Guide:

About Your Trip

Water Type

Nearshore

Skill Levels

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Weather

You won’t lose your deposit if the trip is canceled due to weather.

About Your Trip

Welcome to Tampa Bay, Florida, where the sun is shining, the water is crystal clear, and the fish are biting! Join Captain Phil on a thrilling nearshore fishing adventure aboard his sleek 24' Dorado "hybrid" bay boat. With its shallow draft and powerful engine, this boat is perfect for navigating the waters of Tampa Bay and getting you to the best fishing spots.

Under the expert guidance of Captain Phil, you'll be targeting some of the most sought-after species in the area, including Kingfish, Hogfish, and Snappers. These delicious fish are known for their fighting spirit, so get ready for some exciting battles on the water.

As you reel in your catches, you'll enjoy stunning views of the Florida coastline and the surrounding islands. Keep an eye out for dolphins, manatees, and other marine life that call Tampa Bay home!

All passengers 12 and under must wear a life jacket at all times while onboard the boat.

Amenities

Water Type

Nearshore

Skill Levels

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Tackle

All rods, reels, and tackle are included.

Beer

Feel free to enjoy responsibly, but please no glass.

Live Bait

Live bait is included for this trip.

Weather

You won’t lose your deposit if the trip is canceled due to weather.

Kid Friendly

This trip can cater to kids.

Fish Cleaning

No cleaning service provided.

Boat Restroom

No, this boat does not have a bathroom on board.

Disability Friendly

This trip is not suited for those with disabilities.

Flexible Cancelation

The deposit for this trip is non-refundable.

Lunch

Please provide your own food / snacks.

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Pricing Matrix

	8 Hours	6 Hours
1 Person	$1,000.00	$900.00
2 People	$1,000.00	$900.00
3 People	$1,050.00	$950.00
4 People	$1,100.00	$1,000.00
5 People	$1,150.00	$1,050.00
6 People	$1,200.00	$1,100.00

Pay 15% of the price as a deposit today, with the balance due on the day of the trip.

You're in good hands

Book your trip with confidence — We only work with the best local guides that know where to put you on fish.

Reserve Your Trip

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75% (4)

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You're in good hands

Book your trip with confidence — We only work with the best local guides that know where to put you on fish.

About Your Guide

Phil P.

Independent Guide

Talkative

Intense

Instructional

Beginner Oriented

Comfortable

Quality

Captain Phil is a full-service fishing and hunting guide with over 25 years of local knowledge and experience. He takes a unique approach to inshore and nearshore light tackle sportfishing. Captain Phil also provides extreme angling experiences for Tarpon, Sharks, Goliath Grouper, and seasonal charters for Lobster and Scallops in other popular Florida destinations. Book a trip with him to see why Florida is "The Fishing Capital of the World"!

About Your Guide

Phil P.

Independent Guide

Captain Phil is a full-service fishing and hunting guide with over 25 years of local knowledge and experience. He takes a unique approach to inshore and nearshore light tackle sportfishing.

Captain Phil also provides extreme angling experiences for Tarpon, Sharks, Goliath Grouper, and seasonal charters for Lobster and Scallops in other popular Florida destinations. Book a trip with him to see why Florida is "The Fishing Capital of the World"!

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Rapid Fire Guide Q & A

What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?

415 pound blue Marlin caught on our bay boat

If you were cooking for all your friends what would you cook?

Snapper, piccata, or creamy Tuscan mahi

Rapid Fire Guide Q & A

What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?

415 pound blue Marlin caught on our bay boat

If you were cooking for all your friends what would you cook?

Snapper, piccata, or creamy Tuscan mahi

Whats your favorite band?

Well-versed in all genres of music ex musician, turned fisherman

Whats your favorite movie?

Jaws or the outlaw Josie Wales

Whats your favorite sports team?

Florida college football teams

Whats your drink of choice?

Water on the boat kettle and sugar-free lemonade afterwards

What was your last halloween costume?

A pirate same as every day

What do you want for Christmas this year?

Light winds and blue skies

How did you get started guiding?

Many years of being on the water from Tampa Bay to Key West turned into me, showing my friends were not to run ground

What makes you different from other guides?

I don’t rely on information from others what I do are things that I’ve learned over the years myself

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Start Location & Lodging Options

Ruskin, Florida

Areas Fished

Tampa Bay
St. Pete Beach

About Your Boat

Boat Type: Bay Boat
Boat Manufacturer: Dorado
Boat Length: 24'
Engine Manufacturer: Yamaha

About Your Boat

Boat Type: Bay Boat
Boat Manufacturer: Dorado
Boat Length: 24'
Engine Manufacturer: Yamaha
Total Horsepower: 250
Number of Engines: 1

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Trip Details & Amenities

Water Type

Nearshore

Skill Levels

Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced

Tackle

All rods, reels, and tackle are included.

Beer

Feel free to enjoy responsibly, but please no glass.

Live Bait

Live bait is included for this trip.

Weather

You won’t lose your deposit if the trip is canceled due to weather.

Kid Friendly

This trip can cater to kids.

Fish Cleaning

No cleaning service provided.

Boat Restroom

No, this boat does not have a bathroom on board.

Disability Friendly

This trip is not suited for those with disabilities.

Flexible Cancelation

The deposit for this trip is non-refundable.

Lunch

Please provide your own food / snacks.

Target Species

Color-coded seasonality below is based on .

View Full Species Seasonality Chart »

Get it while it's HOT!
This species is in play.
You might get lucky (as long as things are in-season).
Couldn't tell ya! (no data)

Techniques

Artificial Lure Fishing
Bottom Fishing
Light Tackle Fishing
Trolling

Everything Else to Know

Sunglasses, Weather appropriate clothing & footwear, Sunscreen. Rods, reels & tackle included.

You're all set! You don't need to buy a license for this trip.

We use a cashless autopay system. We'll send you a boarding pass, and on the day of the trip, your guide will scan your boarding pass to automatically transfer the remaining balance. The only cash needed is to tip your guide (we recommend 20%).

The deposit for this trip is non-refundable except for weather-related cancellations.

In the event of inclement weather you'll be covered by out 100% Weather Guarantee and will not lose your deposit.

Reviews

3.8

based on 4 reviews

Brad

Verified Review

April 23

Captain Phil is Great!!’n

Phil is very personable and put you on fish. Phil shared pointers on fishing techniques to help you catch fish. A lot of fishing action in the Tampa Bay fishery!!! You can’t go wrong by chartering with Phil, you’ll leave a friends. 😎

“Phil’s a damn GOOD Captain”

Brad

Verified Review

April 23

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Trip: Tampa Bay Inshore Fishing

Chad

Verified Review

July 25

We had a great Trip with Phil. I took my kids on a family Lobster trip. Phil helped teach my kids and we all had a great experience!

Chad

Verified Review

July 25

We had a great Trip with Phil. I took my kids on a family Lobster trip. Phil helped teach my kids and we all had a great experience!

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Trip: Inshore Fishing + Lobstering

Josh

Verified Review

March 25

Josh

Verified Review

March 25

We had a terrible experience with Captain Phil on our charter fishing trip in the Tampa Bay. We’ve been on a number of charters in the past and feel we know what type of guide knowledge and service we could expect. Although Captain Phil called the night before to discuss our shark fishing trip he did not bring enough equipment or proper number of rods to successfully manage the trip. As a result of a large shark taking our line and stripping pole of its line he became argumentative, yelled at our kids & adults and became very frustrated with us as the anchor line became tangled around the propeller. When we reminded him that he never explained to our party what to do when a shark struck the line, he apologized and acknowledged he missed that part. With about one hour left in our trip we decided to move closer to our launch site and fish for smaller game fish. Once again, without explaining to our kids how he wanted them to fish or what our process should be he began to snap and become very frustrated with our children. When we asked him to stop yelling and just explain to us what we should be doing and how we should be doing it he apologized again and said his focus was on safety. If you or a friend is considering a charter with Captain Phil I would strongly advise you not book your trip based on our experience.

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Trip: Tampa Bay Shark Hunt

Response from Captain Experiences:

Hey Josh, I am sorry to hear about this experience with Captain Phil. We've been working with him for a while and were surprised to hear that the trip did not live up to your expectations. Safety is always the number one priority on these trips and I hope you will give us a call soon so we can find a trip that is well suited for your family.

Response from Captain Experiences:

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Steven

Verified Review

November 5

We would recommend Captain Phil 100%. He handled two rookies to saltwater fishing and all our questions like a champ. We truly enjoyed the day and to top it off he put my wife on a 5ft bullshark so mission accomplished.

Steven

Verified Review

November 5

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Trip: Tampa Bay Shark Hunt

First Time Booking with Us?

Captain Experiences is home to 1,600+ quality, vetted fishing and hunting guides across the US and beyond. Our mission is to Unlock the Outdoors by making it quick and easy to book the trip of a lifetime every time with our Damn Good Guides.

We vet our guides and only partner with the best of the best. Our guides do their very best to keep you safe, show you a great time, and send you home with a memorable experience shared with family and friends.

Once you've paid your deposit at checkout, we'll send you a QR Code boarding pass. Just show your guide your boarding pass on the day of the trip, they'll scan it, the remaining balance will transfer automatically, and you'll be all set to get out there. Just make sure you bring a cash tip for the guide!

In the event of inclement weather, our guides will check the conditions and make the final call on whether its safe to go on the trip. If they decide the trip needs to be postponed, we'll work closely with you to reschedule or provide a credit for the full deposit, which can be applied to any of our trips in the US and beyond.

Each trip's price is determined by the guide and reflects all associated costs. A significant factor in pricing is often the type of boat and the corresponding fuel expenses. Additional costs may include leases, marina or slip fees, bait, and the expenses involved in providing and maintaining the necessary gear for your trip.

After booking your trip, we'll connect you directly with your guide to discuss additional details. In the meantime, our team is here to answer any questions via email, text, or phone.