Captain
Mark Ratchford

Member since September 2015 Melbourne, Australia
Background
Captain Mark has been involved in the fishing industry for over 20 years. He is the only person to have fished the whole Australian coast in one trip – this was a 5-month epic journey catching more species then he can remember. He has stories about catching fish from every state in Australia that he is happy to share with you. He is an able fisherman and skipper who can put his clients on Squid or offshore species such as Mako Shark and Bluefin Tuna. Mark and his friendly staff will be more than happy to accommodate you.

Hey, I'm Captain Mark Ratchford

Melbourne, Australia
Background
Captain Mark has been involved in the fishing industry for over 20 years. He is the only person to have fished the whole Australian coast in one trip – this was a 5-month epic journey catching more species then he can remember. He has stories about catching fish from every state in Australia that he is happy to share with you. He is an able fisherman and skipper who can put his clients on Squid or offshore species such as Mako Shark and Bluefin Tuna. Mark and his friendly staff will be more than happy to accommodate you.

My Charter Listings

Excellent
4.7 / 5
(128 reviews)
Melbourne
 2 bookings in the past week.
trips from US $122
Excellent
5.0 / 5
(16 reviews)
Melbourne
trips from US $1,289
Excellent
5.0 / 5
(1 review)
Melbourne
trips from US $1,367

Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.7 / 5
out of 5 stars from 145 reviews
Boat
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Crew
Excellent
4.8 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (79)
Great family day on the water
Great family day on the water
Great family day on the water
+76
Angler rating
112
16
4
2
1
Anglers claimed
Good experience
88%
Friendly captain
99%
Recommend this charter
88%
Appropriate for children
93%
Satisfied with the boat
97%
Caught fish
80%
Sort by:
Featured  
Showing:
5 of 145 reviews
Daniel N.
Hurstville, NSW
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Great day with captain mark

VERIFIED   5 Hour Trip โ€“ Private (5AM) on November 28, 2020
Great spots for fishing. Gave us an education while we were at it. Boat was tidy. Felt confident all the way through. Highly...
Daniel N. recommends The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ Carrum
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Chen C.
Ascot Vale, Victoria
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

A Wonderful & Unforgettable Experience!

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (PM) on February 25, 2019
We really appreciate our captain Mark & his very kind assistant Shane. They took us to one place after another just to find...
Chen C. recommends The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ St Kilda
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1 person finds this review helpful
You and 1 other person found this review helpful
  Mark Ratchford Captain replied

Joshua F.
St Kilda, VIC
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Experience:
Very good
4.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Extremely satisfied group

VERIFIED   5 Hour Trip โ€“ Shared (5AM) on October 13, 2018
From the moment we stepped foot on the boat to the time we reluctantly got off was an absolute pleasure. The generous amount...
Joshua F. recommends The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ Carrum
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  Mark Ratchford Captain replied

Leigh P.
Australia
Excellent
4.3 / 5
Experience:
Very good
4.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Very good
4.0 / 5
Overall

Morning fish planned for PPB changed to WPB

VERIFIED   5 Hour Trip โ€“ Shared (5AM) on January 15, 2022
Be prepared for major changes to itinerary less than 24 hours from departure. Our departure point moved 1 hour travel away...
Leigh P. does not recommend The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ Carrum
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Leigh P. does not recommend The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ Carrum
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Steve W.
Berwick, VIC
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Half Day Trip

VERIFIED   5 Hour Trip โ€“ Shared (5AM) on January 11, 2019
Mark and Shaun are Excellent , Very Polite and there professionalism and knowledge is next to none and down to earth honest...
Steve W. recommends The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ Carrum
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Steve W. recommends The Reel Thing Charters โ€“ Carrum
Mark review as helpful
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