Portside Fishtales
Don't miss out on the fall run! Captain John is a Gloucester native with more than 50 years experience fishing the waters of Salem Sound, Cape Ann, Massachusetts Bay, and the Gulf of Maine. We stick to the inshore waters, always within a few miles from land and don't operate on stormy weather days.
We operate weekends and holidays during the season (May - October).
Planning a family adventure? Kids are absolutely welcome! We offer specialized trips that cater to kids needs and have all required safety equipment on hand to make sure everyone has fun while staying safe.
We provide the everything that you need to catch and land your fish! The rods will be setup to catch what we are targeting that day and we keep everything in working order throughout the trip. You are more than welcome to bring your own gear if you prefer.
The charter boat covers your fishing license, just show up ready for a good time! Keep in mind that you may have to release some fish due to regulations. The captain will help you follow regulations while you fish.
A few items to bring include sunglasses, bottled water, and sunblock. If you'd like to bring other drinks, just ask. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.
The best fishing happens early in the morning, which is when the fish are more active. The fish are much less active as the day goes on, which is why a 6 AM starting time is advised. We do not offer trips at night or in the evening due to visibility hazards and liability costs.
Don't miss out on the fall run! Captain John is a Gloucester native with more than 50 years experience fishing the waters of Salem Sound, Cape Ann, Massachusetts Bay, and the Gulf of Maine. We stick to the inshore waters, always within a few miles from land and don't operate on stormy weather days.
We operate weekends and holidays during the season (May - October).
Planning a family adventure? Kids are absolutely welcome! We offer specialized trips that cater to kids needs and have all required safety equipment on hand to make sure everyone has fun while staying safe.
We provide the everything that you need to catch and land your fish! The rods will be setup to catch what we are targeting that day and we keep everything in working order throughout the trip. You are more than welcome to bring your own gear if you prefer.
The charter boat covers your fishing license, just show up ready for a good time! Keep in mind that you may have to release some fish due to regulations. The captain will help you follow regulations while you fish.
A few items to bring include sunglasses, bottled water, and sunblock. If you'd like to bring other drinks, just ask. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.
The best fishing happens early in the morning, which is when the fish are more active. The fish are much less active as the day goes on, which is why a 6 AM starting time is advised. We do not offer trips at night or in the evening due to visibility hazards and liability costs.
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Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (14)
Reviews (5)
Mike MillerRepeat angler5.0VerifiedGreat fishing trip
3 Hour Trip – U13 Kids Special on August 8, 2026 • 2 adultsCapt John met us and got us on some mackerel bait fish right away. We went around the bay trying to find stripped bass. We had a great boat ride around Salem and Beverly. Capt John tried really hard to find where the strippers were, we tried many spots, and talked with others to get on the strippers but weren’t able to be successful. We have zero complaints. John was great, he had a great boat with really good gear.
John Vishneski5.0VerifiedBest Captain
3 Hour Trip – U13 Kids Special on July 31, 2026 • 4 adults • 2 childrenCaptain John Farrell is wonderful. Our group was me (granpa), my daughter, grand daughter, and and her friend. We caught 8 mackerel for bait and then went after bigger game - Stripes Bass. Alas, the Bass were not biting, but the kids loved being on the water and hearing the captain’s stories, and it was a beaitiful day. And, it turns out that the four mackerel we took home were a tasty part of dinner!
Roger Dandreo5.0VerifiedBoys first fishing trip
3 Hour Trip – U13 Kids Special on July 18, 2026 • 2 adults • 1 childLittle guy had a blast. Captain was great. Very good with my 6 year old boy that had a question for him every minute on the minute the entire time. He was very happy to answer and informative with even the most random questions the boy had. Captain was actually amuesed with his enthusiasm and interest in fishing. All in all it was a perfect day and great experience for my boy. He is already asking when we can go out again.
Richard Baxter5.0VerifiedGreat time w Captain John. He put us on the fish and we had a blast
5 Hour Trip – Inshore on August 29, 2026 • 3 adultsCaptain John put us on the fish and we had a blast. Local born and raised. Really good guy!
FAQs about Portside Fishtales
- US $450 per group - U13 Family Special (3 hours)
- US $600 per group - 4 Hour Trip – Inshore (4 hours)
- US $700 per group - 5 Hour Trip – Inshore (5 hours)
- Toilet
- GPS
- Fishfinder
- Live bait well
- Ice box
- Radar
- Rods, reels & tackle
- Live bait
- Lures
- Catch cleaning & filleting
- Fishing license
- Inshore fishing
- Nearshore fishing
- Offshore fishing
- Light tackle
- Heavy tackle
- Bottom fishing
- Trolling
- Spinning
- Jigging
- Popping
- Drift fishing
- Deep sea fishing
- Bass (Striped)
- Bluefish (Tailor)
- Bonito
- Cod
- Flounder
- Haddock
- Mackerel (Atlantic)
- Pollock
- Seabass (Black)
- Tuna (Bluefin)
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