I had also an incredible dolphin and seal lion colony viewing. The captain lets you create the experience you want. If it’s more about having a relaxing day with a gourmet lunch provided by captain Thao (I got the sushi deluxe omacase from an amazing famous sushi chef he provided out of his own pocket just to make the day as convenient and wonderful as he can. So don’t worry about drinks or packing a lunch. Bring binoculars. All gear even life vests provided. He gives clear instructions for safety before boat starts moving throughout the trip and explains everything clearly and slowly so the next cast you are already catching live bait herring! In 30 minutes we got the herring swimming in a barrel, enough to catch 15 flounder (3 out of mine were record sized!) and a medium sized cod. But the cod was the size of my leg! And just as wide! He lets you do everything hands on and catch after a brief show and tell, It makes for an efficient, smooth day for maximum time having your line in the water to give yourself the most exposure of your baited lines to catch your dream fish of the day! Afterwards, he takes photos of you with your fish and next day forwards you images to show and post on your instagram, etc. 100/100 experience. The best part was, despite the lack of ideal conditions for fishing, we triumphed where no one else did! Because he knows the secret spots where most of species lies, whatever kind of fish is biting that day. He is a fun, sassy, cut to the chase, let’s get our lines and get fishing captain. He takes fishing seriously and guarantees catching not only fish when no one else even gets bites, but also the maximum you can take home! Unbelievable! I ended up with a refrigerator stuffed full of fish. I made instant friends in my neighborhood Everybody fish tacos and fried cod! Don’t bother with anybody else. He is INSANE. Thao is The Fisherman The G O A T (greatest of all time). It’s only with him are you gonna hit the jackpot EVERY TIME. He’s a tiger woods, Shaw Attack on the water. We even had to leave our fishing spot after we caught the cod because we got jealous frustrated glances and wonderment from two other boatload of people adjacent to us, all hoping to hook a cod. And we caught my cod of great size within the first 3 casts (in less than 10 minutes)! I never fished on a boat before!!! Unreal! Because of decades of experience fishing, he truly and the feeding and hiding patterns of the fish. He let me enjoy the dolphins as much as I liked and the sea lions, too. (About 1 hr each) But that’s what I wanted. He wants to customize your experience. He always asks what you want to do and when to shift gears to whatever catch you want most and when to take lunch, use the restroom. It’s a 3 Michelin star picnic combined with a 5 star truly customized VIP service luxury sporting fishing trip. Posh and clean was his boat with the latest and quite expensive gear. Including fish finding sonar that looked like it could find a needle in a haystack. It was cool watching the screen seeing where the fish were and told us exactly what depth to cast. We only put our lines out when Thao knew it was guaranteed action, he always quickly left a dry spot with no hope of catching anything. He has in his head numerous options to find the fish. I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew in his mind like a topographical map the layout of the Puget.

I’ve fished all over, and I can say without hesitation—our day with Seattle Nautic Fishing and Salmon Charter was next level. We went out targeting lingcod and absolutely crushed it. Seven fish landed, six of them true monsters. Not luck—execution. Every single person on the boat got on fish, which says everything about the operation. Thao is the real deal. Easily one of the most seasoned, dialed-in captains in the Seattle area. You can feel it in how he reads the water, positions the boat, and keeps lines tight all day. There’s no wasted time—just results. I’ve done bonefishing in Hawaii, and honestly, Thao makes that feel easy by comparison. That’s how locked in he is. If you’re booking a charter in Seattle and it’s not with Seattle Nautic… you probably made the wrong call. We’ll be back.

I didn’t quite know what to expect from my first fishing experience - especially the 5am wake-up call, which is no small ask for a non-morning person. But I trusted my instincts, listened to my awesome colleagues and friends, and made the trip out. That decision turned into an unforgettable experience. Captain Thao is warm, friendly, patient, and clearly an expert at his craft. Before we headed out, he walked us through exactly what to do and confidently told us that if we trusted the process and followed instructions, we’d each come back with a lingcod. He was right. Beyond the fishing itself, what stood out was how enjoyable and well-run the entire experience was. The energy on the boat was great, the guidance was clear for first-timers like me, and Captain Thao made everyone feel comfortable and included throughout the trip. He also brought along an incredible seafood spread that was honestly amazing and added even more to the experience. For a first-time fisherman, I genuinely could not have asked for a better introduction. Highly recommend Captain Thao to both beginners and experienced anglers alike.

First, we pulled a "you know your from Florida" and thought the cloud covered 70's was ideal to wear just some fishing clothes and a light hoodie. Wrong idea! We brought our 9yo son and 17yo daughter. Not once did they cry and stuck it through this for me (my hearts). Absolutely, booked this on a whim and it was "out of season" for Salmon in which captain suggested me to fish for something else but still as I am stubborn, I am persistence and he said it is possible for "catchable/keepable" under certain regulations. So, Seattle/Tacoma we came. We were able to catch a juvenile King Salmon, but it was the only one. I cannot complain about the fishing quantity due to my own decisions, but the quality of my family experience was overwhelming beyond my expectations.

We've been fishing with Thao for years now, and every trip out is as good as the last. He runs a first-class charter and is knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely passionate about putting you on fish. What sets him apart is the variety of techniques he offers. Beyond the usual trolling and jigging, he's one of the few captains in the area who mooches (a highly effective technique for salmon perfected by Japanese fishermen in Seattle in the early 1900s). Over the years we've landed kings, coho, pinks, lingcod, cabezon, and flounder with him. He knows where the fish are, reads the water well, and adjusts his approach based on conditions. Whether you're an experienced angler or bringing the family out for the first time, he'll make sure you have a great day on the water. If you're looking for a charter captain who takes the craft seriously and treats every client like a friend, Thao is your guy!