Captain
Tom Charlton

Member since April 2015 Tampa, United States
Background
I have been a Coast Guard licensed fishing charter captain in Tampa for 25 years. Having full coverage insurance and Red Cross training, I have your safety always in mind. Check me out and see how a quarter century of experience can put you on the fish.
Techniques
My specialty is flats and backwater fishing for snook, speckled trout and redfish. However I also like to deep water fish for grouper, snapper, cobia and tarpon.

Hey, I'm Captain Tom Charlton

Tampa, United States
Background
I have been a Coast Guard licensed fishing charter captain in Tampa for 25 years. Having full coverage insurance and Red Cross training, I have your safety always in mind. Check me out and see how a quarter century of experience can put you on the fish.
Techniques
My specialty is flats and backwater fishing for snook, speckled trout and redfish. However I also like to deep water fish for grouper, snapper, cobia and tarpon.
170
Reviews
30
Fishing Reports
Verified

My Charter Listing

Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters

Excellent
4.7 / 5
(170 reviews)
Tampa
 Instant Confirmation
Trips from US $600

Fishing Reports

Winter fishing Tampa Bay
Winter fishing Tampa Bay
Jan 11, 2026 Tampa
Unlike the always warmer waters of Key West, Tampa Bay waters do get cold which can limit catching the big ones that migrate south for the winter. One had to be creative. Big snook, trout and redfish are scarce due to low, low tides leaving the shallows dry and desolate. I go the the artificial reefs and ship channel edges for big Gag groupers ranging up to 30 plus inches. They fight like hooking a freight train trying to stick to the bottom and cut the line in the rocks where they live. You have to mad dog mean and stronger than them to get them to the boat. And itโ€™s worth it! Warning if you canโ€™t lift 30 pounds this is not for you.
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Upper Tampa Bay Redfish NOW!
Upper Tampa Bay Redfish NOW!
Sep 15, 2023 Tampa
Three trips seven redfish. These are the biggest. Fish Now!
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Gag grouper OPENS September 1! Letโ€™s Go
Gag grouper OPENS September 1! Letโ€™s Go
Aug 31, 2023 Tampa
The hurricane has gone . Itโ€™s going to be a beautiful start to the long awaited Gag Grouper season. As of now it runs from September 1 to November 10. Minimum size to keep is 24โ€ and allowed to keep 2 . Time is waisting! Letโ€™s Go Fishing!
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Cobia
Cobia
Jul 9, 2023 Tampa
36 incch Cobia in upper Tampa Bay
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Cobia
Cobia
May 30, 2023 Tampa
COBIA
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MAC ATTACK
MAC ATTACK
Mar 25, 2023 Tampa
We were looking for snook but the bite was slow. I had to improvise. We needed fish to eat. So I decided to go after Spanish Mackerel. It was definitely the right move . My charter had a great time on the toothy screemers and some Speckled Trout mixed in.
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.7 / 5
out of 5 stars from 170 reviews
See details
Boat
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Crew
Excellent
4.8 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (115)
Great trip!!!
Great trip!!!
Great trip!!!
+112
Angler rating
136
26
6
0
1
Anglers claimed
Good experience
96%
Friendly captain
99%
Recommend this charter
94%
Appropriate for children
93%
Satisfied with the boat
97%
Caught fish
82%
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5 of 170 reviews
Antonio G.

The captain canceled

VERIFIED   August 7, 2023
The charter operator canceled on trip date. This is an automated posting.
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Kyle M.
Largo, Florida
Excellent
4.3 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Very good
4.0 / 5
Crew
Very good
4.0 / 5
Overall

December fishing trip

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip - Evening on December 29, 2017
Kyle M. recommends Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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Kyle M. recommends Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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John S.
Ocala, FL
Good
3.0 / 5
Experience:
Good
3.0 / 5
Boat
Good
3.0 / 5
Crew
Good
3.0 / 5
Overall

Fishing with Tom

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (AM) on March 2, 2020
Weather really wasnโ€™t conducive to fishing we caught one fish at least we didnโ€™t get skunked Are we should not have gone...
John S. does not recommend Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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John S. does not recommend Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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Jalena W.
Salt Lake City, UT
Good
2.7 / 5
Experience:
Good
3.0 / 5
Boat
Good
3.0 / 5
Crew
Bad
2.0 / 5
Overall

June fishing trip

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on June 24, 2018
Tom was very nice, but my son was very specific about the type of fish he was interested in fishing for, which Tom agreed to...
Jalena W. does not recommend Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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1 person finds this review helpful
You and 1 other person found this review helpful
Jalena W. does not recommend Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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1 person finds this review helpful
You and 1 other person found this review helpful
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Robb C.
Fort Myers, Florida
Excellent
4.3 / 5
Experience:
Very good
4.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Very good
4.0 / 5
Overall

Very Knowledgeable!

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip - Evening on July 24, 2016
Fun day of fishing.ย  Fished the flats and the channel so had a varied experience.
Robb C. recommends Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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Robb C. recommends Charltonโ€™s Reef Charters
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