SOUTHERN CHARM CHARTERS
Capt Scott Goodwin, owner of Fish Trap Charters, has teamed up with Capt. Chuck Rehm to start chartering the brand new fully customized 32 foot Mirage "Southern Charm" out of Sunrise marina in Port Canaveral, Florida. Capt Scott is excited to offer you a clean, fast and well maintained boat coupled with 22 years of professional fishing experience and a patient, family oriented attitude. Please come join us for the fishing adventure of a lifetime.
 
Southern Charm offers:
Full Day (9hrs) offshore: $850
Half Day (5hrs) offshore: $650
Prices are for up to six persons and include all licenses, bait, tackle and fish cleaning!
The "Southern Charm" is rigged with top of the line electronics and safety equipment, including an epirb and liferaft.
Come join us and see Offshore Academy come to life. There is no better way to learn than to experience it!
We also offer specialty trips including tuna trips, swordfishing and bahamas excursions. Call or email for pricing and details.
Please call 321-690-0029 or email Scott@offshoreacademy.com for reservations or questions.
Available trips Offshore
One of the attractive features of fishing out of Port Canaveral is the great diversity of fish to chase. The Southern Charm is designed to be able to cover a lot of water quickly and tap into many different types of fishing. Many of our options are seasonal, but there is always some type of exciting fish to pursue.
Bluewater trolling for dolphin, wahoo, sailfish, kingfish and the occasional blue marlin is found between twenty and forty miles offshore. Feel the fight using 30# class trolling outfits.
Live-bait trolling consists of slow trolling live baits around local reefs and wrecks to entice almost everything that swims. Kingfish, cobia, and the occasional giant wahoo are suckers for this method. Feel the burning run of a smoker king on 20# tackle. This takes place anywhere from the beach to twenty-five miles out.
Bottom fishing and wreck hopping are two popular methods. They are often integrated into our other trips to various degrees. Grouper, snapper, and cobia are common targets on the bottom as well as many other species.
Sight-fishing for cobia and tripletail is a seasonal spring and fall activity. Entice a large cobia with a jig on spinning tackle and watch them eat it on the surface. This is one of my personal favorites.
All of these trips are available with Capt. Scott Goodwin aboard the Southern Charm.
“While there is never a guarantee from Mother Nature, I take pride in providing you with a clean boat, excellent equipment, and my full effort in making your fishing trip safe, fun and successful. I look forward to fishing with you aboard the Southern Charm.”
What to Bring on Your Charter
Taking a charter can be a very exciting experience. Many factors such as weather and the fish’s appetite are beyond our control and we make the best of what is given to us. However, many factors are under our control and can greatly affect the overall charter experience.
Here in Florida and points further south, the sun is a major factor during a day of fishing. Many people do not realize the intensity of the sun until it is too late. The refection of the sun off of the water and deck of most boats tends to triple the amount of sun one gets compared to a day on land. Sunscreen is very important as well as some type of hat. Sunglasses are essential and polarized lenses are equally important to reduce glare. This is crucial for a person to see fish underwater. Lightweight, long-sleeve shirts and pants are becoming popular sun protection.
If your charter takes you offshore or if you have concerns about seasickness, take one of the many types of medicines before hand. Follow the instructions on the label, but taking something after you feel bad is rarely the cure.
Don’t forget your cameras and video equipment. The Southern Charm has lots of dry storage on the boat for such water sensitive equipment. Large ziplock bags make easy waterproofing for the ride. Extra film and batteries are a plus.
Lightweight rain gear is also handy for afternoon showers or just a cool breeze. Footwear is also important on a boat. Shoes with good traction are essential and black rubber soles are taboo. They leave black marks all over the boat which are very hard to remove. Do not go barefoot! Though it feels great, it is very dangerous in a situation filled with teeth, hooks, and gaffs.
Food and drinks are usually the responsibility of the charter, unless prearranged otherwise. Lots of water is important to prevent dehydration. Check with the captain about beer and such. Hard liquor is not acceptable.
Bringing your own fishing gear is usually accepted, but not really loved. Your hired crew should have plenty of decent equipment, which is rigged like they like it. They will not know the history of your equipment and would hate to risk your fish to a bad spot in your line. Check with the crew ahead of time for there are many exceptions to this rule!
Treat the captain’s equipment and boat with care and you will have a pleasurable fishing trip with none of the responsibility and clean up.
What to look for in a charter
Chartering a boat is a great way to learn techniques from experienced crews who chase fish for a living. It also is nice to have all of the fun and none of the work. Each port up and down the coasts has charter boats to take clients out for all types of fishing.
Chartering a boat should be a great experience. If you are local, ask around at the docks or watch the boats come in and unload. Remember everyone has a bad day now and again. If you are “out of town “the web is the best bet. Look at the boat, equipment and overall feel of the site. Are the pictures all from the same trip, like they’ve only had one good day? The quality of your trip and enjoyment should not be solely determined by the size of your pile of fish.
Make sure that you ask plenty of questions about what to expect from weather and seas, but trust the captain’s judgment. Give the captain a feel for the abilities of your party. Discuss what fish is biting and target that. If you desire a specific species, inquire as to the possibilities of success. Don’t ask” how many pounds of fish will we catch?” I’ve heard that one more than once. No one can predict what the ocean will give up. Your crew should put forth a good effort with a positive attitude. If you feel they have, a tip is customary of 20%.
If sea sickness is remotely possible or you don’t know, take preventive measures. Don’t head offshore with plans to get drunk, save money and stay on land for that. Take sunscreen, but not the spray or aerosol kind (Overspray on certain parts of the boat can cause damage). Dress in layers and take some raingear. Polarized sunglasses are essential to protect your eyes and to cut the glare and increase visibility into the water. Wear boat friendly footwear. No black soles as they can leave black marks that barely come off with lots of elbow grease. Barefoot is not the answer! Don’t forget a hat.
Does the boat have coolers for food, a head (toilet) for the ladies, cabin or open, ac or not. Ask about fish cleaning. Some include it others do not, but there will be some system for getting them cleaned.
Almost all private charter boats can only take a maximum of six passengers. Kids and non-fishermen do count. Inspected vessels are certified to take more than six, and the number depends on the boat. This would include the “party” or “head” boats. This can be an affordable option for smaller parties or individuals as the cost is much less. Remember though, its every man for himself. Try to avoid the weekends if possible. Most charters offer full and half day trips. The captain can advise as to which is better to pursue your desired species. Generally the full day gives more opportunity to make it happen and insure a good day. On a half day, the fish have to be closer and the first guess has to be right. More fishing time is always better to me!
Good Luck and Have Fun!!
Capt Scott
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