Better Days Charter Service
St. James City has a fish with your name on it, so let Better Days Charter Service help you catch it! Having logged many hours on these tides, Captain Bill can tell you all about the local fishery.
Depending on the season, you might hook into Red Snapper, Lane Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper, Amberjack, Red Grouper, Gag Grouper, and who knows what else! On these trips, you can expect to bottom fish.
Families who love fishing together will be glad to know that kids are welcome aboard! If you don't have a child-sized life vest of your own, be sure to ask if there's one on board. And, you can expect the captain will have water and Gatorade on board so can stay hydrated.
You'll find yourself aboard a 2022 GRADY WHITE 30' MARLIN offshore sport fishing boat that can carry up to 5 passengers. It has outriggers and all the essentials. There's a toilet on board for your convenience. Your captain will provide top of the line Star rods and Shimano conventional reels and Penn Spinning reels. Live bait is available, but be sure to ask about it so you know if you'll be catching it yourself.
The charter boat covers your fishing license, so all you have to do is look forward to your trip! Be mindful that some species may have special rules or limited seasons. If you don't know what to expect, ask the captain. You can't go wrong when you bring sunglasses, and sunscreen (non-spray). There will be some drinks on offer, but let the captain know if you wish to bring your own. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.
Now's the time to experience fishing in St. James City for yourself, with Better Days Charter Service!
St. James City has a fish with your name on it, so let Better Days Charter Service help you catch it! Having logged many hours on these tides, Captain Bill can tell you all about the local fishery.
Depending on the season, you might hook into Red Snapper, Lane Snapper, Yellowtail Snapper, Amberjack, Red Grouper, Gag Grouper, and who knows what else! On these trips, you can expect to bottom fish.
Families who love fishing together will be glad to know that kids are welcome aboard! If you don't have a child-sized life vest of your own, be sure to ask if there's one on board. And, you can expect the captain will have water and Gatorade on board so can stay hydrated.
You'll find yourself aboard a 2022 GRADY WHITE 30' MARLIN offshore sport fishing boat that can carry up to 5 passengers. It has outriggers and all the essentials. There's a toilet on board for your convenience. Your captain will provide top of the line Star rods and Shimano conventional reels and Penn Spinning reels. Live bait is available, but be sure to ask about it so you know if you'll be catching it yourself.
The charter boat covers your fishing license, so all you have to do is look forward to your trip! Be mindful that some species may have special rules or limited seasons. If you don't know what to expect, ask the captain. You can't go wrong when you bring sunglasses, and sunscreen (non-spray). There will be some drinks on offer, but let the captain know if you wish to bring your own. Alcohol is allowed in moderation, just be sure to avoid hard liquor as well as glass bottles.
Now's the time to experience fishing in St. James City for yourself, with Better Days Charter Service!
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Customer reviews
Rating
Anglers' gallery (25)
Reviews (20)
Amy Amy5.0VerifiedCaptain Bill and our Fantastic Fishing Excursion
6 Hour Trip on March 7, 2026 • 3 adultsWe found Captain Bill by chance and boy were we lucky! What a great day. Captain Bill took care of us, and it made for a great day! His boat is beautiful; the equipment was superb; and Captain Bill took care of the rest. He loves working with kids and was excited to have our 13-year-old son on board. He really knows the waters and all the variety of fish. We caught a ton of smaller fish as we did a 6-hour excursion that kept us about 30 miles from shore. If you want the big grouper, first fish when they are in season and second, you need to go out much further. I would book Captain Bill again in a heartbeat.
Bruce Loban5.0VerifiedCapt Bill Schwalm
8 Hour Trip on February 13, 2026 • 5 adultsCapt.had to deal with fog both on the way out and in ...he handled it like pro...when we got on the spot we caught so many fish a couple of my buddies had to stop because they were to tired of reeling in fish. Capr Bill has class,patience, and knowledge ,would highly recommend him to anyone ,My wife would have even enjoyed how comfortable his 30' boat is. Thank you Bill
Ryan Glaze5.0VerifiedPersonal Approach and Lots of Fish
6 Hour Trip on June 25, 2024 • 4 adultsWhat is more memorable? Catching a lot of fish? Or having a captain who makes it enjoyable to be on his boat? Fortunately, we had both! Bill's easy personality and his effort to call everyone by name made everyone feel comfortable. And we caught more than 75 fish on our 6 hour trip. We will be eating all the snapper we can handle for the next week. Also caught a 200 pound nurse shark. We look forward to hiring Bill again.
Jeff Novotny5.0VerifiedOverall great trip!
6 Hour Trip on March 21, 2024 • 4 adultsBill was a great captain. He shared some great info about the area and told some great stories. Boat and equipment were top notch. We did go out up to 28 miles on a 6hr charter. Thought we may catch some larger fish, but caught enough small snapper for a big feed and multiple other species. Also caught 1 bonus shark! On the way back we had a dolphin swimming/ jumping right by the boat. Very cool!
Mike Rogero5.0VerifiedNo better day than with Better Days
6 Hour Trip on August 1, 2025 • 5 adultsCaptain Bill made sure my kids had a great day on the water today! Great boat, great conversation, and great fishing! Thank you Cap!
Matthew Anderson5.0VerifiedDid not disappoint
4 Hour Trip (AM) on September 14, 2024 • 3 adultsCaptain Bill was fantastic.... a seasoned fisherman, an experienced captain and a super nice guy. The communication ahead of time was excellent. We were on fish all morning and were very comfortable on his well equipped Grady White. An overall great experience!
Gary SkoglundRepeat angler5.0VerifiedGreat time !
4 Hour Trip (AM) on May 21, 2024 • 2 adultsGreat guy ! And we caught fish . Had a blast . Will use him next time .
Joseph Balkovatz5.0VerifiedOffshore
6 Hour Trip on December 21, 2025 • 4 adultsHaving fished offshore everywhere from the rugged coasts of Alaska to the tropical waters of the Dominican Republic, I can say with confidence that this experience was absolute first-rate! Captain Bill truly delivered for our family trip. He is the perfect blend of what you want: Experienced, Kind, Helpful, and Determined. Whether you are a seasoned angler or out with the family, his expertise and attitude make all the difference. If you're looking for a captain who is as dedicated to your success as he is, look no further. :-)
Keith BollheimerRepeat angler5.0VerifiedFebruary fishing trip
6 Hour Trip on February 4, 2026 • 4 adultsCaptain Bill was very helpful and very professional.. Made it a very interactive experience.. Went above and beyond. Excellent equipment and top of the line Grady White boat. Does this because he loves what he’s doing. Would recommend him to everyone
Nancy HardersRepeat angler5.0VerifiedGreat trip
Trip for Nancy on February 9, 2026 • 3 adultsThe boat was very comfortable and clean The captain is very knowledgeable and friendly. He was able to get us on some very nice fish. We would go with him again.
FAQs about Better Days Charter Service
- US $925 per group - 6 Hour Trip (6 hours)
- US $1,350 per group - 8 Hour Trip (8 hours)
- US $1,800 per group - American Red Snapper trip (10 hours)
- Toilet There is a toilet on the boat
- Air conditioning
- GPS Dual Garmin 8612 units
- Fishfinder 1000 watt transducer
- Live bait well
- Refrigerator
- Outriggers
- Radar Garmin 24" Radome
- Rods, reels & tackle
- Live bait (We may catch some live bait and use it for bottom fishing.)
- Catch cleaning & filleting (I clean and bag your catch for you. )
- Drinks (Water and Gatorade provided at no charge)
- Fishing license (The boat has a fishing license for up to 4 people. )
- Nearshore fishing
- Offshore fishing (On a 4 hour charter we travel 10 to 20 miles offshore. On a 6 hour charter we travel 20 to 30 miles offshore. On a 8 hour charter we travel 30 to 50 miles offshore. All this depends on the weather.)
- Reef fishing
- Bottom fishing
- Spinning
- Jigging
- Deep sea fishing
- Amberjack
- Grouper (Gag)
- Grouper (Red)
- Grouper (Scamp)
- Snapper (Lane)
- Snapper (Red)
- Snapper (Vermilion)
- Snapper (Yellowtail)
- Triggerfish (Gray)
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Amberjack
Grouper (Gag)
Grouper (Red)
Snapper (Yellowtail)Compare similar fishing charters
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Federally permittedNew26 ftGroup size 1 - 61 - 6
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