charters

[sharkdiver1961]

need info on best middle grounds charter

[23angler]

can you do something about that pic. it is WAY to big and makes it harder to see the pages.

[Spearchucker]

The pic is gone. If you are going to upload a pic, please take the time to size it properly.

[Doc]

There is no best charter, only lots of really good ones... depends what your looking for. The charters are all in competition with each other for business so you asked a kind of loaded question... let me pre-diffuse the situation by suggesting that you do searches (use tab on top right of this page) on the major boats to see what people have said about them and to read of others past experiences; try (in no particular order)

jolly roger
cubera
holy spear-it
fish collector

They are the most popular. Sorry if I left any out as there are others. I was on the Holy spear-it last weekend and shot lots of fish and had a blast... Great food, lots of tanks allowed, as many drops as we could fit in two days(I think I got 7 day one and 6 day 2) made for a great trip. The boat is slow; but I see this as a benefit; I would rather have a very gentle ride out and awake after a fresh nights sleep to a hearty breakfast than leave in the middle of the night and get my a** kicked on the way out; but I have not tried the other charters. Most charters cost about the same but differ in location of departure, comfort of boat, speed of boat, attitude of crew, quality of food, and the number of tanks you can bring.

[intowin]

Am I allowed to vote for the Holy spear-it?:D

Just so everyone is aware. Our new price is 450.00 pp. You can bring up to 8 tanks and be prepared to: dive, dive, dive.

We supply Breakfast, lunch, dinner, A/C cabin/bunks, 42' x super wide 16' boat, hooks, weights, leader, Ice, and yes of course some really nice fish.

Sleep on the way out (Thur. Night) and sleep on the way in (Sat. Night).

If you want to go all out ask us about our first class trip. The captain will only dive if you want them there to assist you. You will receive full service from the beginning of the trip to the end. You just sit back and enjoy.

[zds3488]

I have done em all. With all honestly, you really cant go wrong with Cubera, Holy Spearit, JR2 and Fish Collector. All have excellent captains with very good numbers.

[Nikki]

I've been on the JR2 and the Fish Collector and so far ---

Fast day trip - Fish Collector

All amenities provided (cooking dinner, baiting hooks, warm water showers, etc.) - JR2 hands down...

But still gotta try the others soon....:D

[bubblejunkie]

Without a doubt, check out the JR2. I've been on all of them as well.

And remind Jim the Laker's Suck.

[kitefisherman]

I have been on the JR2 and the Fish Collector. I was on the Angler Management for about 30 minutes before we hit a submerged metal object in the Southern Open. I haven't been on the Holy Spearit or the Cubera. All these boats have a good reputation, and all of these boats have a different combination of strengths. Different people have different requirements and priorities.

Myself - living a long way from the points of departure for the Middlegrounds - will generally only consider a multiday Middlegrounds charter. If I am going to the Middlegrounds, I want a boat that is going to make reasonable speed out and back, a boat that is stable and seaworthy if the seas turn bad, a boat that is meticulously designed and maintained to avoid mechanical breakdowns, a boat with a professional and friendly crew and a boat with twin engines for diver safety if an engine is lost. I also want to be able to shoot and bring home a 2 day bag limit of fish. In the last year or so, I have done eight charters on the JR2 and have found her and her crew to meet all these needs - so much so that the boat has become a second home of sorts. I have four more charters booked through the end of the year. I put my money where my mouth is.

[Spearooo]

I have been on many fishing charters and the only one i have ever repeated is the JRII (I already have my 4th &5th on paper). The entertainment, the food( seriously good), getting the VIP treatment(gutting your fish and having UNLIMITED ice to pack your coolers for the long ride home). and oh yeah the HODs.
need I say more.. I have owned a boat and believe me nothing compares to the relaxation of being a jolly guest and slinging steel mad steel, none of the headaches of going on a trip set up by you.....add to that getting set dowm on mind blowing hard bottom and wrecks crawling with fish. I cut the lines off all my shafts after the first dive..
check this thread for some pics, never mind the coon-ass hijackers....http://www.spearboard.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=10457

also check the trip reports on www.jollyrogersII.com and MAKE UP YOUR OWM MIND
nuff said

[Spearooo]

oh yeah, I forgot to mention that usually youll get a drop on friday. This boat has been around a long time and it shows in the way it is run soo smoothly. My first two trips I had My limit of jack in 4 freedives=4 minutes, sans tanks...;)

[Steel Shootin']

The Jolly Rogers II is the Middle Grounds trip of a lifetime.... a lot of fun, quality people, and a captain who has his finger on the pulse of where fish are.

I will be doing a Holy Spirit trip soon, and look forward to that. Also good people, and I am sure it will be a quality time.

[Reef Raider]

Go dive the BEST and forget the rest !!

JR II the only way to go !

The best bang for the buck all meals inc !!

The best Capts. ( most years exp. ) !!!

Never towed back to the dock (while I was on board) !!!!

I have spent some time aboard the JR II . In fact I may have done the MG trip as a paying customer more times than any one person on this board. What keeps me coming back, they put me on the FISH and at the end of the day thats what really matters !!!!!!!!!

[SLAYER]

this is not a fight to see who has the best charter..when this guy asked there should have been all boats mentioned and none favored.they are all good charters in there own way depending on what you like..there is no best,in theory, realistically you have to try them all to really know what you like. thatn is all i have to say

[Dangerous]

The key to a great charter experience lies with the divers/fishermen as much as with the boat and crew. If you charter, it is your responsibility to let the capt and crew know well in advance what your expectations and abilities are. The capt & crew should also let you know if these are not realistic.

Having said that, my best charter experiences have been those where there was the most compatability and camaraderie among the divers and crew. I have been on fishing charters from a boy out of Shallotte, NC and later from various ports on the NC coast.

I have been on diving charters on Groundskeeper, JR-II x2, Gag Reflex, and Fish Collector. The friends you make stay with you for a long time and you always say hello at tournaments, in the dive shop, etc. I have met some of the greatest fishermen and divers in the world on charters.

[Spearooo]

D. very true.... Fish don't jump in the boat. The Holy does sound tempting an I don't doubt I'll make it out on some of the other boats...Each has its own strong points and trolling the MGs sound Good to me, so If I get the itch ill likely be just as happy on the HS, FC or any other charter thats well run. So do your research its nice not having to worry about a thing other than your own ass...

[Topshotta]

What I look for in a dive charther is the quality of the crew first and then the quality and quantity of the fish second, with the JR2; the crew never fails to impress, I would not want to be on any otherboat 100 miles out in the gulf if any accidents were to happen.

Oh by the way they they know where the fish are too

[Speargun]

Don't let these guys fool you. The GroundsKeeper is the mack daddy of all the MG charter boats out there. :D

Seriously, the JRII is a top notch operation. Lots of big fish, good food, and a crew that will go so far as to shoot a fish for you and put it on your stringer..... Well maybe not quite that far. :D But they will go out of there way to help you out.
Nowhere else can you get the experience of Jolly Dogs (Patent pending), the political ramblings of capt. Jim, and the always entertaining commentary from D4B. And best of all, you get to kill fish! :D

[Doc]

Although I HAVE NEVER EATEN A JOLLY DOG I seriously doubt that it could be better than the "HOLY-SCAMPWICH" which is captain Jims lunch on the Holy-Spearit. Fillets of fresh caught (Like from the last dive and still twitching when filleted fresh) scamp; batter dipped and deep fried to golden perfection then placed on a toasted roll with copious amounts of home made tarter sauce...

[fishkilla]

The feeding of the passengers and crew of the Holy Spear-It is actually a miraculous occurence every time we go out. We only take with us two loaves of bread and one spear gun. After a quick blessing we are all stuffed to the gills with Scampwiches. Truely a miraculous event that every diver should see with their own eyes. Brother Jim will be performing these blessed feats every weekend there is good weather.

[SpearDiverTampa]

Nice Ben!:D :D :D