Despite the winds we really had a great time. It was just my wife and I (and Captain Neil), and it was awesome. I caught a nice grouper under the mangroves, along with a few barracuda and speckled trout. Lost a few fish that would’ve been nice, too. If you are intimidated by fishing in the open ocean, I highly recommend flats fishing. No waves, no sea sickness, and plenty of area to cover and fish. It was fairly windy during our time which is usually the kiss of death for a day fishing, but it was still very fun. When we got in the mangroves the wind was gone, too.

I have done a decent amount of charter fishing with my father, and I think we agreed that Neil is the best captain we have gone out with; hands down. We have been coming to the Keys for close to ten years now, and gone out with a lot of people, but I think we will definitely spend our time and money in the Conch Republic with Captain Neil going forward.

There a few things that really made hime stand out:

Personality: Captain Neil has a great sense of humor and he can read the “room” to keep everyone on board comfortable and entertained. He has the patience to help anglers of all skills, and he is willing to let you do as much or as little as you want. He was fine with my friend and I tying our own hooks on and baiting and throwing them, and he was also fine baiting and throwing for our fiancees.

Flexibility: on our first day, we went out towards the Marquesas to find some wrecks and whatever the Backcountry had to offer up. We found a wreck, and started throwing baits at the abundant snook, but couldn’t elicit a bite. We noticed there were also grouper on the wreck, so the captain switched up to target them. While we were waiting for a take, the captain also had snorkel gear, so my friend and I were able to get in the water with the nurse sharks and the reef fish ahead of the boat. It was better than the snorkel charter we went on a few days later!

Effort: on our second day, we told the captain we wanted tarpon. To say he moved heaven and earth to make it happen was an understatement. We went to a dozen different spots, tried a half dozen techniques and finally managed to get some fish to rise. At the end of the day, everyone in our party had a shot at a fish, and we had about a dozen takes, half a dozen fish on the line and lots of leaps. We managed to boat two fish with lots of coaching from the captain, and it was a perfect day.

I will be coming back, and I can’t recommend him enough. First time charter or seasoned angler, capt. Neil is the guide for you.

10/10

Wanted to start off by giving a huge thanks to Captain Neil. Top notch Captain that truly cares about the anglers experience. I have fished all over North/Central/South America, and can honestly say that he is one of the hardest working Captains I have ever fished with. His primary goal is to ensure that his clients walk off the boat satisfied. And that can be hard in the world of fishing. There are never any guarantees when it comes to fish cooperation or weather. And both are critical factors in the events that unfold throughout the day.

We were up against strong winds, and targeted species that just didn’t want to play well with others. But Captain Neil buckled down and gave us everything he had and managed that in a safe way that ended in 2 days of awesome fishing. Man, we fished hard. And he wasn’t having it any other way. And that was awesome. It is so easy to just throw your hands up, give into the conditions and the fish activity as that becomes a solid, built in excuse. Not this boat. Not this Captain. He kept our poles folded over and we had a blast. Fishing, laughing, and just taking in the beauty the Key West offers.

So, if you are looking for a guarantee for catching the exact species and perfect weather that you came for, let me know when you find that. But if you are looking for a guarantee of a great day, with a great Captain, then Neil’s your guy.

Thanks for the experience Captain. I will see you again as soon as possible.

-Todd

We had an awesome time with Captain Neil on a half-day fishing experience. Our party included 2 boys aged 7 and 9. My 9 year old is very timid but was also the one most excited about this part of our trip. Captain Neil made him feel so comfortable and really helped him feel successful, rebaiting him quickly and giving him good instructions on how to reel in his catches, which were frequent. My 7 year-old is super active and I had concerns about him getting bored over a half-day trip but he quickly became known as the “net boy” and loved having the job of grabbing fish off the line/boat deck and taking them to the cooler. The four adults on the boat have tons of years of deep sea fishing experience (my in-laws and my husband and I) and were very pleased with the experience. We were consistently and quickly rebaited so we were actively fishing almost the entire time. It was a windier day so Captain Neil relocated a few times to keep the action going. We caught a bunch of fish but only about 10-11 keepers based on size and season. Overall I’d definitely recommend Captain Neil to anyone looking to charter fish in the keys. It was a GREAT first experience for my kids and has us excited to do it again. Thanks Captain Neil for the memories!

We’ve booked many charters through the years and our whole family agrees this one was the best!  We caught several Yellow-Jack, a Cobia and even hooked a Goliath Grouper ! This trip was for my fishermen young adults and it was very apparent that Neil wanted and did everything possible to ensure the day was memorable.  Neil knows these waters well and clearly a very experienced Captain.  Thank you Neil!