Bell 8 Charters
Bell 8 Charters
Bell 8 Charters invites you to join Captain Jack Fairburn for a relaxing fishing trip out of Old Lyme, Connecticut. Captain Jack has always loved fishing and decided to pursue his lifelong dream when he retired from teaching. These days, Captain Jack guides anglers on the beautiful waters around Old Lyme.
Fishing is good for a variety of species, and depending on what you wish to target and the season, you can visit a number of productive fishing sites. Captain Jack can take you to Hatchett's Reef, Long Sand Shoal, and the tidal rip off Cornfield Point, depending on where the fish are and the season. Targeted species include Striped Bass, Bluefish, Tautog, Black Seabass, Flounder, Dogfish, Porgy, and more.
The boat is a 21' Steiger Craft with a capacity for four guests. Powered by a 150 HP Yamaha engine, with a maximum cruising speed of 32 knots, this vessel is fast and reliable in getting you to and from the productive fishing grounds. The vessel features life jackets for safety, a livewell for the bait, and a GPS and fishfinder used to locate the schooling fish.
Bell 8 Charters offers short trips that last 3 hours, which is long enough to put you on the fish. Fishing trips include rods, reels, tackle, artificial bait, fishing licenses, and a fish processing service at the end.
Bell 8 Charters invites you to join Captain Jack Fairburn for a relaxing fishing trip out of Old Lyme, Connecticut. Captain Jack has always loved fishing and decided to pursue his lifelong dream when he retired from teaching. These days, Captain Jack guides anglers on the beautiful waters around Old Lyme.
Fishing is good for a variety of species, and depending on what you wish to target and the season, you can visit a number of productive fishing sites. Captain Jack can take you to Hatchett's Reef, Long Sand Shoal, and the tidal rip off Cornfield Point, depending on where the fish are and the season. Targeted species include Striped Bass, Bluefish, Tautog, Black Seabass, Flounder, Dogfish, Porgy, and more.
The boat is a 21' Steiger Craft with a capacity for four guests. Powered by a 150 HP Yamaha engine, with a maximum cruising speed of 32 knots, this vessel is fast and reliable in getting you to and from the productive fishing grounds. The vessel features life jackets for safety, a livewell for the bait, and a GPS and fishfinder used to locate the schooling fish.
Bell 8 Charters offers short trips that last 3 hours, which is long enough to put you on the fish. Fishing trips include rods, reels, tackle, artificial bait, fishing licenses, and a fish processing service at the end.
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Trip availability and prices
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Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (68)
What anglers say
Reviews (90)
Bill HickeyRepeat angler•
New Jersey, US•Member since 20202 trips5.0VerifiedAmazing Day Fishing!
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on August 4, 2026 • 2 adultsCaptain Jack is absolutely amazing! He is knowledgeable about the area, the sea and fishing. It's obvious he truly loves what he does. My grandson and I had a great day. We caught over 10 fish each and five different species and let me tell you if we caught nothing. It still would've been a great day. I highly highly recommend Captain Jack.
Eva Davis•Connecticut, USMember since 20265.0VerifiedOur first time
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on June 29, 2026 • 4 adults • 3 childrenIt was my kids and my first time going, captain Jack was amazing so kind and welcome very nice man to be around. He made sure the exerince was amazing, kept me updated, communication was great, this was a ten out of ten experience. My kids cant wait to go back will be using him again in the futurehe was a pleasure.
Teri Brazeal•Georgia, USMember since 20265.0VerifiedExactly what we were going for!
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on August 18, 2026 • 3 adultsWe wanted a fun and relaxing day on the water with a more personal experience and Captain Jack did not disappoint! He was personable, knowledgeable and very attentive. The weather was perfect to match the experience. We didn’t want to be elbow to elbow on a large fishing charter and this was perfect!
Jake Connelly•New Hampshire, USMember since 20245.0VerifiedCaptain Jack is the ideal charter Captain
3 Hour Trip - Weekend & Holidays on July 5, 2024 • 4 adultsAdjusted our times based on weather to make sure our crew had the absolute most enjoyable fishing experience. Our goal was to hang out and catch fish and we did just that. Caught five different species on what was supposed to be a rainy day that turned into a sunny beautiful one full of laughter and smiles. Very personable. Forgot we where on a charter and felt like we were hanging out with a friend all day that had an encyclopedia amount of knowledge about the area, fishing, and boating. 10/10 recommend. Can’t wait to book again to fish with a great captain and an all around great guy.
Patrick RaeRepeat angler•New York, US•Member since 20213 trips5.0VerifiedGreat trip
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on July 28, 2025 • 2 adultsMy son and I do an annual trip on our way home from his summer camp. Due to an emergency we spent more time at camp than expected so we had to cancel our regular charter. This was a blessing because we found captain Jack. He was able to get us in last minute. It was a great trip, we caught fish all day and he took the time to explain things to my son. We may have a new regular boat for our annual trip
Jim Fitzgerald•Pennsylvania, USMember since 20245.0VerifiedGreat Capton/ Great man
3 Hour Trip - Weekend & Holidays on June 23, 2024 • 2 adultsCaptain Jack is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Exceeded expectations fishing. Even dropped my son off because he was sea sick. Could have ended the trip at that point, but no! He took us back out for longer than our trip was supposed to be. Great time was had!! Many memories made!!
Kimberly Gordon•Massachusetts, USMember since 20255.0VerifiedCaptain Jack is exactly what we needed!
3 Hour Trip - Weekend & Holidays on June 15, 2025 • 3 adults • 1 childAwesome fishing experience! Bonus - We caught two baby sand sharks! So much fun!
James Cook•Ohio, USMember since 20225.0VerifiedHalf Day Trip with Captain Jack
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on June 23, 2022 • 4 adults • 3 childrenThis was a perfect trip! I took my 2 teenage nephews and my nine year old son. Captain Jack’s attention to safety, patience, and knowledge of the area was amazing! We started out in Long Island Sound where we caught quite a few sand sharks, porgie, and a few other fish. After that we moved in to the Connecticut River where all 4 of us caught a large striped bass in the span of an hour and a half. I highly recommend Captain Jack and Bell8 charters especially if you have younger or novice fishers.
Jeff Varney•Ohio, USMember since 20245.0VerifiedThank you !!
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on June 25, 2024 • 2 adultsWhat a perfect end to our short time here in CT! Beautiful day on the water with such a gracious host!! And we caught fish the entire time! Highly recommend, 5 stars
Nicole Amatruda•Colorado, USMember since 20255.0VerifiedFishing with Jack
3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) on August 18, 2025 • 4 adults • 2 children
Rating
Anglers' gallery (68)
What anglers say
All reviews (90)
Captain Jack is absolutely amazing! He is knowledgeable about the area, the sea and fishing. It's obvious he truly loves what he does. My grandson and I had a great day. We caught over 10 fish each and five different species and let me tell you if we caught nothing. It still would've been a great day. I highly highly recommend Captain Jack.
It was my kids and my first time going, captain Jack was amazing so kind and welcome very nice man to be around. He made sure the exerince was amazing, kept me updated, communication was great, this was a ten out of ten experience. My kids cant wait to go back will be using him again in the futurehe was a pleasure.
We wanted a fun and relaxing day on the water with a more personal experience and Captain Jack did not disappoint! He was personable, knowledgeable and very attentive. The weather was perfect to match the experience. We didn’t want to be elbow to elbow on a large fishing charter and this was perfect!
Captain Jack knew exactly where to find the fish! He did a great job with the equipment and the bait. We caught plenty of nice fish and had an awesome day on the water. Really special for my son and me. Thanks Captain Jack!
Out of more than 350charters, your crew was one of the best! Thank you 
Wonderful fishing trip in the Long Island Sound, appreciated the experience Captain Jack provided our group. Would absolutely recommend!
FAQs about Bell 8 Charters
- US $500 per group - 3 Hour Trip - Weekdays (AM) (3 hours)
- US $500 per group - 3 Hour Trip - Weekend & Holidays (3 hours)
- GPS 2020 Raymarine
- Fishfinder Garmin
- Live bait well
- Rods, reels & tackle (Client must request ahead of time)
- Lures (Live bait available at additional cost)
- Catch cleaning & filleting (Additional cost)
- Fishing license (Not required on licensed charter boats in CT)
- River fishing (Lower Connecticut River)
- Nearshore fishing (Eastern Long Island Sound)
- Reef fishing (Hatchett's Reef, Long Sand Shoal)
- Light tackle
- Bottom fishing
- Trolling
- Fly fishing (When winds permit.)
- Bass (Striped)
- Bluefish (Tailor)
- Flounder
- Scup (Porgy)
- Seabass (Black)
- Tautog
Your captain
Old Lyme, Connecticut, United States
I have been boating and fishing on the eastern end of Long Island Sound over 30 years. Having summers off from my teaching job has allowed me to experience the quiet waters during weekdays without most of the weekend amateurs.
Real catches by this captain
What is the boat like?
What kind of fishing will you do?
Which fishing techniques you can try
Which amenities are available onboard
How cancellations work
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 1 day 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.
What the listing policies are
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
How you can pay
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
Checks
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