We generally begin our season around June 1st. If you call before then, simply leave us a message and we will contact you as quickly as possible. Please keep in mind that we remain aboard "Reel Big Fish" throughout the season so, if your call does not reach us directly, we are probably out fishing. Leave a message that includes a day as well as an evening phone number (remember we may be fishing) and we will return your call once we return. To reserve the date of your trip, a 50% deposit is generally required.

We want to fish with you, not keep your deposit. We realize that the future is unpredictable, but please understand that your reservation meant others interested in the date held for your group were turned away. If you don't show up or don't give us enough time to book another party, we lose valuable fishing days. We believe you'll find the cancellation policy we offer is not only fair, but also much more liberal than you'll find anywhere else. If a problem should arise, please contact us as soon as possible so we can work with you towards finding a solution.

We want you to enjoy your experience as well as return home in one piece! The Bertram is well-known for being one of, if not the best rough-water vessel ever made. It is well documented that she can handle anything nature has to offer, and our personal experiences with 30-40+ ft seas attests to that. Nevertheless, we know how bad weather can ruin a trip whether you catch fish or not. We do not enjoy our guests feeling miserable due to seasickness nor do we like being beat-up by severe weather. More importantly, we would never put our guests in danger of becoming injured due to severe weather conditions. We will keep you informed of any weather issues that might affect your trip, and will give an honest description of what conditions will be like. If conditions are uncertain, a mutual agreement will be made that determines whether the trip is cancelled, delayed or proceeding as planned. If a trip is cancelled by us or by agreement between your party and us, your deposit is refundable. Obviously, we can't guarantee calm seas and a shining sun so we can't cancel a trip simply because it rains (for example).

'Reel Big Fish' is exceptionally-well maintained and equipped with “all the comforts of home" because it is, in fact, home to the Captain and his family for over half the year. Quite simply, PLEASE treat his home and personal belongings the same way you treat your own or expect them to be treated by others. If you spill, get or see something dirty, etc., please do the right thing and simply clean it up - it's that easy. While alcohol is OK to bring (as long as you are 21+), please do not overdue it. The Captain is responsible for his passengers and if he feels that you are a danger to others or even yourself, he will end your trip and head in. You must obey any and all instructions given to you by the Captain without question or delay. If someone in your party rails to follow these instructions or becomes hostile, disorderly or disruptive, the trip will be cancelled as well. Do not bring illegal drugs aboard with you! In case you do not know, the Captain is a Sworn Officer of the Coast Guard and has the legal authority to make arrests while at sea. Enough said about that since we haven't had any problems, as it seems that most people are respectful by nature. The crew is super-friendly, entertaining and tolerant of just about everything so you are sure to have a great trip without any hassles unless your party is truly out-of-control.

The mate, as you either know or will find out, performs a multitude of tasks and works very hard to make your trip successful. Listing each task would take pages so briefly - he rigs, maintains and deploys trolling and night chunk outfits/lures/baits, leaders/gaffs your catch, assists the Captain in navigating/piloting, etc., just to name a few. He is the one your party usually relies on to answer questions, supply or locate items and many other services due to his proximity to your party while fishing. The charter fee does not normally cover the mate's pay, but instead he works for gratuities. This is customary practice with all fishing charters, and the standard gratuity is generally 15-20%. Like a tip left for service on a restaurant bill, the amount you decide is based upon the service you received. In the unlikely event you encounter any problems with the service provided, please bring this to the attention of the Captain immediately.