We took our brother in law out for his 40th birthday, and he wanted to go for something really cool. After getting enough mackerel for some great meals back at our house, Captain Ritchie began working his shark whisperer magic. We ended up catching a nurse shark and several incredible hammerhead sharks, which was one of the coolest experiences any of us have ever had. Thankfully I brought along an underwater camera to see what these magnificent creatures look like underwater.
Not only is Captain Ritchie an absolute pro with a spotless boat, but he’s also hilarious and fun to hang out with. We cannot wait to go back to Gulf Shores and fish with him again, I cannot recommend him enough! He will do everything he can to give you the best experience possible, no matter what’s biting that day. Again, you can’t go wrong with Captain Ritchie!

Captain Ritchie was great! He made us feel very welcome on his boat.  He really took time to make sure we were able to catch a shark.  He was very friendly and informational.
We were comfortable and enjoyed our time on the water. He made sure we were having a good time.
He has a great playlist of music you’re sure to enjoy.
He even has mood music to attract the sharks. :) He took the time to let us know when we were trolling so we could get other fish. The help and guidance he gave us once we hooked a shark made it to where we were able to reel in it. He took pictures and videos of our family and of our catch. It was so much fun!
He cleaned our shark for us and fixed us up to where we could get our shark cooked while it was fresh. We recommend him to everyone. He makes it easy to make great memories that will last a lifetime.

This was the first time that my fiancé and I had ever fished in the ocean. We couldn’t have chosen a better charter! Captain Ritchie was great, he has many years of experience fishing the area and it definitely showed. We told him we just wanted to fish for whatever was biting and he put us on fish right away.

We started by trolling for mackerel for a couple of hours, which produced constant action. Once Captain Ritchie was satisfied that we had a good mess of tasty mackerel to take home, he asked if we wanted to try for some sharks. He knows the sharks well, he definitely lived up to his nickname “Shark Whisperer”! The first spot we tried only produced a remora nibbling our bait, so we moved to another spot that he knew sharks hung out at that time of day. The lines were in the water maybe 10 minutes and we had one on! What an experience battling that shark was!

When we got back to the marina, Captain Ritchie cleaned our catch for us (impressively fast) and gave us tips on the best ways to cook the shark and mackerel. He even removed the shark’s jaw and told us how to turn it into a keepsake to display in our house. He was such a nice guy and was very patient. Highly recommend Russell’s Coastal Fishing!!

Had a blast with Captain Ritchie! Great guy that makes sure having fun is the highest priority, the fish are just a bonus! We started off trolling for Spanish Mackeral then moved inwards and caught some more Spanish and Redfish. The last hour or so we moved further out in hopes of catching a shark and had one on but the shark broke the line. Although we did not catch a shark, you can tell Captain Ritchie has great experience fishing for sharks and we had a great time. Even got to have an up close interaction with dolphins, sea turtles, and a manta ray. Definitely recommend Captain Ritchie!

I would highly recommend Captain Ritchie. He made my 3 boys and I feel very safe and comfortable. We all caught a lot of fish and had a great time making memories. The boat and tackle were good and very clean. He was really good with my boys and even let my youngest steer the boat. Had s great time catching the shark and one of the best workouts I have had in a long time. Thank you Captain Ritchie and we will be back again for sure. God Bless you and your family.

The Johnson’s