Reviews

Earlybird fishing charter

Fished with Capt Ross for two days and he put us on the fish both days. Caught many mahi on the first day and he put us on the yellowtail snapper the second. Really knows what he is doing and keeps the clients experience at a high level. Will definitely fish with him next time I am in the area.

Donald M

Early Bird Fishing Charter

Fishing on the Early Bird with Capt Ross and First Mate Ryan was the highlight of our vacation in Islamorada. They were able to adjust to our last minute request to switch from a 1/2-day to a 3/4-day trip to fish for dolphin. We caught lots of mahi and tuna including a nice 30-35 lb slammer cow. Capt Ross and Ryan were also very patient with our kids who had never been deep sea fishing before even when things got a little hectic while trying to hook up with the big ones. As a bonus, Ross made dinner reservations for us to cook our catch later in the evening. We'll be back for sure.

Walt and Martha F

Fantastic Snapper Fishing

3 of us went out at 7am sharp and by 10.00am we had 11 3 pound+ yellowtail snapper in the boat. Every fish we caught was over 12 inches, and a keeper. We had our fresh snapper cooked 4 ways at a local restaurant for dinner that night. "Swimming at 9, dinner at 7". Great sport, excellent deck work and line management. Good job Captain!

Geoff B

First Class Fishing in Islamorada

Had an amazing day on the water with Capt Ross and crew that my family will never forget. We caught tons of Snapper, Mahi, Tuna and AmberJack all in one day. Capt Ross had us on fish all day and was able to switch up and catch us the variety of fish we were looking for. I am an avid fisherman and I can honestly say that Capt Ross truly provides a first class fishing experience. If you are looking for the ultimate fishing experience, this is it. Early Bird is the only Charter I will be booking on all my future fishing trips to Islamorada.

Pdbrennan

Best Charter/Captain Around!!

Capt. Ross and first mate Justin were THE BEST! We booked a full day offshore charter and they were amazing to be around the entire time - very knowledgeable and both have great personalities! Captain Ross and Justin worked extremely hard to get us on fish, even with the area having a slow mahi bite the past week or so. We felt confident we were in good hands, Ross and Justin communicated frequently about fishing strategy and got us on 13 dolphin! The highlight of our already perfect day came when we were able to hook up on two sailfish! Capt Ross and Justin made sure we got the fish in and calmly directed us during all of the excitement! It felt good to come back to the marina with more fish than most other boats, while flying two sailfish flags! We come to the keys every year and will continue to book with Capt Ross and the EarlyBird crew! Thank you for an amazing vacation and trip!

Kelly F

Epic day fishing

Had a party of 3 fish with Ross and Justin last week. The fishing was epic. We caught 2 blackfin tuna and about 45-50 dolphin. Ross worked hard all day to get us on fish, and Justin helped us hook up and manage lines when we had 5 or 6 fish on at one time with only 3 anglers. The boat is big and easy to finish with AC in the cabin, so it was very comfortable. Ross and Justin were great to fish with, and I would highly recommend them.

JMBax

Great day fishing in the keys with young kids

My wife and 3 kids fished on the Early Bird last week and had a great day. We left the marina around 7:00 am and hit a bottom hump on our way out to target tunas. We were quickly able to pick up some black fin tuna before pushing into deeper water, and I'm pretty sure we could have picked at them a while longer if that is what we wanted to do.

In deeper water, Captain Ross was able to locate several large weed mats holding good numbers of mahi. We were able to site cast with open reel gear which makes catching mahi much more fun. I keep an offshore boat in South Carolina, and I like to stay busy while fishing. I was able to work along side Ross's mate as much or as little as I wanted. We had several fish in the box, and I let Ross know we were only planning to take enough fish to have Lazy Days (great restaurant on the Atlantic which you must try) prepare dinner for us. We caught some more, and I am certain we could have caught as many as we wanted if we cared to fish all day.

Two things made the trip unique...

1) My kids on the boat were 11, 8, and 6. Captain Ross and his crew did a great job keeping them in the action and teaching/assisting them while reeling in fish. This time of year can be tough for offshore fishing, and it exceeded my expectations. Every kid was able to reel in several fish.

2) I was in the bridge/tower with the captain filming the action and heard several boats on the radio talking. There were many boats not catching anything yet captain Ross had us reeling in fish all day.

I highly recommend the Early Bird, and when I come back next time we will fish at least 2 days and target sailfish one day.

Hclayto

Great Time

We did a split allday charter. It was magnificent! Captain Ross and hus deckhand det super. Se caught tons of fish and they never gave up on an opportunity. Would strongly reccomend!!

Kelly J

Early Bird Fishing Charters is the perfect way to spend a day on the water.

We recently booked a trip with Early Bird Fishing Charters with Captain Ross and First Mate, Justin for my buddy's bachelor party. Both Ross and Justin were fantastic and we caught more fish than we could possibly eat. It was an amazing experience that we will all remember for a lifetime. Whether you are a novice or experienced angler, Early Bird Fishing Charters provides the perfect mix of challenge and fun with your friends. I would HIGHLY recommend Early Bird Fishing Charters to anyone visiting Islamorada. Be prepared to catch a lot of fish!!!

Nickxg

Fishing adventure

Cap’n Ross and first mate Justin were a dream team - fun, professional, and helpful. They moved quickly and made the whole day exciting. Never a dull moment on the Early Bird!

Hopek