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Bernie Vinoski
Captain

Bernie Vinoski

St. Petersburg, United States
50+ reviews
I have been addicted to fishing for most of my life. My father and grandfather, both Miami natives, put a rod in my hand at a very young age. I have 20+ years of solid experience fishing the Tampa Bay, Florida Keys, East Coast, and have traveled many times to Central America, the Caribbean, and Mexico fishing with some of the most well-known guides in search of trophies. I've fished professionally since my late teens when I joined the Pursuit Fishing Team on the SKA Circuit and FLW King Fish Championship Series. I worked as a Chef for 17 years, fishing as a hobby through my twenties, and became a full-time, licensed captain in my late 20s. I have owned and operated many different boats over the years, from Mavericks and Shearwaters to Pursuits and Jupiters. I recently acquired my favorite boat yet, the Aeon 23 DLX. I love fishing more than just about anything else. Moreover, I love taking people fishing and teaching them about our local species and ecology.

Charter

Rating

4.9
90 reviews
4.9
Boat & Equipment
5.0
Captain & Crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

100%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
99%
Recommend this charter
100%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
95%
Caught fish

All reviews (90)

Showing 1 – 5 of 90 reviews
  • Devon Frady
    Devon Frady
    Repeat angler
    us
    South Carolina, US
    Member since 2024
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome day on the water

    Half Day Trip (AM) • 1 adult

    Capt Bernie was amazing! Very knowledgeable about the species we were catching and knew multiple places to catch them to ensure we were catching the entire trip. I only did the 4 hour trip this time but next time will be longer. Bernie is very friendly and overall just a great person. I didn’t have to bring a single item on the boat, he had everything we would need. Bernie went above and beyond to make my first ocean fishing trip unforgettable!

    Reported catch:
    Snook
    Jack Crevalle
    Response from Captain

    Great day guys! Thanks for booking!

  • Ray Woodruff
    Ray Woodruff
    us
    Pennsylvania, US
    Member since 2024
    5.0
    Verified

    Fun Day

    Half Day Trip (AM) • 2 adults

    It was a pleasure to fish with Captain Bernie. Friendly, knowledgeable and skilled with his craft. His boat was comfortable and expertly handled along with all equipment on board. I would surely recommend Captain Bernie for a great experience on the water.

    Reported catch:
    Snook
    Response from Captain

    Thanks for the kind words Ray. I look forward to fishing with you again. Call me when you come down in October and we'll get you on some more fish.

  • Dennis De Kok
    Dennis De Kok
    Repeat angler
    us
    Michigan, US
    Member since 2022
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Wow. Never caught so many fish

    4 Hour Afternoon Trip • 4 adults

    Bernie was awesome. Put us on the fish right away and we never stopped catching. 4 hour afternoon trip with my wife and two teenage sons. We are not experienced fisherman. Bernie gave great instructions and the fish all jumped in the boat. We lost track but we caught more than 25 fish. All good Reds and Snook. Bernie was working hard the whole time keeping the bait fresh and working out tangles. Good guy. I have already sent his info to a few friends. Pic is of one really small snook my wife caught. The rest were much bigger and she took the other pics. I’ll try to update.

    Reported catch:
    Snook
    Speckled Trout
    Redfish
  • Ricky Bouchard
    Ricky Bouchard
    us
    Florida, US
    Member since 2025
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome with kids!

    Half Day Trip (AM) • 4 adults • 2 children

    Brought my 8 year old daughter and 13 year old niece out with Bernie this morning. They both had an amazing time! We caught a bunch of fish, he engaged with them super well and made sure they were always entertained and happy. This guy gets it.

    Response from Captain

    Awesome crew, great day! The girls were a ton of fun to fish with!

  • Robert Denman
    Robert Denman
    Repeat angler
    gb
    United Kingdom
    Member since 2023
    8 trips
    4.7
    Verified

    Really good days fishing with plenty of variety of locations and fish on offer

    Half Day Trip (AM) • 1 adult

    Considering all of my communication problems Burnie worked hard to make sure we would meat up for the trip. I had come over from England. It was a very busy weekend which didn't help the fishing. My own limited abilities in this fishing also didn't help I missed too many bites. I did manage to get new species under my belt but after missing a lot of fish it could have been even better. A lot of the good spots had been visited or had boat's already fishing the good spots.

Real catches shared by our community

  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    An angler proudly displaying a large Snook while fishing from a boat in clear coastal waters.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Man the fish are fishin!!! Snnok, monster trout, reds, spanish, kings and Tarpon!!! Book now bifore the temps get too hot! The water is perfect right now.
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    An angler proudly displaying a Snook caught while fishing in a scenic coastal environment.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Michael C.
    Michael C.
    Last minute decision to head out for a morning fishing trip. Bernie was great. Gear was great. Guidance was perfect. Caught fish all morning.
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    A young angler proudly displaying a small fish while on a boat, enjoying a sunny day on the water.
    Fish 1
    Jack Crevalle
    Megan H.
    Megan H.
    My family of 4 had a great day on the water with Bernie! Very knowledgeable captain and so friendly. He worked fast and got us on some fish.
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    A young girl joyfully holds a spotted flounder with the assistance of an adult on a fishing boat during a sunset outing.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Flounder
    Ricky B.
    Ricky B.
    Brought my 8 year old daughter and 13 year old niece out with Bernie this morning. They both had an amazing time! We caught a bunch of fish, he engaged with them super well and made sure they were always entertained and happy. This guy gets it.
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    Young angler proudly displaying a Snook while fishing on a boat in a scenic waterway.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Jason B.
    Jason B.
    Captain Bernie put us on fish right away. My two sons caught a bunch of fish and learned a lot. I highly recommend Captan Bernie!
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    A variety of fish including Speckled Trout and Spanish Mackerel displayed on the deck of a boat, showcasing a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Took my father out for a fun fishing day. Snook were all over the place inside the passes. We fished the bay in afternoon and had a nonstop Spanish Mackeral and triut bite for almost 2 hours. Kept 10 Spanish, ate 3 last night, gave my neighbor the rest of the fish and was treated with Jerk Spanish Mackeral today. Neighbors are from Jamaica. Delicious This pattern should hold through December. Book a trip today!
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    A young angler proudly displaying three Spanish Mackerel at the dock, showcasing a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Little Tunny (False Albacore)
    Great trip with yesterdays crew! Caught a ton of fish. Fishing is hot!
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    A variety of fish including Speckled Trout and Spanish Mackerel laid out on the deck of a boat, showcasing a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Today we caught fish nonstop. Spanish macs, trout, snook, snapper and sime juvenile gag groupers. The bite is hot! Lets go!!
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    Young angler proudly holding a Snook while fishing on a boat in clear waters.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Redfish
    Updates from June and July 2024! Tons of fish around to be caught. The snook bite has been insane in the morning hours insi the afternoon. Reds, trout, jacks, and snapper have also been caught recently.
  • First Cast Fishing Charters
    First Cast Fishing ChartersSt. Petersburg, FL
    Angler proudly displaying a Snook while fishing on a boat during sunset.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    Steven W.
    Steven W.
    Captain Bernie did great! He was at the dock in the water when we arrived, short boat ride out and he had us on fish right away! All three of us landed several fish, really fun morning and I will be reaching back out for more trips in the future.

What's biting with First Cast Fishing Charters in St. Petersburg

Celebrate the amazing Kingfish migration by taking part in the Old Salt King of the Beach Tournament. Otherwise, catch Gag Grouper in as little as 12 feet of water and enjoy the return of hot Trout fishing in Tampa Bay.

Top catches for November

Fishing reports

An angler proudly displaying a large Snook while fishing from a boat in clear coastal waters.

May 2025

May 19, 2025 • St. Petersburg
Man the fish are fishin!!! Snnok, monster trout, reds, spanish, kings and Tarpon!!! Book now bifore the temps get too hot! The water is perfect right now.
Show more
A variety of fish including Speckled Trout and Spanish Mackerel displayed on the deck of a boat, showcasing a successful fishing trip.

Crazy Action in the Bay

Sep 21, 2024 • St. Petersburg
Took my father out for a fun fishing day. Snook were all over the place inside the passes. We fished the bay in afternoon and had a nonstop Spanish Mackeral and triut bite for almost 2 hours. Kept 10 Spanish, ate 3 last night, gave my neighbor the rest of the fish and was treated with Jerk Spanish Mackeral today. Neighbors are from Jamaica. Delicious This pattern should hold through December. Book a trip today!
Show more
A young angler proudly displaying three Spanish Mackerel at the dock, showcasing a successful fishing trip.

Spanish, Bonita, Snook and Trout

Sep 21, 2024 • St. Petersburg
Great trip with yesterdays crew! Caught a ton of fish. Fishing is hot!
Show more
A variety of fish including Speckled Trout and Spanish Mackerel laid out on the deck of a boat, showcasing a successful fishing trip.

Sept 15

Sep 17, 2024 • St. Petersburg
Today we caught fish nonstop. Spanish macs, trout, snook, snapper and sime juvenile gag groupers. The bite is hot! Lets go!!
Show more
Young angler proudly holding a Snook while fishing on a boat in clear waters.

July 2024

Jul 16, 2024 • St. Petersburg
Updates from June and July 2024! Tons of fish around to be caught. The snook bite has been insane in the morning hours insi the afternoon. Reds, trout, jacks, and snapper have also been caught recently.
Show more
Two anglers proudly displaying their Snook catch while fishing from a boat in clear waters.

1st Week of June

Jun 2, 2024 • St. Petersburg
Tons of snook schools dot the beaches and passes. Gator trout also in the mix inside the ICW with some redfish, Tarpon and Cobia being caught near the bridges and passes. Book a trip and we WILL catch fish.
Show more