Full Day New Smyrna Beach Inshore Charter
Private Trip
Backcountry Fishing
Eighthour full day charter targets redfish, snook, and troutAll gear, bait, licenses, and fish cleaning includedAccommodates up to four guests with professional guide
When you're serious about putting fish in the boat, this 8-hour guided charter out of New Smyrna Beach delivers the goods. Starting at 7 AM, you'll have the entire day to work the productive inshore waters, river systems, and shallow flats that make this stretch of Florida's east coast a magnet for serious anglers. With room for up to 4 anglers, this isn't just another fishing trip – it's your chance to experience some of the most consistent redfish, snook, and trout action on the Atlantic coast. Everything's included from tackle to fishing licenses, so all you need to bring is your appetite for catching fish.
Your captain knows these waters like the back of their hand, and that local knowledge makes all the difference when you're chasing finicky inshore species. The extended 8-hour format gives you serious advantages – you can hit multiple spots as conditions change throughout the day, work different tides, and really dial in what the fish want. Early morning typically starts in the river systems where snook are most active, then you'll move to the flats as the sun gets higher and redfish start cruising the shallows. The boat's equipped with everything you need, from light tackle spinning rigs for trout to heavier setups for tarpon. Your guide reads the water constantly, adjusting techniques and locations based on wind, tide, and fish behavior. Don't worry about experience level – whether you're a weekend warrior or just getting started, the captain tailors the approach to keep everyone in the action.
New Smyrna's diverse inshore fishery calls for multiple approaches, and that's where having a full day really pays off. You'll likely start with live bait – pilchards, shrimp, or pinfish – working structure and drop-offs where snook and redfish ambush prey. As conditions change, your captain might switch to artificial lures: soft plastics bounced along the bottom for flounder, topwater plugs that drive redfish crazy in skinny water, or suspending baits that trigger explosive snook strikes near mangrove edges. The flats fishing here is world-class – sight casting to tailing reds in 2 feet of water gets your heart pumping every time. When the tide's right, you might even get into some tarpon action using live crabs or cut bait near bridges and passes. The key is staying mobile and adapting techniques as fish move and feed throughout the day. Your guide handles all the rigging, bait selection, and boat positioning so you can focus on making good casts and fighting fish.
Redfish are the bread and butter of New Smyrna's inshore scene, and for good reason. These copper-colored bulldogs average 20-28 inches in these waters, with plenty of overslot fish that'll test your drag system. Spring through fall offers the most consistent action, but winter can produce some monster reds when cold fronts push bait into the rivers. What makes redfish so addictive is their aggressive feeding behavior – they'll crash topwater baits, inhale live shrimp, and put up a fight that gets everyone on the boat excited. The sight fishing opportunities here are phenomenal when conditions align.
Snook fishing in New Smyrna separates the good guides from the great ones, and these fish demand respect. Running 24-32 inches on average, they're ambush predators that relate heavily to structure – docks, mangrove points, bridge pilings, and oyster bars. The bite really turns on during warmer months, especially around the mullet runs in fall when snook feed aggressively before winter. They're notorious for their gill-rattling jumps and last-second runs toward structure. Landing a quality snook requires patience, proper technique, and a little luck, which makes each one that hits the deck feel earned.
Southern Flounder might not win beauty contests, but they're pure table fare and year-round residents that keep the action steady when other species are finicky. These flatfish average 14-20 inches and stack up along channel edges, around structure, and near creek mouths. They're suckers for live shrimp bounced slowly along the bottom, and once you dial in the technique, you can put together impressive numbers. Fall and winter are prime time when flounder move toward inlets preparing for their offshore spawning runs.
Black Drum are the workhorses of the inshore fleet – powerful, abundant, and always ready to eat. The puppy drum in the 16-24 inch range are perfect eating, while the larger specimens provide serious arm-burning fights. They school heavily around oyster bars and grass flats, especially during cooler months when they're most active in shallow water. Fresh shrimp or blue crab chunks are irresistible to drum, and their distinctive drumming sound when you get them to the boat always gets a laugh from first-timers.
Tarpon represent the wild card that can turn a good day into a legendary one. While not guaranteed, New Smyrna's proximity to deep water and inlet systems means tarpon encounters happen regularly, especially during summer months. Even juvenile tarpon in the 30-50 pound range provide acrobatic displays and screaming runs that'll have you talking about the trip for years. When conditions are right and tarpon are present, your captain will make the call to target these silver kings with live bait or large artificials.
This full-day charter represents serious value for groups that want maximum time on productive water. With everything included – tackle, bait, licenses, ice, water, and fish cleaning – you're getting a comprehensive fishing experience that showcases why New Smyrna Beach consistently ranks among Florida's top inshore destinations. The 4-person capacity keeps groups intimate while splitting costs makes it affordable for serious anglers. Early morning departures mean you'll
Step aboard this beautifully restored 2023 Sea Pro 21' center console, your fishing platform for chasing redfish through the shallow waters and grass flats around New Smyrna Beach. The 150HP Yamaha gets you to prime fishing spots quickly, while the wireless trolling motor keeps things quiet when you're stalking spooky snook in the backcountry. With room for 4 anglers, there's plenty of space to work lures around structure or drift bait over trout holes. The fish finder helps locate schools holding in deeper channels, and the onboard icebox keeps your catch fresh and drinks cold during those long summer days on the water. Built tough for Florida's inshore fishery, this boat handles everything from skinny water sight fishing to running the inlet when conditions allow.
Pogonias CromisBlack drum are the bulldogs of our inshore waters, typically weighing 5-30 pounds but capable of reaching massive 50+ pound sizes. These powerful fish with their distinctive barbels under the chin love oyster beds, muddy flats, and shallow estuaries where they crush crabs and shellfish. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning around March and April. What makes them special is their incredible pulling power – they'll test your drag and your patience. The smaller ones under 15 pounds are excellent eating, while the big ones are better released. You'll hear them "drumming" underwater during spawning season. My go-to technique is fresh blue crab chunks on a Carolina rig, fished right on the bottom near oyster structure. Be patient – their bite feels like picking up a heavy weight.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are our bread-and-butter inshore species, typically running 20-35 inches with that signature copper color and black spot near the tail. These drum cousins love super shallow water – often so shallow their backs are exposed – around oyster bars, grass flats, and mangrove shorelines. They're year-round residents here, but fall and spring offer the hottest action when they school up. What guests love is their steady, powerful fight and excellent table fare with sweet, flaky meat. Redfish aren't picky eaters, hitting everything from live shrimp to topwater plugs. The sight-fishing opportunities on shallow flats are phenomenal. Pro tip: look for "tailing" fish with their heads down feeding – approach quietly and cast well ahead of their direction of travel, then work your bait slowly past them.
Centropomus UndecimalisSnook are the ultimate inshore game fish around New Smyrna Beach, running from slot-sized 28-inchers up to trophy fish over 40 inches. These silver-sided beauties with their distinctive black lateral line love structure – mangroves, docks, bridges, and oyster bars. They're most active during warmer months, especially around dawn and dusk. What guests love about snook is their explosive strike and acrobatic fight, plus they're fantastic eating with firm, white meat. These fish are ambush predators that love current breaks and shadowy spots. Spring through fall offers the best action when water temps are right. Here's a local trick: work your lure parallel to mangrove shorelines rather than casting directly at them – snook often sit just outside waiting to pounce.
Paralichthys LethostigmaSouthern flounder are masters of disguise, lying flat on sandy and muddy bottoms where they ambush prey. These flatfish typically run 15-18 inches, though you might hook into one pushing 30+ inches. You'll find them in shallow coastal waters, estuaries, and around inlet mouths where they blend perfectly with the bottom. Spring and fall are prime times when they're most active and feeding heavily. What makes them fun to target is their sneaky nature – one minute your bait's sitting still, next you've got a solid fish on. They're excellent table fare with sweet, flaky meat. My tip: use a slow drift with live mud minnows or shrimp on a light jighead, and watch for that subtle tap-tap bite rather than a hard strike.
Megalops AtlanticusTarpon are the silver kings of our waters, averaging 80-100 pounds but capable of reaching over 200 pounds and 6+ feet long. These prehistoric giants migrate through our area mainly in late spring through summer, favoring deeper channels, bridges, and inlet mouths. What makes tarpon fishing special isn't the eating – they're catch-and-release fish due to their bony, poor-tasting meat – but rather their spectacular jumps and raw power. When hooked, they'll leap 10 feet out of the water multiple times, making for memories that last forever. Live mullet, pinfish, or crabs work best on circle hooks. Tarpon season peaks May through August when they're moving along our coast. Here's the key: bow to the king when they jump – lower your rod tip toward the fish to prevent them from throwing the hook during their aerial display.
New Smyrna Beach