Pompano Beach · Fort Lauderdale · Boca Raton
Half day, three-quarter day and full day sportfishing charters out of Pompano Beach with Captain Shawn Safris. The reef is ten minutes from the inlet, so you spend your money fishing, not running.
4.9 out of 5 from 282 Google reviews
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Foot Tiara sportfisher
Why book Gradyful
There are a lot of charters between Miami and Palm Beach. Most of them are bigger boats with more rods, more people and less attention on you. We went the other way.
Six rods fish cleanly. Twelve tangle. Nobody on this boat ends up fishing over somebody else’s shoulder.
The Gulf Stream runs closer to shore here than almost anywhere in Florida. On a four hour trip that means roughly three and a half hours with lines in the water instead of a long ride each way.
Rods, tackle, bait, ice, fuel, licenses and cleaning your catch are all included. The only thing left is the mate's tip.
Trips and pricing
Buy a seat and share the boat, or take the whole boat for a flat price. That is the entire pricing structure. No tiers, no add-ons, no fuel surcharge.
One flat price for the boat, whether you bring one person or six. If you have four or more, this is almost always cheaper per head than buying seats.
4 hours · departs 7:00 AM, or 12:30 PM if the morning is open
$700for the whole boat
Works out to $117 each with six anglers
The boat is yours. Bring one guest or bring five. The price does not change.
6 hours · departs 7:00 AM
$900for the whole boat
Works out to $150 each with six anglers
Our sweet spot. Enough time to run offshore, work a weed line, and still be back for lunch.
8 hours · departs 7:00 AM
$1,100for the whole boat
Works out to $183 each with six anglers
The whole program. Run offshore, fish the wrecks, drop deep, and work a spot properly instead of watching the clock.
Deposit holds your date. Everything on this page is per trip, not per hour. See what is included and what is not
What is included
Quality gear, rigged and ready. You do not need to bring a thing.
Live bait on request. Ice and a cooler are already on board.
Our vessel license covers the saltwater license for everyone aboard. A couple of species carry their own tag, so just ask.
No fuel surcharge and no crew fee tacked on at the dock.
Cold drinks are on us. Bring your own food and anything stronger.
We fillet and bag what you keep before you leave the dock.
Gratuity for the mate
Customary is 15 to 20 percent. Cash is easiest.
Food
Bring what you like to eat. There is a cooler for it.
Alcohol
Allowed for guests over 21. The captain has final say on the water.
What you catch
South Florida fishes well every month of the year, but not for the same fish. Here is what we target and when it is best.
April to August
The fish our guests mention more than any other. We look for weed lines, frigate birds and floating debris and run the edge until we find them.
November to March
South Florida is one of the best sailfish fisheries in the world. Cold fronts push them south and we fish them on kites and live bait.
November to March
The fastest thing you will ever hook. High-speed trolling around the full moon along the deep edge is how we find them.
Year round, best March to July
Hard-pulling, great on the table, and reliable. Often the fish that saves a slow morning.
November to April
Smoking runs off the reef. Kids love them because they never stop pulling.
Year round
Reef fishing at its most fun and the best eating fish we bring in. Great for beginners and light tackle.
How it works
Tell him the date, how many anglers and whether you want to share the boat or take the whole thing. He answers his own phone.
Shawn confirms the trip, the departure time and exactly where to meet the boat. A deposit holds your spot.
Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, soft-soled shoes or sandals, a hat and your food. Everything else is already on board.
We clean, fillet and bag your fish at the dock so you can cook it that night.
Reviews
Plus 91 more on FishingBooker. We did not write any of them. Every quote below is public under the reviewer's own account.
“If you are looking for the best family fishing charter in Pompano Beach, Florida, stop searching and book with Captain Shawn. From the moment we left the dock, Captain Shawn and first mate RoRo made the entire experience fun, welcoming and stress-free. They worked hard to put us on fish and kept everyone entertained the entire time.”
“Our trip with Gradyful Fishing Charters was absolutely incredible. As first-time offshore anglers, we were not sure what to expect, but Captain Shawn and the crew walked us through everything.”
“Captain Shawn and the Gradyful crew were top notch. We have fished all over the Americas, north and south, so once the crew saw that we were experienced and safe, they let us have at it. I would not even consider another charter if I am going to fish in that area.”
“We did a four hour trip and landed multiple mahi, including my personal best 41 inch mahi, two barracuda and some bonitas. The seas were pretty rough the day we went out but the boat handled the waves great.”
“What a wonderful time in Pompano Beach with Captain Shawn and RoRo catching tuna and bonitas. These guys were amazing. Funny, fun, professional and worth every penny.”
“Captain Shawn is an awesome dude and extremely knowledgeable of his local waters. We caught a bunch of mahi and even a tuna.”
The boat
Air-conditioned cabin, a full stand-up head, outriggers, a clean fishing deck and enough range to get you to the fish and back without watching the clock. Six anglers is the legal limit and it is also the right number.
Common questions
Shared seats are 200 dollars per person for a four hour trip and 250 dollars per person for six hours. Private charters are priced for the whole boat: 700 dollars for four hours, 900 dollars for six hours and 1,100 dollars for eight hours, for up to six anglers. Rods, reels, tackle, bait, ice, fuel, saltwater fishing licenses and cleaning your catch are all included.
On a shared trip you pay per seat and fish alongside up to five other guests. On a private charter you pay one flat price for the boat no matter how many people you bring, up to six. If you have four or more people, a private charter is almost always the better value: six anglers on the six hour private trip works out to 150 dollars each.
No. Our vessel license covers the saltwater fishing license for every angler on board, so there is nothing for you to buy, print or carry. A few species carry their own permit or tag, snook and tarpon among them. Mention it when you book and Captain Shawn will sort it out.
Morning trips leave at 7:00 AM. Half day trips also run at 12:30 PM on days when the morning is open, and with one boat and six seats those afternoon slots go quickly. Captain Shawn confirms your exact departure time and the dock location when you book.
Yes, and it is one of the things guests mention most in our reviews. Captain Shawn and the mate put kids on fish they can actually reel in. For families with young children we usually suggest the private half day so the pace is yours to set.
Cancel more than seven days before your trip and your deposit is refunded. Inside seven days the deposit is not refundable, because that date is held for you and turning it around at short notice is not realistic.
Ready when you are
No booking engine, no call center, no back and forth with a receptionist. Tell him the date and how many people, and he will tell you straight whether the fishing is worth your money that week.
Prefer email? captainshawn311@yahoo.com
