are thrilled to have you here. We're truly grateful for every new friend we make and honored that you've chosen to trust us with your vacation and fishing adventure.
Your experience means everything to us, and we're committed to making every day on the water unforgettable. From the moment you step aboard, our goal is to provide exceptional service, expert guidance, and lasting memories.
Captain Frank Viola is one of the world's premier tarpon fishing guides, renowned for his expertise and passion for the sport. Growing up in Orlando, he spent his early years bass fishing local waters and chasing saltwater species in the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons. However, it was a family vacation to the Florida Keys that sparked his obsession with tarpon, setting him on a lifelong path toward mastering the species.
While his father, Frank Viola, is a Hall of Fame baseball player, Captain Frank's dream was never to play baseball, it was to become a world-renowned tarpon fisherman. He made that dream a reality, starting his guiding career in Clearwater, Florida, before bringing his knowledge and skills to Crystal River, where he now resides with his family.
After a brief stint in North Carolina as a professional bass fisherman, Captain Frank returned to Florida to do what he loves most, guiding anglers in pursuit of redfish, snook, trout, and, of course, tarpon. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a first-time fisherman, he's ready to share his passion and expertise, ensuring an unforgettable day on the water.
Welcome to Turtlehead Charters!!!
Trip availability and prices
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Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (136)
What anglers say
All reviews (103)
This trip was all about getting my 16 year old son his first Tarpon. 2-3 hours in we had hooked 3 and he brought a 70-80lber in. Unbelievable experience, wouldnt trade it for anything. Captain is excellent!
Capt August was excellent, patient and got us on fish under challeging conditions
Booked a four hour bass fishing charter with Captain Frank as a Christmas gift for my son and he did not disappoint. From start to finish, everything was top-notch. The boat, rods and lures were the highest of quality. The captain and his first mate, Spencer, were friendly, hospitable and incredibly knowledgeable of the lake and the fish that inhabit it. They went above and beyond to ensure that we had a fantastic time on the water. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a beginner, this charter is perfect for anyone looking to have a great day on Lake Norman. Highly recommend!
Adam, thank you so much for this phenomenal review! I seriously cannot thank you enough! We LOVED spending the day on the water with you! Thank you for your kindness and awesome conversation! I hope to fish with you again sooner than later! Thank you!!!
When you go fishing, you really want to create a memory. Captain Frank gives you a day you will never forget. His warm smile and courteous manner coupled with his expert knowledge is rare. We spent the entire day with Frank and caught every targeted species and had plenty of fish to eat when we went home. Great day made possible by a great captain. If you want to catch a fish - book with anyone / if you want a day you will always remember book with Captain Frank!
Wow! What a wonderful review! Thank you so much! I just saw this review from a couple months ago and you just left a tarpon trip a couple of weeks ago too! You’re the best!!!
I booked this trip as a birthday gift to myself. Captain Frank was out of town but put me and my son with Captain Spencer. He was a great resource on locations to get bites. And he was right. We caught fish at almost every spot he took us to. My son had a ball and is already asking when is the next trip. We created some great memories. It was a great birthday gift to myself! I highly recommend this outfit for your next fishing trip.
Doug, you are an outstanding person! Thank you so much for taking the time to not only write a review, but to share images of your birthday trip! These reviews help our business tremendously and I cannot thank you enough for the time you took to not only fish with us but to write this wonderful review! Thank you again and we cannot wait to see you again!!!
FAQs about Turtlehead Charters Crystal River
- US $400 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Scallop Trip (4 hours)
- US $400 per group, additional US $50 per person after 2 guests - Scallop Trip - 1:00 PM (4 hours)
- US $550 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip (AM) (4 hours)
- US $550 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Half Day Trip (PM) (4 hours)
- US $1,100 per group, additional US $75 per person after 2 guests - Full Day Trip!! (8 hours)
- US $1,500 per group, additional US $100 per person after 2 guests - Tarpon Trip (7 hours)
- GPS
- Fishfinder
- Live bait well
- Multimedia system
- Wireless trolling motor
- Ice box
- Rods, reels & tackle
- Live bait
- Lures
- Catch cleaning & filleting (We do this after the trip, there is no charge for cleaning fish!!)
- Snacks (There are always kid friendly and healthy snacks on board! All you have to do is ask!!)
- Drinks (Ice and water are always on board, special requests for juice or soda are accepted. Alcohol is bring your own!!)
- Fishing license
- Lunch (Only on full day trips)
- Fly fishing equipment
- River fishing
- Inshore fishing
- Nearshore fishing
- Wreck fishing
- Flats fishing
- Backcountry fishing
- Light tackle
- Heavy tackle
- Trolling
- Spinning
- Jigging
- Popping
- Fly fishing
- Drift fishing
- Bass (Largemouth)
- Black Drum
- Cobia
- Crappie
- Flounder
- Grouper (Gag)
- Permit
- Redfish
- Shark (Bull)
- Snook
- Speckled Trout
- Tarpon
Your captain
The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.
Every year Captain Frank's family would take a trip to Islamorada in the Florida Keys. He saw his first Tarpon and all he could think about was one day adventuring the ocean as a professional fisherman. After ten years of playing professional baseball, the captain dove into the fishing industry head first. He started shooting photo and video content for some of the industry leaders in 2016 and continued to create content for companies such as Yeti, Hell's Bay Boatworks, and more. After spending years on the water, he decided to become a full-time captain. Sharing the outdoor experience with others is why he decided to make a career of this job and of course, you and he absolutely will catch fish!
August C.
Captain
The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.
Every year Captain Frank's family would take a trip to Islamorada in the Florida Keys. He saw his first Tarpon and all he could think about was one day adventuring the ocean as a professional fisherman. After ten years of playing professional baseball, the captain dove into the fishing industry head first. He started shooting photo and video content for some of the industry leaders in 2016 and continued to create content for companies such as Yeti, Hell's Bay Boatworks, and more. After spending years on the water, he decided to become a full-time captain. Sharing the outdoor experience with others is why he decided to make a career of this job and of course, you and he absolutely will catch fish!
August C.
Captain
What is the boat like?
What kind of fishing will you do?
Which fishing techniques you can try
Which amenities are available onboard
What's included in the trip price
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.
What the listing policies are
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
How you can pay
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
PayPal
Checks
Bank transfer
What’s biting in Crystal River right now
Black Drum
Cobia
Grouper (Gag)
Permit
Redfish
Snook
Speckled Trout
TarponCompare similar fishing charters
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