Captain
Bart Smith

Member since May 2020 Fernandina Beach, United States
Background
I have always had a love of the water since I can remember. Seafaring captains run in my family – my father, great grandfather, and great-great-grandfather were all sea captains of various sailing ships. I started out in 8' dings and small sailing prams around my home town of Interlaken New Jersey. Shortly after graduating high school I joined and served 5 years in the US Coast Guard. Fishing has always been a passion from light tackle for Largemouth Bass and Carp to surf fishing for Striped Bass and Bluefish off the beach and jetties of the Jersey Shore. Five years ago I decided to put my passion into a career and got my Captain's license and started guiding part-time around the beautiful Amelia Island.
Techniques
I prefer light to heavy tackle with live shrimp and mud minnows. I do a lot of blue crabs and cut bait in and around the Saint Mary's jetties for large Bull Reds. I also do quite a bit inshore with slip floats and drifting live bait over oyster beds. The Amelia Island area is so diverse we could be inshore and offshore within minutes depending on the weather, tides, and fish bite.

Hey, I'm Captain Bart Smith

Fernandina Beach, United States
Background
I have always had a love of the water since I can remember. Seafaring captains run in my family – my father, great grandfather, and great-great-grandfather were all sea captains of various sailing ships. I started out in 8' dings and small sailing prams around my home town of Interlaken New Jersey. Shortly after graduating high school I joined and served 5 years in the US Coast Guard. Fishing has always been a passion from light tackle for Largemouth Bass and Carp to surf fishing for Striped Bass and Bluefish off the beach and jetties of the Jersey Shore. Five years ago I decided to put my passion into a career and got my Captain's license and started guiding part-time around the beautiful Amelia Island.
Techniques
I prefer light to heavy tackle with live shrimp and mud minnows. I do a lot of blue crabs and cut bait in and around the Saint Mary's jetties for large Bull Reds. I also do quite a bit inshore with slip floats and drifting live bait over oyster beds. The Amelia Island area is so diverse we could be inshore and offshore within minutes depending on the weather, tides, and fish bite.
117
Reviews
5
Fishing Reports
Verified

My Charter Listing

Fernandina Fishing Charters

State licensed
Excellent
4.9 / 5
(117 reviews)
Fernandina Beach
 Instant Confirmation
Trips from US $250

Fishing Reports

29
29" Red Fish
May 31, 2026 Fernandina Beach
We had a good morning with beautiful weather. Wind was lite out of south west. Started on the top of an incoming tide. Fished tiger Island and had a lot of luck with 8 flounder in the out going creeks. Two were keepers and also caught a nice 18" and 15" spotted sea trout. Then finished up the morning with a 29" over slot red fish. Great morning with wonderful weather.
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Shark Bite kinda day
Shark Bite kinda day
May 3, 2026 Fernandina Beach
Tough fishing today, small bites here and there. Lots of whiting in the deeper fast moving water. The back water was slow. But we did catch a nice bonnet head shark on lite tackle.
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Wind, rough seas and an incoming tide!
Wind, rough seas and an incoming tide!
Apr 5, 2026 Fernandina Beach
Started very slow at the bottom of the outgoing tide. Spent first hour tossing live shrimp but couldn't find the fish. Switch tactics and started throwing heavy jig heads out in the river. Caught some nice whiting but no black drum. Headed to the St Mary's jetties on the south side. Incoming tide but is was slow until Boom. Perfect 27" Red Fish. Some small fish here and there but nothing else. Seas were choppy swells around 3 feet. Wind was out oh the south at 10-15 knots. Perfect weather but the fish didn't want to cooperate. One Big Red fish is better than none. Memory of a life time for Jacob.
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Non stop Red Fish bite
Non stop Red Fish bite
Mar 23, 2026 Fernandina Beach
Left at 4 pm on the bottom of an outgoing tide. Winds were out of the west at 8 knots. Water was moving quite fast. Pulled up to the St Mary's jetties on the Florida side south. Not much of a bite at first,but as soon as the tide shift and started to rise and come back in ,the bite was one. Doubling up on both Red Fish,Bull Reds and quite a few sand trout. Worked there for there hours and constantly caught fish.
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Red Fish
Red Fish
Mar 22, 2026 Fernandina Beach
Tough day at the jetties, we worked the bottom of an out going tide with not much luck. Quite a few blue fish and some small black drum. But once the tide switched and started coming in an rising,the bite was one. Two nice Bull Reds and one slot. Lots of sand trout to finish it off.
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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.9 / 5
out of 5 stars from 117 reviews
See details
Boat
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (248)
April fishing trip
April fishing trip
April fishing trip
+245
Angler rating
109
8
0
0
0
Anglers claimed
Good experience
98%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
99%
Appropriate for children
99%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Caught fish
92%
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Showing:
5 of 117 reviews
Cecil J.
Excellent
4.7 / 5
Experience:
Very good
4.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fun 2-hour afternoon trip

VERIFIED   NEW  2 Hour Kids Trip - 4:00 PM on May 24, 2026
My wife (inexperienced angler) and I (casual angler) booked a 2-hr afternoon inshore trip. The trip was enjoyable and productive....
Cecil J. recommends Fernandina Fishing Charters
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Jon C.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Great trip. Highly recommend!

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (AM) on March 22, 2026
I wanted to catch good eating fish. We caught redfish and flounder, which we took to two local restaurants to cook us lunch...
Jon C. recommends Fernandina Fishing Charters
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John P.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fishing with Bart

VERIFIED   NEW  3 hour Morning Charter on May 31, 2026
John P. recommends Fernandina Fishing Charters
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Shameria T.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Had a Blast! (3hr evening trip)

VERIFIED   Evening Fishing Trip on July 12, 2025
Captain Bart is amazing! He took my 9 year old son and I out for the evening. My kid asked a thousand questions and...
Shameria T. recommends Fernandina Fishing Charters
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Traci H.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Awesome day on the water

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (AM) on August 9, 2025
Captain Bart was amazing. He knows the area well. We caught flounder, rock fish, lady fish, croakers, trout, and a couple of...
Traci H. recommends Fernandina Fishing Charters
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Traci H. recommends Fernandina Fishing Charters
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