By: Capt. Chad Carney
Want to shoot bigger and better fish? But you and your friends don’t have a boat, or an experience to find fish? Spearfishing charter boats are rare these days, but here’s what to look for to find a good one.
First avoid big slow boats packed with dive students or hook and liner known as “cattle boats.” The Keys and Southeast Florida are full of them, running 1/2 day AM trips close to a pass or inlet, so they can rush you back and pick up their double dipper – $$! 3/4 and full day trips are the best values.
Look for a 6-pack charter boat (6 passengers max.), with an owner/captain/spearo and a dive instructor is a plus. Liveaboards are even better and much more comfortable. On the Gulf side, run out to reach at least 45 ft. depths and 15 ft. visibility. It gets better if you run further out to about 60 ft. deep and 20-30 ft. visibility. The best is about 120 ft. deep and possible 40-50 ft. visibility.
Boats need spray shields, sun and rain tops, and padded seating for everyone. Space for gear bags, tanks and gun racks, a dive platform and ladder, and some big fish coolers!
My dive boat “Cubera” is a 36 ft. x 13.5 ft. express sportfisherman 40 ft. LOA and carries 6 divers max. 3/4 & full day trips, or 4 divers for liveaboard trips Fridays – Sundays. I run out of different areas but prefer the Gulf side. I’m repowering a 2nd time and hope to be up by the spring of 2023, we’ll see.
— Captain Chad Carney – Diving Instructor & Journalist
mobile: 727-423-7775 | e-mail: chad.carney@yahoo.com
www.floridaskindiver.com | www.facebook.com/floridaskindiver
www.deeperblue.com/beginners-guide-spearfishing