Captain Todd asked if we could move the schedule later so we could have a chance to catch tarpon at sunset, which was great for us. Then he extended the time to give us an even better shot. We caught 2 large sharks and several other small fish, including a very nice Mangrove snapper to take with us, but only one tarpon, deigned to take our live bait and hopped off the line quickly. i hope to come back and fish with Todd again so I get my tarpon.

Sharks were the goal, and sharks were what we found! Captain Todd did a great job of getting us on consistent action. The meetup location was easy to find, the boat was excellent, and the gear was perfect for what we were targeting. We landed 3 different species of sharks and both of the kids in our party can now say they reeled in something bigger than themselves! What really stood out to me beyond the excitement and adrenaline of reeling in big sharks was how Captain Todd kept the kids engaged the whole time. Our trip had a short period of slack tide where the sharks weren’t cooperating… instead of sitting around waiting he rigged up some light tackle rods and the kids really enjoyed keeping the rods bent by catching some extra live bait as well as some snapper and mackeral. If you’re looking for a fun family trip in Key west, with a chance to catch some really remarkable sharks, Captain Todd is definitely your guy!

Capt Todd put us in the right spot not once but twice. I caught two sharks in our first spot. We moved to a second spot at my request to catch some snapper and we did!  Capt said his group the day before caught a lemon shark in this location so we threw out a couple of lines. As my wife was pulling in the snapper, I was busy with sharks taking our bait and running. We had three big bites, one biting through our steel leader and the other two snapping the 250 pound test line. They were exciting fights but that’s how the fish floats in the sport of shark fishing. The two sharks I did catch and land were amazing creatures to hold for a minute and then release and watch them slowly swim away into the deep blue. Being from the midwest, this was the experience of a lifetime—all brought to me by Capt Todd of Talking Dog Fishing of Key West.

Recently my wife and I booked a fishing trip with Captain Todd. I’ve been out on several trips with different Captains around Florida over the years. This trip was great in many different ways. Captain Todd had done his homework. We caught some Mutton, Lane, Mangrove and Yellow Tail Snapper and also caught and successfully released a Goliath Grouper. I know the names of these fish because of Captain Todd’s knowledge.  There was also the excitement of hooking and releasing a Nurse Shark. I enjoy battling with fish even if I don’t always keep them. But I also enjoy eating them. I’m writing this after just finishing a great meal of Mutton Snapper. We both had a great time, even though my wife doesn’t fish, Captain Todd made sure she had a comfortable place to sit, read and watch a sunset in the front of the boat. We both look forward to going with him again.

We had an absolutely fantastic day on the water with Captain Todd! From the moment we left the dock, it was clear we were in great hands. His knowledge of fishing, local waters, and techniques is outstanding, and he took the time to explain what we were doing and why — which made the experience even better.

The action did not disappoint! We caught a big nurse shark, some mutton snapper, some lane snapper, some yellow snapper, some mango snapper and two sting rays— what a thrill! Captain Todd knew exactly where to go and how to adjust our approach to keep the bites coming.

Beyond the great fishing, the entire trip was relaxed, fun, and professional. Captain Todd made sure we were comfortable and having a great time. If you’re looking for a memorable fishing charter with someone who truly knows his craft, this is it. We can’t wait to book again! 🎣