First and Foremost, this was the best fishing trip we have ever done.  We have done dozens over the years and some really good ones, but this one took the cake.  Shane’s knowledge, experience and personality is what made the trip incredible. He put us on the fish from the beginning and it was an all day reeling fest.  We caught Beeliners, Red Snapper, Trigger Fish, Grouper, Remora, Oyster Toadfish, Amberjack, and Cobia. if you are looking for a great experience, he’s your guy.  we are definitely going to be using him again and again.

The forecasted weather was supposed to be good with 1.7ft waves. We started our trip and could tell that the forecast was WAY off. Four of our group ended up getting seasick but Captain Shane made the best of a bad situation and worked very hard to put us on fish. He took us to multiple spots that had fish. We did catch 10 keeper red snapper and MANY others that didn’t measure. We also caught a lot of Trigger fish that were out of season. Captain Shane did everything he could to help those who were seasick. We will definitely book with Captain Shane and Island Life Charters again in the future!

Captain Shane was a blessing,  Our group had a few people that have never fished and he was extremely gracefull and helpfull with our whole group. He was not in a rush and did everything to not only make sure we caught fish, but alos make sure ever passenger was comfortable at sea. He provided drinks and snacks for everyone and cut up our fish at the end. We all reached our limit and had a blast. I would recommend him above everyone else on the Island.

We were very fortunate to have our family fish with Captain Shane Thomas during their Winter Break. I had made arrangements, weeks in advance, with Captain Shane, to fish on the best weather days during our eight day stay at Dauphin Island, AL. As luck would have it, those days happened to be on the second and third days of our stay.  The young children, their parents, and one adult cousin were the “crew” fishing on the first trip. They caught a variety of fish including red snapper, redfish, vermillion snapper and tilefish.  Captain Shane was very professional, accommodating, and patient, especially with the children, who had a wonderful time.

The adults fished on the second day. The sea conditions were almost glassy and perfect. We fished near a gas platform about 20 miles from port and an artificial reef 10 miles further out. Our catch was similar to the day before, with the exception of redfish. On both trips, there were plenty of smiles, laughter, and shrieks of excitement!

Captain Shane and I, it seems, have a lot in common. I am retired from the USCG, and operated a charter fishing business in Alaska for 35 years. It seems that our reasons for starting our business were almost identical. I was quite impressed with his safety instructions, his ample supply of equipment and bait, his local knowledge, familiarity with fishing regulations, and the extraordinary measures he took to process and preserve our catch.

Should we have the opportunity to visit Dauphin Island again, I will certainly try to fish with Captain Shane again, and will recommend him to anyone heading to the area.

We had such an incredible day with Captain Shane! Our family of six (including two kids under 10) went out as total first-time fishers, and he went above and beyond to make it an unforgettable experience. Even though we were fishing out of season, he worked hard to make sure we all caught something to take home, and we did! He was so knowledgeable, patient, and great with the kids. Captain Shane even had snacks and drinks ready for everyone, which was such a thoughtful touch. You can tell he truly loves what he does and wants everyone on board to have a great time. Highly recommend him to anyone looking for a fun fishing adventure!