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Richard Russell
Captain

Richard Russell

Orange Beach, United States
Angler's choice
250+ reviews
Captain Ritchie (a.k.a. 'The Shark Whisperer') is a veteran fisherman who has been serving the Gulf Coast with his fishing guide skills for over 30 years. He provides fish cleaning for free and provides great customer service to all his clients. A native of Alabama's Gulf Coast, he has fished all of his life and specializes in catching Sharks, as well as many other species.
RICHARD R.
RICHARD R.
Captain

Charter

Rating

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

What anglers say

97%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
99%
Recommend this charter
97%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
94%
Caught fish

All reviews (416)

Showing 1 – 5 of 416 reviews
  • Allen Bell
    Allen Bell
    Repeat angler
    us
    Louisiana, US
    Member since 2024
    5 trips
    5.0
    Verified
    NEW

    Unforgettable

    4 Hour Trip — Inshore/Nearshore - 2:00 PM • 6 adults

    The trip was the highlight of a very special weekend with my siblings and our spouses. A fishing guide can make or break a trip whether you catch a ton, some or none. Captain Ritchie put us on the fish (with a couple of unexpected Snook the “high five” moment), but more than anything he can “read the room” and made every one in our “diverse” group - in personality and fishing skills - feel at ease from the minute we stepped on the boat. Very attentive to safety with a beautifully appointed boat/gear and great instincts on finding the fish. Highly recommend, and we’ll be back!

    Response from Captain

    I appreciate you all and the super review too . I thoroughly enjoyed you all on my boat , meeting you as well and taking you fishing . Your wife was one heck of a fisherwoman as i could see her passion for the love of fishing. I was so proud that she landed the rare snook fish from our Alabama waters and area . Your trip was the talk of the town amongst other charter guides with her amazing catch . I hope they were just as tasty along with the flounder the ladies caught along with the mangrove snappers you and Sam caught too. Thanks so much Allen and crew from Louisiana and hope to see you again one day , much appreciated and very thankful , Capt Ritchie

  • Dusty Stone
    Dusty Stone
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome Captain

    4 Hour Trip — Inshore/Nearshore • 2 adults

    Captain Ritchie was awesome! The weather didn't play in our favor for the early morning fish. He let me know early we needed to move our time back because of potential severe thunderstorms. He got back with me after a few hours and we went out. He is super knowledgeable about the area and were to go to get on the fish. We pulled in a variety of fish while we were out. He is also was very family oriented and a pleasure to spend the day with out on the water. His equipment was all in great shape. I definitely will be calling him the next time I come to Bama to fish!

    Reported catch:
    Red Snapper
    Response from Captain

    it was a pleasure meeting you today . I hope we fish again in the future again when the weather is much better . I appreciate you very much and ofcourse the kind words too , very thankful , uour friend and Capt Ritchie

  • Bill Hunter
    Bill Hunter
    Repeat angler
    us
    Texas, US
    Member since 2026
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Great trip with Captain Ritchie!

    5 Hour Trip — Inshore • 4 adults • 2 children

    Wonderful trip with Captain Ritchie. He contacted us prior to our trip to confirm our goals for the outing. He was very accommodating to change our trip at the last minute based on the weather conditions and our desires for the trip. We caught lots of fish and had a great time. He is very patient with kids and went out of his way to make our trip a memorable experience. He also took some great photos and videos of our trip which we will treasure fore ever. Great experience and high recommendation for fishing with Captain Ritchie !

    Response from Captain

    Thanks so much Bill, Will and Liam and Levi for fishing with me and my boat the Miss Caymen . i also appreciate you and the great review too :)🤩👍🐟🎣❤️

  • Frank Watts
    Frank Watts
    us
    Tennessee, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome trip!

    6 Hour Trip — Inshore/Nearshore • 4 adults

    We went shark fishing. We didn't catch a shark but he went above and beyond to ensure we had a good trip. We caught just about everything else tho which was awsome. red snapper, pink lady, blue fish, squirrel fish, mackerel, and hardfin. we filled the tags on snapper 2 a piece it was a great trip. Captain Richard Russel was a super nice guy very helpful and patient. like i said we may not have caught a shark but we caught like 16 other fish me and my little brother had a great time and we'll definitely book again!

    Reported catch:
    Spanish Mackerel
    Response from Captain

    Thank you for the kind words! Look forward to taking y’all again!! Capt Ritchie

  • Will Dodd
    Will Dodd
    Repeat angler
    us
    Arkansas, US
    Member since 2025
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    it was a blast!

    4 Hour Trip — Inshore/Nearshore - 2:00 PM • 4 adults

    Captain Ritchie was very nice, he welcomed us aboard his boat and treated us like family. The whole trip was easygoing and we didn’t have to worry about a thing. We were a group of first time anglers and he was patient with us and helped us land some fish. I was personally looking to land a shark, but it was not a good time of year to catch one. Despite that, Captain Ritchie did his best to make my wish come true. We didn’t catch one this time, but I’m confident I could come back in the Summer and he would help me get the job done. I would highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun deep sea fishing trip!

    Reported catch:
    Sheepshead
    Response from Captain

    Thank you so much for the kind words! Making memories is what it’s all about!! I look forward to taking y’all fishing again! Capt Ritchie

Real catches shared by our community

  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    Group of adult anglers posing together on a marina dock, with no fish or active fishing visible.
    John G.
    John G.
    We came down from New York and it was our first time out with Captain Ritchey. We were not disappointed. We caught fish an he was a great host! We certainly will come back and recommend hjm to our friends..
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    Adult angler holding a large snook on a center-console boat over coastal waters, with a bridge and shoreline visible in the background.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +4
    Redfish
    Allen B.
    Allen B.
    The trip was the highlight of a very special weekend with my siblings and our spouses. A fishing guide can make or break a trip whether you catch a ton, some or none. Captain Ritchie put us on the fish (with a couple of unexpected Snook the “high five” moment), but more than anything he can “read the room” and made every one in our “diverse” group - in personality and fishing skills - feel at ease from the minute we stepped on the boat. Very attentive to safety with a beautifully appointed boat/gear and great instincts on finding the fish. Highly recommend, and we’ll be back!
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    Adult angler proudly holding a large redfish aboard a boat near a rocky coastal inlet and beachfront resorts.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +1
    Redfish
    Tanya S.
    Tanya S.
    was a great experience overall! caught some pretty big redfish, an some nice flownder! then ended with a pretty cool shark that the captain wait over our time limit to make sure we caught a shark!
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    Angler proudly holding a large redfish aboard a center-console boat near a rocky inlet under cloudy coastal skies.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +2
    Redfish
    Clint W.
    Clint W.
    Thanks Captain Ritchie! The weather was not so great but he was still able to put us on the fish!
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    An angler proudly displaying a large Redfish at the dock, showcasing a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +2
    Redfish
    Ronald B.
    Ronald B.
    Great morning of fishing!!! Will be back for sure and this captain did a great job!!
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    Two adult anglers pose on a waterfront dock holding large redfish, with multiple additional fish arranged on the dock behind them.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +4
    Redfish
    Logan W.
    Logan W.
    every single spot we went to we caught fish! great time and extremely great guide
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    A young angler proudly displaying a large Redfish while fishing near a coastal bridge, with a scenic backdrop of buildings and boats.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    +1
    Redfish
    Bill H.
    Bill H.
    Wonderful trip with Captain Ritchie. He contacted us prior to our trip to confirm our goals for the outing. He was very accommodating to change our trip at the last minute based on the weather conditions and our desires for the trip. We caught lots of fish and had a great time. He is very patient with kids and went out of his way to make our trip a memorable experience. He also took some great photos and videos of our trip which we will treasure fore ever. Great experience and high recommendation for fishing with Captain Ritchie !
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    A proud angler holding a large fish aboard a boat, with friends enjoying the fishing experience in a scenic waterway.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Jamie B.
    Jamie B.
    Russell is great ! very professional. easy going. wonderful experience
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    A group of four anglers posing on the deck of a boat at the marina, ready for a fishing adventure.
    Charles W.
    Charles W.
  • Russell’s Coastal Fishing
    Russell’s Coastal FishingOrange Beach, AL
    Two anglers smiling next to a variety of fish displayed on a cleaning table at the dock, showcasing a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Great Barracuda
    Jordan H.
    Jordan H.

What's biting with Russell’s Coastal Fishing in Orange Beach

With the weather starting to disrupt the chances to go offshore, attention shifts inshore for winter. The good news is that some of the most prized fish can be found in the shallows, as Bull Redfish become commonplace!

Top catches for November

Fishing reports

We caught Mackerel and Bluefish today as

Jun 28, 2025 • Orange Beach
Trollled and caught soanish and blue fish amd later a Hammerhead Shark
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Two young anglers proudly displaying a shark caught at sunset near the dock, showcasing a successful fishing trip.

Mary , Matt, Martha , Bob, Harrison and

Oct 12, 2024 • Orange Beach
Sharks were caught by the children , McClain with a blacknose shark and Harrison with a Hammerhead
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A young angler proudly displaying a freshly caught fish while fishing from a boat, showcasing a sunny day on the water.

The pinson family from Tenessee fushed w

Oct 9, 2024 • Orange Beach
Small Mangrove Snapper and flounder . Caught a bluefish and a good sized Sting Ray with the Pinsin family . Trash fish like pinfish were eating our menhadens heads off so jeeping bait in the water for a redfish or other fish was quite difficult . The tide was very fast outgoing today . I enjoyed the Pinsin family anf hope they cone back when the fish are biting much better
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