Treasure Island Florida fishing charters and deep sea fishing Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack, Sharks, Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna, Cobia, Permit

Phone: 727-235-9599
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Treasure Island Fishing Charters

We are a full service Treasure Island Florida fishing charter and private guide service. We specialize in Treasure Island deep sea fishing for Grouper, Snapper, Amberjack, Sharks, Kingfish, Dolphin, Tuna, Cobia, Permit and anything else that swims. We also have Treasure Island fishing for Snook, Redfish, Trout, Tripletail, Tarpon, Sheepshead and dozens of other species.

Bent Charters is conveniently located in Treasure Island, Florida. This is in the John's Pass area, or Madeira Beach side of West Central Florida. We are minutes from Tampa and the great fishing Tampa Bay has to offer. We are also a short drive from Clearwater, Saint Petersburg Beach, Orlando, Lakeland and Sarasota. We are an experienced crew with over 30 years of individual fishing expertise. From light tackle to sport fishing and bottom fishing to flats fishing we insure you will have the best fishing experience Florida has to offer. We also guarantee any Full Day Offshore trips with keeper fish!

Treasure Island Fishing Charter Captain

Captain Lance Brooks

Lance has been fishing since the age of 2. Starting in the lakes and Gulf Coast of Texas and relocating to the waters off Florida in 1989. During this time in Florida he established a successful business supplying Live Bait to the bait stores from Clearwater to the Florida Keys.

Lance has also made a living as a commercial fisherman from Grouper to Stone Crabs. This has allowed him the necessary "time on the water", to provide you with the best possible opportunity to catch fish! Given his time and experience on the water, Capt Lance gives his customers a fun, safe and successful trip that people of any age and skill level deserve!

Lance has other captains he works with and can accomodate larger corporate or group fishing trips.

Treasure Island Deep Sea Fishing

The SouthernOne is a 29' SeaVee powered by a 300hp Caterpillar Diesel. This vessel has been chosen for it's seaworthiness speed, and huge livewell for light tackle sport fishing. The layout is designed to satisfy the most demanding anglers. Yes, Lance is out fishing even when he isn't working. The electronics are state of the art and include a 1000 watt depth finder, 72 nautical mile radar, two GPS, loran, two chartplotters, XM satellite weather, and two marine radios as well as a stereo. The safety gear is all coast guard inspected and includes commercial life jackets, EPIRB, satellite phone and children's life jackets.

Treasure Island Fishing Inshore

Bent, is a 23' Bay boat from Hydra Sports. It has a Yamaha 250 Four Stroke, Motor Guide trolling motor, Power Pole, depth finder, chart plotter, EPIRB, commercial life jacket for adults and children and 3 huge livewells. This boat is designed to fish the shallow flats but comfortable enough to venture out close to shore. Currently this boat is also used to fish the Redfish tournaments with sponsorship through Thunder Marine here in Saint Petersburg.

Treasure Island Fishing Info

GROUPER

Grouper is one of the best eating and most sought after fish we catch . There are a number of grouper species found in Florida. The gag, red, scamp and goliath groupers are the most abundant species, but you might also find Nassau, Red Hind, Rock Hind, Black, and Yellowfin. Though they'll eat just about anything, they won't travel very far to feed. If you get a grouper on, your rod will surely be bent!

SNAPPER

Snapper is a very common fish in the gulf. There are over 15 varieties of snapper are found in Florida waters. The most common species in the Gulf are the mangrove, lane, and red. Snapper fishing is among the easiest styles of saltwater angling to learn. They will eat live shrimp, small live pinfish, squirrel fish, and ballyhoo or chunks of cut bait. These also happen to be the same treats that attract grouper. The rules for snapper fishing are complicated due to their popularity and slow growth rate.

AMBERJACK

Amberjack are large, strong fish that live offshore and grow over 100 lbs. They put up quite a fight and will test any angler's strength. Most commonly found on menus in a smoked fish spread, the amberjack has a stronger flavor than grouper or snapper. AJ's will eat almost any bait and are often caught while fishing for other species. With a 28" minimum, you can bet on a fight to bring home a keeper.

MAHI MAHI (DOLPHIN FISH)

Not to be confused with the dolphin, this fish is one of the most beautiful and delicious in the Gulf. Dolphin are a very structure-oriented gamefish, ordinarily hanging around weedlines or various pieces of flotsam. They are apparently not very long-lived, but grow very fast - reaching at least eighty pounds. They feed on squid, flying fish, and many other baits.

KINGFISH (KING MACKERAL)

Frequently called "smokers" for what they do to a reel when they first hit a line, Kingfish can be found in the spring and fall in the Gulf waters. Kings tend to hunt in schools, herding bait into a small area - baitfish often try to hide behind each other, with the resulting formation of a tightly packed ball of bait. Sharp teeth and fast movements create quite a stir when this fish hits a bait.

TUNA

Blackfin tuna find their way into the Gulf in large schools. These fish are a lively fight, eating topwater baits but running with force as soon as they're hooked. A shrimp boat on the horizon usually means an eager school of tuna; they tend to feed on the crustaceans and small fish the shrimpers toss from their nets.


COBIA

Cobia are a delicious fish that live inshore or nearshore. Common cobia weigh around 30 lbs, though 50+ lb fish can be found a bit farther offshore. Adults are often solitary or travel with just a few other individuals, frequently in the company of sharks. This makes them a difficult species to target, and capture is therefore often incidental. Despite this, however, cobia is a highly sought after food fish.

FLOUNDER

Two species of flounder can be found in the Gulf waters near Tampa Bay: the Gulf Flounder (generally up to 15" and 2 lbs) and the Southern Flounder (larger, up to 3' and 20 lbs, but most are 1-5 lbs). Flounder provide an excellent, lean white meat. These fish prefer live to dead bait. Live shrimp retrieved slowly along the bottom often produce excellent results. Although many are taken by rod and reel, "floundering" or gigging offers the best challenge for this species. The flounder is vulnerable to this technique because it often enters the shallows at night to feed.

PERMIT

Permit live offshore near wreckage and rock formations and also inshore on turtle grass flats, sand flats, and outlining channels. The Permit gives a powerful fight once hooked with steady fast runs, and many quick changes of direction. Pound for pound their fight is as good as it gets. On average permit are selective rather than opportunistic feeders. They seem to have a varied diet, but usually feed exclusively on one organism per feeding period.

POMPANO

Similar to the Permit, the Pompano is smaller, usually weighing up to 8 lbs. Pompano are one of the most delicious fish to eat (they fetch the highest market price of any saltwater fish from the commercial fish houses in the continental U.S.), they can be caught from the surf on light tackle, and they put up a tenacious fight making numerous, long runs.