Michael Castaldi

Rating

Anglers' gallery (254)

What anglers say

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  Teresa Fullerton

  Repeat angler

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  Wisconsin, US

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  Member since 2026

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  2 trips

  5.0

  Verified

  NEW

  Awesome day, Great experience!

  Half Day Trip on September 19, 2026 • 2 adults

  I fished with Capt. Mike 9/19/26, half day trip starting at 8am. Mike is a very kind and personable Captain. I felt very comfortable with him the entire day (my friend had to cancel last minute). I could tell as soon as we reached our first "spot", that his priority was to get me on fish! The morning was beautiful & my first fish was on within minutes...a tarpon! It was a small one but still exciting to catch one. The remainder of the day was spent moving to various spots within channels. Each stop produced fish! Snapper and Snook kept me entertained the entire day, I didnt want to leave, but our time was eventually up. Never baited a hook or took off a fish...great customer service!! If Im ever back to this area, I will definitely plan a trip with Chum Em Up again. I really couldn't have asked for a better day!!

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  Response from Captain

  September 21, 2026

  thank you so much for the review i had a great time with you i really hope we can get you out there again and your buddy gets to experience everything thank you so much for everything and have a safe trip back home

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  Jeff Yount

  Repeat angler

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  Florida, US

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  Member since 2024

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  2 trips

  5.0

  Verified

  Snook and brutal Tarpon fishing.

  Half Day Trip on May 27, 2026 • 2 adults

  There were 3 of us and we all caught multiple snook. Some were so large we couldn't slow them down from getting tangled in the mangroves. Our female friend tangled the largest tarpon and we were cheering her on. She fought and fought that fish. It made one final jump and broke the line. She was so excited and worn out she had to sit down and rest before going on. These fish initially rip line off your reel, then they dive deep and its all you can do to hang on to your rod. Then they come straight up leaping into the air shaking and doing aerobatics that to sum up in one word "breathtaking". Now captain Steve told us when they jump lower your rod and point it towards the fish. Of course in all the excitement we would forget and the tarpon would either throw the hook or break the line. We would laugh and say another "L.D.R." Captain Jeff didn't know what L.D.R. meant. We laughed, it means we count the fish as a "long distance release" He laughed. I had one on that I was catching on, dropping the rod and pointing the rod towards the fish when it jumped. Three jumps and I still had it hooked. But, the fourth jump the fish threw the hook. It was a blast trying to get one to the boat. We shared fish stories with Captain Steve and found him to be very knowledgeable of seasonal patterns of fish, how temperature and tide plays a role and how fish position themselves in the water. Even though our trip was only 4 hours 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. we got there early and we left early. Captain Steve wasn't a clock watcher he asked us if we had anywhere we had to be after fishing and we told him no. Since we were catching and losing so many snook he let it go on for another 45 minutes beyond the 1:00 P.M. We were all impressed with how stable his boat was and handled some chop on the water with ease. Can't think of anything negative to say because we truly had a great time.

  Reported catch:

  
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  Kaitlyn Marzofka

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  Wisconsin, US

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  Member since 2026

  5.0

  Verified

  Epic Girls’ Trip

  Half Day Trip on April 23, 2026 • 2 adults

  We had an unforgettable experience on this fishing charter out of Punta Gorda! Captain Michael was absolutely amazing—knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure we had a great time from start to finish. The fishing was incredible—we caught an abundance of snook, snapper, redfish, and trout, which made the day even more exciting. It felt like there was never a dull moment! This trip was part of a fun girls’ getaway to celebrate a 30th birthday, and it couldn’t have been more perfect. Between the great fishing, beautiful scenery, and Captain Michal’s awesome energy, it was truly a highlight of the trip. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun and successful day on the water!

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  Response from Captain

  May 6, 2026

  that was an amazing review I really appreciate the both of you cant wait to do it again catch em up this season back in your home waters thanks again for everything

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  Steven Meckley

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  Michigan, US

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  Member since 2026

  5.0

  Verified

  From Ocean to Table….Awesome Trip

  Half day tarpon trip on May 1, 2026 • 2 adults

  Captain Mike was amazing - we were on fish in the first 10 minutes. Went for a 1/2 Tarpon trip, got into them and had a great time. Captain Mike suggested we could take part of the trip and target - Mangrove Snapper, Snook and Ocean Trout. We absolutely hammered them - limited out on Snapper and had all kinds of action. We can’t thank Captain Mike - Chum Em Up Charters enough for hooking us up. There is nothing better than fish this fresh for dinner. We will DEFINITELY book again…..🎯😎

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  Response from Captain

  May 2, 2026

  thank you so much i had a absolute blast with you both that fish looks absolutely delicious im glad you enjoyed it and cant wait to fo it again have a safe trip back home

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  Juliana Santos

  Repeat angler

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  Florida, US

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  Member since 2026

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  2 trips

  5.0

  Verified

  NEW

  Fishing with Michael

  Afternoon half on October 11, 2026 • 4 adults

  Captain Mike gave us a great fishing experience. He put us on fish at each location we went to and targeted the type of fish we requested! When the bites slowed down we were on the move. His boat was well equipped with everything we needed to have a fun half day on the water and comfortable seating arrangements for 4.

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