Boca Raton
Fishing Charters
Boca Raton guests come down because Hillsboro Inlet is a deeper, easier inlet than Boca Inlet, which is narrow and shallows up, and because a six angler boat books out differently from a party boat.
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Sportfishing out of Boca Raton, on a six angler boat
Gradyful is a single boat with a single captain. Six anglers is the maximum, the gear and the licenses are already aboard, and the person who answers the phone is the person who runs the trip. From Boca Raton it is about 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A.
Boca Inlet is a tight, shallow cut that a lot of captains would rather not run at low water. Driving twenty minutes south to a dock inside Hillsboro Inlet takes that question off the table before the day starts.
If you are staying near Mizner Park, Red Reef Park and the Boca Raton Resort, the dock is roughly 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A. Captain Shawn confirms the exact slip and where to park the night before, so nobody is hunting for it at a quarter to seven in the morning.
Getting to the boat from Boca Raton
- Distance
- About 9 miles, about 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A.
- Where you leave from
- 2772 NE 3rd St
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
Out through Hillsboro Inlet. - Departures
- 7:00 AM daily, plus 12:30 PM for half days when the morning is open.
- Near
- Mizner Park, Red Reef Park and the Boca Raton Resort
What a charter from Boca Raton costs
The same price list wherever you drive in from. No travel surcharge, no fuel surcharge, nothing added at the dock.
| Trip | Hours | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Half Day, Shared | 4 hours | $200 per person |
| Three-Quarter Day, Shared | 6 hours | $275 per person |
| Night Snapper, Shared | 5 hours | $125 per person |
| Half Day, Private | 4 hours | $700 for the whole boat |
| Three-Quarter Day, Private | 6 hours | $900 for the whole boat |
| Full Day, Private | 8 hours | $1,100 for the whole boat |
Rods, reels, tackle, bait, ice, fuel, the saltwater fishing license for everyone aboard and cleaning your catch are included in every price above. The only thing left is the mate’s tip.
What is biting off Boca Raton
Winter is the sailfish and wahoo season and it is the reason a lot of people book at all. Spring and summer belong to mahi, and the wrecks hold amberjack and cobia. The reef itself never really switches off, so even a flat week in the shoulder season puts snapper and blackfin in the box.
Species and seasonsWhich trip suits a Boca Raton booking
At about 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A, the 7:00 AM departure means leaving Boca Raton around six, which most groups would rather do once than twice. That tends to favour the six or eight hour trip over the four, so the drive is attached to a full day on the water rather than half of one.
See every tripDo you run fishing charters from Boca Raton?
Yes. Gradyful Fishing Charters serves Boca Raton and the surrounding Gold Coast. Every trip departs from our dock at 2772 NE 3rd St, Pompano Beach, FL 33062, about 9 miles from Boca Raton, about 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A. Call or text Captain Shawn on (973) 953-4866 to check a date.
How far is the boat from Boca Raton?
The dock is about 9 miles from Boca Raton, about 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A. Boca Inlet is shallow and can be awkward on a falling tide. Running out of Hillsboro instead takes that problem off the table.
What does a fishing charter from Boca Raton cost?
The same as anywhere else we fish: $200 per person for a four hour shared trip, $275 for six hours, and $125 for the five hour night snapper trip (minimum three anglers, weather permitting). A private boat for up to six anglers is $700 for four hours, $900 for six and $1,100 for eight. Rods, reels, tackle, bait, ice, fuel, the saltwater fishing license for everyone aboard and cleaning your catch are all included. There is no travel surcharge for coming from Boca Raton.
What fish can you catch off Boca Raton?
Mahi mahi, sailfish, wahoo, blackfin tuna, kingfish, yellowtail and mutton snapper, amberjack, cobia and grouper offshore, plus snook and tarpon inshore when the ocean is rough. Sailfish and wahoo peak from November through March, mahi from April through August, and the reef fishes for snapper and blackfin all year.
Do I need a fishing license to fish out of Boca Raton?
No. The vessel license covers every angler on board for saltwater fishing, so nobody in your group needs to buy their own before driving over from Boca Raton. That applies the moment you step on the boat at the Pompano Beach dock, and it covers the reef, the wrecks and the blue water alike. A couple of species carry their own tag requirements, so mention it when you book if you are targeting something specific.
How early do charters leave from the Boca Raton area?
Trips depart at 7:00 AM seven days a week, half day trips also run at 12:30 PM when the morning is open, and the five hour night snapper trip leaves at 7:00 PM. From Boca Raton allow 20 minutes south on Federal Highway or A1A for the drive, plus a few minutes to park and stow a cooler.
Should a group from Boca Raton book seats or the whole boat?
If you are four or more, take the whole boat. Six hours of shared seats for four people is $1,100 against $900 for the private boat, so the private trip costs less and you set the plan. One, two or three anglers are usually better off buying seats. Six is the maximum either way, because the vessel is a United States Coast Guard six-pack. Groups coming from Boca Raton often share the 9 mile drive and split the private boat between them.
Can beginners and kids fish out of Boca Raton?
Yes, and a lot of our trips are exactly that. The mate rigs everything, shows you how to work the rod and coaches first-timers through the fight. Because the run out of Hillsboro Inlet is short, a four hour trip is comfortable for children who would not last a long ride offshore. Tell Captain Shawn when you book if you are bringing kids and the crew plans the day around them. The boat is not wheelchair accessible, so call ahead if anyone in your group has mobility needs.
The rest of the coast we run to
Same boat, same crew, same dock. Pick the town you are coming from.
Captain Shawn answers his own phone
No booking engine, no call center, no back and forth with a receptionist. Tell him the date and how many people, and he will tell you straight whether the fishing is worth your money that week.
Prefer email? captainshawn311@yahoo.com
