Fishing charters on Amelia Island
The choice here is not really which captain, it is which water. Inshore means the creeks and flats behind the island, calm and good with children and first-timers. Nearshore and offshore, the deep sea trip most people picture, means going out for bottom fish and pelagics, longer days and rougher water. Most people arrive asking for a price and actually need that question settled first.
Checked and updated by a person who lives here. 35 listings on this page.
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Grouped by the water each one is described as fishing. Plenty of these captains run either kind of day depending on the forecast, so it is always worth asking.
Inshore and backwater
The creeks and flats behind the island. Calmer water, shorter runs, the usual answer with children or first-timers aboard.
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Amelia Island Charter Fishing
Fishing charter·Fernandina Beach
Confirmed by the owner
Capt. Jeff Crumpton — guiding Amelia Island 20+ years, light-tackle and fly. Backwater, inshore, and offshore; a specialty is sight-fishing redfish on the flood tides. Also Cumberland Island runs and sunset trips. Trailers the boat, so trips run from multiple ramps — Old Town Bait & Tackle ramp (1620 N 14th St) and 10 Ash Street downtown.
(904) 753-6379·jc2redfish@gmail.com
Checked 2026-08-06
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Fish Amelia Island
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Danny Flynn runs guided inshore trips, 4 hours dock to dock as standard with 6-hour trips available. Tarpon, redfish, black drum, trout, flounder, whiting and jack crevalle. Bait, tackle, rods, ice and the fishing license are all included, and they run dedicated young-angler trips from around age six.
(904) 583-3131·Mon-Sun 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Schmidt Happens Charter Fishing
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
A father-and-son operation: Capt. Eric Schmidt with over 40 years of fishing behind him, and Capt. Bryce Schmidt holding a Master Captain's license, both USCG licensed. They fish a 26ft Cobia center console on twin Yamaha 150s - four anglers, or up to six for a non-fishing cruise. Half, three-quarter and full days plus a dedicated kids' trip. Penn rods and reels, and gear, bait and ice are included; food and drink are not.
(904) 206-7717·Mon-Sun 7 AM - 7 PM
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia Angler
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Family-run since 1978 by Terry and Mary Lacoss, and a tackle and outdoor-wear shop as well as a charter desk, across from Fernandina Harbor Marina. Books a fleet rather than a single boat: backwater, jetty, beach and surf trips, deep-sea bottom fishing and trolling, and freshwater bass on the St. Marys and Nassau river systems. Also Cumberland Island sightseeing and a classroom-and-boat fishing school. Set up for large groups.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia Backwater Fishing Co.
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Brad Ecklof, 20-plus years on these waters, running two boats you choose between: an 18ft skiff for shallow water and a 22ft bay boat for jetty and nearshore trips. Redfish, trout and flounder inshore, night-time flounder gigging in the marshes, and sunset tours for up to six. Gear and licenses included; they fillet and bag the catch and will point you to a restaurant that cooks it.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia Fishing Adventures
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Jeremiah Joost-Miller, fishing a 22ft bay boat and an 18ft poling skiff shallow enough to reach water most boats cannot. Backwater trips for redfish, trout, black drum and flounder; fly and sight fishing for tailing redfish around the new and full moon; and dedicated tarpon trips roughly May through October. Short kids' trips too. Tackle and both Florida and Georgia licenses provided.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia Island Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Scott Stewart, inshore and marsh fishing off the downtown Fernandina waterfront, capped at three guests. Two formats split by experience: a marsh trip for anglers who know what they are doing, and a shorter family trip for beginners. Redfish, spotted sea trout, flounder, black drum and sharks. Also runs wildlife and nature boat tours, booked by the hour. Gear, bait, ice and licenses supplied.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia Island Sportfishing
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Runs a 26ft catamaran-hull center console out of Fernandina Harbor Marina, covering jetty, inshore, nearshore, offshore and deep-sea trips. Redfish, sheepshead, flounder and blacktip sharks close in; grouper, snapper, kingfish and cobia further out. Cooler and ice aboard, Coast Guard safety gear, and they clean and bag the catch at the dock.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia Island Time Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Kevin Blanton, a Fernandina Beach native who has fished these waters 25-plus years. Inshore, backwater and jetty trips only, no offshore, for parties up to four. The jetty trip is the big-fish option; inshore runs lighter for redfish, sea trout and flounder.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Amelia on Fly
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Fly-fishing and light-tackle guiding from Capt. William D. Cochran, trading as Amelia on Fly (the company is Amelia Island Outfitters). An Orvis-endorsed guide, running a Beavertail BTX and a Pathfinder 2200, plus guided kayak trips into low-tide backwater a powerboat cannot reach. Not fishing only: they also book guided hog and turkey hunts in Florida and Georgia, and destination trips further afield.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Coastal Catch Surf Fishing Charters of Amelia Island
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Confirmed by the owner
Beach fishing from American Beach, Peters Point, or Fort Clinch on Amelia Island. All gear and bait supplied for three-hour trips targeting whiting, pompano, redfish, bluefish, black drum, and sharks. Family-friendly fishing for over a year and a half, with summer fishing camps and classes.
(904) 303-7665·coastalcatchcharters25@gmail.com
Verified by a local
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Fernandina Fishing Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Bart Smith, Coast Guard licensed and insured, running light-tackle inshore and backwater trips with published departure windows: 4-hour half days morning or afternoon, 6-hour and 8-hour options, and a 3-hour sunset fishing trip. Up to four anglers. Gear, bait, licenses and cold drinks included. They also sell the boat for non-fishing time - sunset cruises, ecotours, corporate outings and wedding transport.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Gonna Miss Her Fishing Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Patrick Hemphill has fished North Florida for 34 years and holds USCG Merchant Mariner credentials with a Master Inshore and near-shore endorsement. He is also a working North Florida law enforcement officer of 30-plus years who guides on his time off. A 25ft Tidewater bay boat, four anglers maximum, inshore and backcountry water with nearshore when conditions allow - they stay inside if it is choppy. License, tackle, bait, water, cooler and catch cleaning included. Runs year-round and takes children of any age.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Her Money Fishing
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. George Smith fishes a 22ft Proline bay boat for up to six guests, children of any age welcome. The jetties, inlet and backwaters for flounder, speckled seatrout, redfish and black drum depending on the season. Penn rods and reels supplied, plus two soft coolers of ice for your own drinks. Half days are a fixed four-hour block morning or afternoon; full days run 7 to 4. He also runs a separate two-hour sunset cruise on another boat, past Egans Creek and the Cumberland Island shoreline, narrated.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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No Limits Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Diane Pollock, owner-operated, USCG licensed and insured and running charters here since 2011 - she offers to show the license at the dock. Guide-licensed in both Florida and Georgia, so she fishes Cumberland Sound across the state line and can leave from either Fernandina Beach or St. Marys. An artificial-lure operation by choice, with live bait only for very young children, staying within about three miles in the estuaries, marshes and beaches. Redfish, spotted sea trout, flounder, black drum, sheepshead and shark. A Coast Guard Auxiliary coxswain on marine safety patrols since 2015 and a member of the National Association of Charterboat Operators. Portable toilet aboard and families with children explicitly encouraged. Capt. Tommy Harris Jr also runs trips for the business.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Pipe Dream Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Scott Thompson has run Pipe Dream full time since 2011, fishing Pipe Dream III, a 37ft Carolina custom sportfisher, out of Fernandina Harbor Marina at Dock B. Six passengers maximum on a USCG six-pack license. Nearshore, jetty and inshore work inside Cumberland Sound and the St. Marys jetties, offshore reef and wreck trips, and blue-water days on the Atlantic Ledge 30-plus miles out. Short trips leave around 8am and the long offshore days go before dawn. Gear, bait, ice and licenses are in the price, and the catch is filleted and bagged at the dock. Carries an EPIRB and a life raft.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Semper Fi Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Brian Soucy served 22 years in the Marine Corps before retiring in 2003, and now runs inshore and backwater trips on a 2021 Sportsman Tournament 234 rigged shallow with twin Power Poles and a Minn Kota Terrova. Redfish, speckled trout, flounder, sheepshead, black drum and sharks, with bull redfish and shark trips as their own thing. Half, three-quarter and full days, a two-hour kids' trip, and a seasonal red snapper trip on the federal open dates that has to be booked by phone. Fishing license included. Sightseeing tours by the hour as well.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Southern Fly Outfitters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Chris Pinckney, USCG licensed and insured, guiding since 2000 and on Fernandina water since 2011. Fly fishing is the focus here - light tackle and bait are the accommodation for larger groups, not the default. Two boats: a Hell's Bay Waterman 18 poling skiff that drafts four inches, and a 21ft Maritime Skiff called Defiant with an enclosed private head that fishes comfortably nearshore. Small parties, with fly trips priced for two anglers and light tackle for three. A seasonal flood-tide fly trip runs July through October, and nearshore trips April through August for false albacore, Spanish mackerel and sea bass. Sage, Orvis and TFO rods with Nautilus reels provided. Open year round.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Spartina Tails
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Matt Harrelson has fished the waters in and around Amelia Island his whole life, and works as a merchant mariner when he is not running charters. A member of the Amelia Island Guides Association, fishing a 2017 Sportsman 247 Masters Platinum with a Yamaha 300. Inshore and backwater trips through the rivers and creeks for redfish, trout, flounder and sheepshead, plus a separate jetties and inlet trip for tarpon in late summer and triple tail from late spring. Half days are four hours leaving around 7:30 or 1, and there is a two-hour quick trip for people short on vacation time. License, bait, equipment, water, cooler and ice included, priced for two anglers with four the maximum. Families with kids explicitly welcome.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Ye Ole Pirate Fishing Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Steve Hair runs the Ye Ole Pirate, a 36ft custom-built boat docked at Fernandina Harbor Marina in the historic downtown, with his wife Wanda handling the office and the bookings. Private restroom, an enclosed helm station and an upper viewing deck, which suits guests along for the ride rather than the fishing. Every trip is private with a maximum of six people, and a full first mate comes along with the captain. Inshore, beach creek, intracoastal and jetty trips - deliberately the option for people who would rather not go offshore or risk seasickness. Wheelchair accessible. Bait, tackle, ice, rods, reels, coolers and the required fishing licenses are all provided. They also handle burials at sea and the scattering of ashes. Prices move with the season, so confirm when you call.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-27
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Sea Dolphin Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Capt. Gerald Wilder, a lifelong local of the Fernandina and Amelia Island waterways, running inshore fishing and island sightseeing tours rather than offshore trips. Takes beginners as readily as experienced anglers.
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-27
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A.C. Charters
Fishing charter·Downtown Fernandina
Fishing charter (Capt. Allen Mills), guiding Amelia Island for 40+ years; inshore, offshore, and flats fishing from a downtown dock.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-09
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Angler's Mark Fishing Charter
Fishing charter·Fernandina Beach
Backcountry fishing charter (Capt. Lawrence Piper); inshore light tackle for redfish, trout, and flounder.
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-09
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Beat The Oddz Charters
Fishing charter·Fernandina Beach
Fishing charter (Capt. Kenny, an Amelia Island native); inshore and nearshore, family-friendly.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-09
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Amelia Island Guides Association
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Books trips across its member guides (ameliaislandguidesassociation.com).
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-12
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Crawfish Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Fishing charter; inshore and offshore trips for novice and experienced anglers.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-09
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Bey Bodo Charter Fishing
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Local charter boat on the island's charter roster — runs offshore trips, inshore trips, backwater trips, sightseeing/sunset trips.
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-31
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Fernandina Flats Fishing Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-12
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Fire Escape Fishing
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-12
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Heavy Hitter Charters
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-12
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Island Charters Unlimited
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-12
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Liberty Sport Fishing
Fishing charter·Fernandina Beach
Sport-fishing charter (Capt. Bennett Harbour); inshore, small groups.
Listed from their own site · checked 2026-07-09
Nearshore and offshore
Out past the beach for bottom fish and pelagics, the deep sea day most people mean when they ask. Longer days, bigger water, and weather matters more.
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Big Fin Charters
Fishing charter·Fernandina Beach
Confirmed by the owner
Offshore fishing charter; deep-sea and bottom fishing, 15-70 mile runs.
Checked 2026-07-12
Also listed
Also listed. Worth a call to ask what they do.
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Amelia Island Charter Boat Association
Fishing charter·Downtown Fernandina
Books group or split charters across its member boats from the office at 111 Centre Street (ameliaislandcharterboatassociation.com).
111 Centre St, Fernandina Beach·(904) 261-2870
Listed from available sources · checked 2026-07-12
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Amelia Island Surf Fishing Charter
Fishing charter·Amelia Island
Confirmed by the owner
Guided surf fishing from the beach — 3-hour trips for up to 5 people, meeting guests near where they are staying when possible. Bait and gear provided; anglers need only a Florida saltwater license (from $17, free under 16). Also rents surf-fishing gear (rod, reel, sand spike and tackle; bring your own bait, 3-day minimum). Runs year-round. Owners Brandon and Amanda Biddle.
Checked 2026-07-19
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What you can catch here
Ranked by how often the island's own boats name each fish in their trip descriptions.
- Redfish All year · biggest in fall
- Named on more of the fleet's trips than any other fish. They work the oyster beds, flats and dock lines of the backwater all year, and in fall the big bull reds follow the mullet run down the beaches and into the inlets.
- Flounder Summer into fall
- Stack up along the inlets and creek mouths in summer, and the bite climbs as the water cools. The second most named fish on the island's boats.
- Spotted seatrout All year · best in the cool months
- The third leg of the inshore slam. Trout hold in the river and creeks all year and the bite picks up as the water cools.
- Sheepshead and black drum Winter and spring
- The cool-season bite around the jetties and structure. Sheepshead at the jetties is a winter specialty here.
- Whiting and pompano Spring
- The spring surf bite as the water warms.
- Tarpon Summer
- Show in the sounds and along the beaches in summer, following the bait schools.
- Shark Summer
- Several boats run dedicated trips. Mostly blacktips, spinners and Atlantic sharpnose close in.
- Snapper, grouper, kingfish and cobia Offshore trips
- What the offshore boats go for on reef and bottom trips out of the St. Marys inlet, on runs from the nearshore reefs to 15 to 70 miles out.
Common questions
- What is the difference between inshore and offshore fishing here?
- Inshore is the backwater: the Amelia River, the creeks and the sounds, casting for redfish, trout and flounder in calm water. Offshore means running out the St. Marys inlet into the Atlantic for reef and bottom fish, a longer day in open water. Most of the island's fleet works inshore; a smaller group runs offshore. Calm water is also the answer for anyone prone to seasickness.
- Is there deep sea fishing on Amelia Island?
- Yes. The offshore boats run out of the St. Marys inlet, from nearshore reefs a few miles out to runs of 15 to 70 miles, for snapper, grouper, kingfish and cobia. Fewer boats run offshore than inshore, so those dates book earlier.
- Can kids come on a charter?
- Many boats here take kids, and several describe their trips as family trips. Age minimums vary boat to boat, and the calm backwater suits young children far better than open water. Anyone under 16 fishes without a license in Florida. Ages are worth saying when you call: it is the first thing a captain asks, and it decides the water more than the boat does.
- How long is a trip, half day or full day?
- Most inshore trips are half-day, typically around four hours, morning or afternoon, and that is plenty for the backwater. Offshore trips book longer because the run out is part of the day. Half-day inshore is the usual family pick.
- Are there sharks off Amelia Island?
- Yes, mostly small coastal species: blacktips, spinners and Atlantic sharpnose, and several boats run dedicated shark trips in summer. For swimmers the record is reassuring: Nassau County has three confirmed unprovoked bites since the 1880s, none fatal. The famous shark teeth on the beach are fossils, millions of years old, washed in from ancient offshore deposits, not from today's sharks.
The rest of the island guide
Same directory, same local reading it. All of it in one place. For tides, light and what is on today, see Today on the island.
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