Matching Price Policy - send us a link or e-mail and we will match.
We keep our website up to date and continuously strive to improve our charter business, customer service maintain our reputation and recognition of the Inshore Slam brand and Trademark.
There are many reasons, but on occasion you may find a charter with advertised or unadvertised rates for substantially less. If you have found this page then you have been doing some research and here are few things to be cautioned about.
 | Captains - Remember not all captains are full time, Inshore Slam Fishing Charters operates 7 days a week, 365 days per year weather and fish permitting. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boat Photos - the boat you see on our site is the boat you will fish aboard, we don't post pictures of the boat we would like to have or used to own, in order to try and lure you to fish with us. Believe me this really happens!!!!! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Boat Length - If you are fishing aboard a 17 foot skiff with a 90 hp motor, operations costs are significantly less. Most full time captains will run boats 24 feet and up. Very few full timers will run a 17 foot boat unless they are poling, or fly fishing. The wind and the weather usually blows in the spring and the summer storms can come up fast. You won't be comfortable on a 17 foot skiff if the wind is over 10 mph. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Equipment/Tackle - Star, Loomis, and St. Croix rods paired with a Penn Slammer or a Shimano Stradic and or Stellar reels are more expensive to purchase and run then an Ugly Stick or comparable rod and reel. Owner or Gamakatsu hooks are more than eagle claw. Be cognizant of the equipment that you guide is using. Many professionals want you to utilize the same equipment they use when fishing for themselves. You never know when a new IGFA world record may be set and one certainly does not want to loose it due to inferior equipment. It cost money to run better equipment. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reports - We post fishing reports which are current and up to date, we try to stay away from wording like yesterday we caught 6 grouper and the smallest was under 22 inches. What they neglect to tell you is that the biggest was under 22 inches as well. Be cautious of the captain that always catches Monsters and Trophies, day in and day out, we can't guarantee size and don't attempt to match anyone that says they do. We will work hard for you, and do the very best we can. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Photos - We do not use pictures that we have saved from our customers over the last 10 years and tell you that all the fish seen in out gallery are current catches. We go after trophies everyday, unfortunately we don't catch trophies everyday, that is the reality of fishing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Videos - The videos we produce are real and not videos that we took after we snuck into the closed bait store dock where the pet snook hang out and sling a shrimp underneath in the dead of winter and tell you, that's Tampa Bay Snook fishing everyday. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cost - Determine how much you're willing to pay for the charter. Small skiffs hold 2-4 anglers, while bigger boats can hold up to six persons. Prices start at around $350-$500 to hire the smaller flats fishing boats for a 4-hour fishing trip. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Live Bait - It takes about 2 hours to catch bait. We generally catch bait prior to our charters except on the weekends when the ramps and waters are full with boaters. It makes the day longer for our clients, but we always give you the time you purchased for your charter, beginning after we have loaded up with bait. (Note - since gas prices are up, we are mow having most customers go along to catch bait and note your time does not accrue when throwing the net) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Private and Social - some charters are private and some are social? Social charters means that other anglers potentially may be sharing your charter, depending on the size of the boat. Private charters may cost more to have the boat, fishing guide, and crew all to yourself. BUT it is well worth the extra expense if you're bringing children, or someone in your party has special needs. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Substitute Captains - Will the charter captain you spoke to be the same one running the boat or someone else? In the spring we are all busy and the best guides will book first. Sometimes we recommend another captain, but we will not book you with just anyone to make a buck. We have several other guides that we refer to based the geographic location that you are targeting to stay or fish. We also have a page on our website which we use, so you can book online. Please remember, if you haven't spoken to Captain Jim himself, you will likely be fishing with someone else in my place. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cash - cash only charters, or a check made out to an individual instead of a Business Name, is a sure way to spot a huckster. The fishing was always better the day before with this Captain and he won't care about how well you did or to earn your repeat business.. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Credit Cards - a full time, year round guide or charter operation will accept "Credit Cards" as a convenience to customers. Credit cards cost small businesses owners anywhere from 15% and up because they only handle several hundred transactions a year instead of thousands per month. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Incorporated, LLC or DBA - Although its not a requirement, see if the guide you have chosen is registered with the state as a viable corporation in Florida. www.sunbiz.org - Inquire by Officer Name. Most people running charters without proper documentation are doing so as a cash business and will not have an LLC or be Incorporated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sick - What happens in the event the captain is ill or cannot be on board for your scheduled fishing trip? Or its one of those part timers who thought they where going to have off and their schedule changed at the last minute. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Catch and Release - Some charter captains are "catch, photograph, and release" anglers and some aren't. Some charter captains are very conservation-oriented, and will pressure their customers to release all catches. While we will certainly not break any laws, we will let a party of 4 who caught 4 legal snook keep them if they so choose, instead of telling them that only one can be kept. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Fuel Surcharge - Some charters operations have even implemented surcharges due to the increase cost of fuel and oil. Many charters even advertise their rate without the additional hidden fees or fuel surcharges. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Crew Fish - warning, ask if the captain and crew also fish? Sometimes this can cause difficulties if the fishing guides neglect the paying client - you! - to attend to their own fishing. I don't recommend booking a charter with a captain whose attention is not fully devoted to you! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weather - Bay waters can get pretty rough and choppy in a small vessel. Any vessel less than 17-20 feet, can limit most days charters and maybe much of your fishing will be 200 yards from the dock, or worse yet, they reschedule. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Booking Agents - BEWARE OF BOOKING AGENTS WITH 20-50 PART TIME CAPTAINS There are a couple of big ones in Tampa. Typically, they will book you with whomever they can make the most money. I call it the "Bait and Switch", you never now who will show up at the dock, what type of boat you will be in, or the shape of their fishing equipment, nor will you know the qualifications of the captain. ASK QUESTIONS. If they are collecting the fees and paying the captain, then they are a "Booking Agent". If they don't have the appropriate liability insurance, you may be unknowingly placed in a bad way. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Part Timers - There are some good ones, many work for the booking agents above. I've even used them for my overflow, I check them out and the they have my knowledge. But if your captain has a full time job and works the charter business on weekends or in between their rotating schedule, like fireman, EMT, policemen, bartenders, etc., and simply want to make some extra cash for that boat payment, well its hard for us to match. We know who they are, just ask. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Licensing -
If your captain is unlicensed,
No USCG License beware and running his business without proper
documentation it may be hard to beat. Here is what they should have.
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| Federal Permits - If you captain does not posses all of the above when operating in State and Federal waters, then they are most likely operating illegally and the US Coast Guard and the FWC should be notified immediately. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| USCG Captain - There are over 1500 United
States Coast Guard Licenses held in the Tampa area. Some get there
licenses to become better mariners, some to charter or other unknown
reasons. Ask some questions:
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Here's how our matching policy works
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Provide a copy of an e-mail,
including
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| We will do our best to match them, on a case by case basis. | ||||||||
| Don't be afraid to ask, we know it happens all the time. |