My captain was Keller Nelson, Wes Nelson’s son. He greeted me warmly and we left a few minites ahead of schedule. Good thing too, because the fish were not on our schedule. It was perfect weather and full sun. Calm seas. We had little trouble catching greenies, pinfish, and croakers for bait. The problem was finding game fish that wanted them. We caught a mangrove snapper that was too little to keep. We did get some redfish eventually. Mine was 19” and the only keeper I personally caught.

If anyone is considering inshore fishing please be aware shallow water is a sensitive environment. Temp, tide, and numerous other factors can make or break a day’s fishing. If I had known that before hand I might have opted for offshore. Live and learn.

So why 4/5? Well, we saw a bald eagle (uncommon in these parts I’m told) and several species of fish as well as a stingray. I was also glad to have Keller as a guide. He was open to suggestions if I thought our strategy wasn’t working, and we had good conversation. He tried his best to get us on fish, but the fish didn’t want to cooperate. Nobody’s fault. Several just bit through our line even though we were using 50lb. Others wanted artificial bait. Some wanted a live bait on a steady retrieve. We ended trying for Spanish mackrel at the bridge, but again, bit right through the lines.

That’s fishing. A lot of trial and error. But hey, at least I was on the water.

Captain Keller was awesome! He maneuvered the boat in rough waters as though he had been on the water for 30 years. Despite being 19. I found it refreshing to fish with someone his age because he was about getting us on fish and not trying to impress us with his years of experience. He was very professional and we not only had a great time but we had a great customer experience. I highly recommend fishing with Captain Keller.

Captain Wes was very nice. He was knowledgeable and personable to our kids who had lots of questions. Although we did not catch many fish, we did try multiple locations to see if we could improve our chances. If you are taking small kids, keep in mind this boat does not have a bathroom so go before you leave. Overall, I would recommend this trip to families.