Captain
William Daley

Member since April 2025 Fort Lauderdale, United States
Background
I grew up on Long Island, NY, where I landed my first job at a marina—running the launch and fixing boats. That's where my love for the water and fishing really took off. Not long after, I started working on big, multi-million dollar sportfishing yachts, chasing Tuna, Marlin, Wahoo, Mahi, Swordfish, Sharks, and Tilefish out in the canyons off Long Island. In my early 20s, I bought my own boat and named it Don't Tell Mom. That name stuck with me—so when I sold the boat, moved down to South Florida, and started running charters, I knew exactly what I was going to call my business. These days, I do everything I can to make sure my clients feel safe, comfortable, and have the best day possible out on the water. Whether you're an experienced angler or stepping on a boat for the first time, I'll go the extra mile to provide a memorable trip for you and hopefully catch you something you'll never forget!
Techniques
I really enjoy doing any type of fishing, but bottom fishing, trolling, kite fishing, wreck fishing, chunking, jig and pop, deep dropping, and shark fishing are some of my favorite methods.

Hey, I'm Captain William Daley

Fort Lauderdale, United States
Background
I grew up on Long Island, NY, where I landed my first job at a marina—running the launch and fixing boats. That's where my love for the water and fishing really took off. Not long after, I started working on big, multi-million dollar sportfishing yachts, chasing Tuna, Marlin, Wahoo, Mahi, Swordfish, Sharks, and Tilefish out in the canyons off Long Island. In my early 20s, I bought my own boat and named it Don't Tell Mom. That name stuck with me—so when I sold the boat, moved down to South Florida, and started running charters, I knew exactly what I was going to call my business. These days, I do everything I can to make sure my clients feel safe, comfortable, and have the best day possible out on the water. Whether you're an experienced angler or stepping on a boat for the first time, I'll go the extra mile to provide a memorable trip for you and hopefully catch you something you'll never forget!
Techniques
I really enjoy doing any type of fishing, but bottom fishing, trolling, kite fishing, wreck fishing, chunking, jig and pop, deep dropping, and shark fishing are some of my favorite methods.
Anglers Choice
Verified
Our Team
Christina M.
First mate
Zach J.
First mate
Logan G.
Captain
Mike K.
First mate

My Charter Listing

Excellent
4.9 / 5
(94 reviews)
Angler's choice
Fort Lauderdale
 Last booking: 5 days ago
 Instant Confirmation
Trips from US $214

Fishing Reports

Bonita Bite Building; Sharks & Snapper A
Bonita Bite Building; Sharks & Snapper A
Aug 13, 2026 Fort Lauderdale
Weekly Fishing Report | Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing โ€“ South Florida The past week brought a great mix of fishing, with conditions changing throughout the week but plenty of opportunities to put some quality fish in the boat. We had several days when the fish were feeding aggressively, with lots of Bonitas and a few King Mackerel mixed in, while other days required a little more searching and changing up our approach. The Bonita bite continues to build, and on the right days we've had some excellent action with multiple hookups and plenty of hard-fighting fish. A few more King Mackerel have also started showing up, which is an encouraging sign as we move toward fall. We've also seen schools of Jack Crevalle patrolling the reef, providing another exciting target for anglers looking for a strong fight. Mahi-Mahi have remained scattered, with a few fish showing up when the current was stronger. We've also seen the occasional Wahoo and some nice Barracudas and Rainbow Runners mixed into the trolling action. The Blackfin Tuna bite has slowed considerably, but that's a fairly typical seasonal pattern as we move out of the heart of summer. We expect to see them make another push as conditions change later in the season. We've also been catching plenty of Blue Runners while trolling, and these have been especially valuable as live bait. When we get a good supply of runners, we can put them to work on the deeper wrecks or slow troll them in areas where we're looking for bigger fish. This has produced some exciting opportunities for anglers looking to step up the size of their catch. One of the biggest highlights of the week was a large Bull Shark that put our anglers through an incredible battle. While we had the shark boatside, we noticed a couple of Cobia hanging around the fish. We quickly pitched baits to them and were fortunate enough to hook and land the Cobia as well. Having a Bull Shark and Cobia around the boat at the same time made for a pretty exciting few minutes! Shark fishing has slowed somewhat from the peak of summer, but we're still finding some quality fish, including another nice shark caught today. With trophy Sharks typically remaining active for several more months, there should continue to be plenty of opportunities for anglers looking for a serious fight. Snapper fishing has remained one of the most dependable options. Yellowtail Snapper, Blackfin Snapper, and deeper-water Snapper have all been producing well. Fresh dead bait has been especially effective, and chumming has brought Snapper up behind the boat where we've been able to target them with both live and dead baits. For anglers looking to bring home fresh fish for dinner, the bottom fishing continues to be a great option. Sargassum grass has been scattered throughout the fishing grounds, making trolling more challenging on some days, but we've also had periods where we found clean water and the fish were feeding very well. Strong north current has been a consistent feature recently, although it finally began to ease over the last couple of days. Light east winds have kept conditions relatively comfortable on most trips. Looking ahead, we're still waiting for the Bonita run to really kick into high gear. We've seen some good numbers already, but the big schools and nonstop multiple-hookup action they're known for should hopefully arrive soon. We also expect to see more King Mackerel and Jack Crevalle around the reef, while Mahi-Mahi should continue to provide opportunities. Snapper fishing should remain strong, and the chance to battle a trophy Shark will continue through the coming months. Late summer and early fall can be a fantastic time to fish South Florida. Whether you're looking for fresh Snapper and other fish for the dinner table, fast action with Bonitas and King Mackerel, or a chance to battle something big, we'll keep adapting to the conditions and doing everything we can to make your day on the water a memorable one. Fall is also typically a quieter time here business-wise, so we have more availability than we do during the peak summer months. If you've been thinking about getting out on the water, now is a great time to book a trip. Visit **hidden content** or call or text **hidden content** to reserve your charter. Tight lines, Capt. Will Daley Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing ?
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18lb King Mackerel!
18lb King Mackerel!
Jan 12, 2026 Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale Fishing Report โ€“ Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing Fort Lauderdale fishing continues to be productive with multiple options both offshore and on the reef. On our most recent trip, we fished in 3-foot seas with a north current, which provided clean water and comfortable conditions throughout the day. Offshore action has been solid. We landed a big 18lb king mackerel on our last trip using live bait, and we've been seeing blackfin tuna and bonitas around in good numbers. These fish have been holding along current edges and over productive areas, providing steady action and a lot of excitement for our anglers. Bottom fishing on the Fort Lauderdale reef has been fairly steady as well, producing some really nice yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, spanish mackerel, and even a few mangrove snapper. The reef bite has been a great option and continues to deliver quality fish. With an upcoming cold front on the way, conditions are shaping up perfectly for improved sailfish fishing in Fort Lauderdale. As water temperatures continue to cool and bait gets pushed in tighter, we expect the sailfish to start showing up in better numbers very soon. We'll be posting weekly Fort Lauderdale fishing reports from here on out to keep everyone up to date on current conditions, recent catches, and what's biting. If you're looking to get out on the water and experience some of the best fishing Fort Lauderdale has to offer, now is a great time to book a trip. Visit **hidden content** or call **hidden content** to get on the schedule. We'd love to have you aboard. Tight lines, Capt. Will Daley Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.9 / 5
out of 5 stars from 94 reviews
Boat
Excellent
4.8 / 5
Crew
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (187)
amazing experiance
amazing experiance
amazing experiance
+184
Angler rating
90
2
1
1
0
Anglers claimed
Good experience
96%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
98%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
96%
Caught fish
98%
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Showing:
5 of 94 reviews
William B.
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Very good
4.0 / 5
Overall

Valiant effort

VERIFIED   NEW  Shared Deep Sea Sportfishing Trip - 1:00 PM on August 9, 2026
Captain Will and his mighty mate Zach did EVERYTHING they could to help us get fish into the boat. unfortunately, the fish...
William B. recommends Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing
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Kyle A.
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Experience:
Very good
4.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

A day of fishing my son and I will never forget!

VERIFIED   NEW  Shared Deep Sea Sportfishing Trip on July 30, 2026
First time ocean fishing with my teenage son. Day started off slow, but Will and Mike kept things interesting answering fishing...
Kyle A. recommends Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing
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Marc T.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Donโ€™t Tell Your Mom, Tell your friends!

VERIFIED   Half-Day Deep Sea Sportfishing Trip - 1:00 PM on July 25, 2026
We had an incredible afternoon on Donโ€™t Tell Your Mom with Captain Will and first mate Zach. They were both friendly, knowledgeable,...
Marc T. recommends Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing
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Sheena B.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Making Memories & Filling the Freezer

VERIFIED   Shared Deep Sea Sportfishing Trip on June 24, 2026
Mitch and Mike worked hard to keep us on the fish and setting us up for success. We opted for a 4hr shared the charter and...
Sheena B. recommends Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing
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Douglas M.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Thursday Kite Fishing

VERIFIED   Half-Day Deep Sea Sportfishing Trip - 1:00 PM on February 19, 2026
We had a great day on the water with Capt Will and Mate Derrick. Even though the kites were flying perfectly and the spread...
Douglas M. recommends Don't Tell Mom Sportfishing
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