Fresh Catch Depot Finder

Real T&T prices (verified June 2026)

These are actual published rates from Grand Slam Fishing Charters Tobago (Captain Kester Herbert) and other listed Tobago operators. Half-day inshore: US$400 for up to 3 guests. Half-day offshore: US$500. Full-day offshore: US$900. Smaller independent captains at Buccoo have quoted US$250–$300/day for local boats. The market is wide — there's room at both ends.

What a Caribbean charter costs

Half-day inshore (4 hrs): US$400 (up to 3 guests). Targets bonefish, permit, tarpon, snook, jacks.
Full-day inshore (8 hrs): US$800 (up to 3 guests). Same species, more water covered.
Half-day offshore (4 hrs): US$500. Wahoo, sailfish, white marlin, jacks, tarpon.
Extended half-day offshore (6 hrs): US$700. Wahoo, white/striped marlin, jacks, tarpon.
Full-day offshore (8 hrs): US$900. Black marlin, sailfish, white/striped marlin, tarpon.
Local independent captain (full day): US$250–$300 for a smaller boat. Some will split the catch 50/50 instead of cash.
Per-person (shared trip): From ~US$80–$130 p/p if you join a shared/split charter. Less common in T&T than in bigger markets.

Prices are per trip, not per person on most private charters — so a party of 3 splitting a US$400 half-day pays ~US$135 each, gear included. That's the value proposition that fills boats.

What's usually included (and not)

Typically included

Boat, fuel, captain and (on bigger boats) a mate/deckhand.
Rods, reels, terminal tackle, bait. T&T charter boats commonly run Penn and Shimano gear.
Cooler with ice for your catch and your drinks.
Fishing permits/ licences — the charter usually covers these. Confirm with the captain.
You keep the catch (on most Caribbean charters — confirm if you want to release billfish).

Typically NOT included

Food and drinks — bring your own snacks, water, beer if allowed.
Sunscreen, hat, polarised sunglasses — bring your own.
Gratuity for the mate (15–20% is standard if they worked hard).
Transport to and from the dock.
Filleting/packing for travel — some captains do it, some charge, some don't. Ask.

What to bring — the visitor checklist

Sunscreen (reef-safe), applied before boarding and reapplied at the halfway mark. The Caribbean sun on water is brutal.
Polarised sunglasses. They cut the glare and you can actually see fish on the flats. Non-negotiable for bonefish.
Wide-brim hat and a long-sleeve UPF shirt. You will thank yourself by hour 3.
Non-slip, closed-toe shoes. Bare feet are fine on flat-bottom boats; on a sportfisher with blood and fish slime, you want grip.
Water — at least 1 L per person. More than you think.
Snacks. Sandwiches, fruit, energy bars. Nothing that melts.
Sea-sickness medication if you're at all unsure — take it the night before and again the morning of. Don't wait until you're on the boat.
A dry bag for phone, wallet, keys. A zip-lock inside a backpack works.
Cash for the mate's tip and any end-of-trip balance. Most Caribbean captains take cash for the balance.

When to go — season peaks

Marlin (blue, white, striped): Year-round; peaks February–June, with the biggest fish around April.
Wahoo: Plentiful in November; good October–June.
Sailfish: Year-round; summer peaks.
Tarpon & bonefish (inshore): Peak July–October, but year-round in T&T (Trinidad is a world tarpon destination).
Mahi-mahi (dolphinfish): Year-round; peaks November–May.
Snapper, grouper, jacks: Year-round resident species — reliable any month.
Weather window: Dry season Jan–May is calmer; T&T is south of the usual hurricane belt, so it fishes through summer too.

How to book (and not get burned)

1Decide inshore vs offshore.
Inshore = calmer, shorter, family-friendly, targets tarpon/bonefish/jacks. Offshore = bigger boat, bigger seas, bigger fish (marlin, wahoo, tuna). If anyone in your party gets seasick, pick inshore.
2Pick a captain with reviews.
Look for listings on FishingBooker, Tripadvisor, or a captain's own site. Verified reviews matter. A captain who's been running 5+ years is a good sign.
3Confirm what's included in writing.
WhatsApp or email: “Price includes boat, fuel, gear, bait, licenses, catch kept? Mate tip separate?” Get a yes to each.
4Ask about the boat.
Length, type (center console, sportfisher, flat-bottom pirogue), max passengers, whether there's a head (toilet) on board. A 23 ft flat-bottom is fine for inshore; an 8-hour offshore run wants a 30+ ft boat with a cabin.
5Book with a deposit, balance in cash.
Most Caribbean captains take a deposit online and the balance in cash on the day. Don't pay 100% upfront to someone you can't verify.
6Confirm 24–48 hours before.
Weather cancels trips in the Caribbean. Reconfirm the morning of, check the marine forecast, and have a backup plan for the day.

For fishermen: running charters as a side income

If you already fish commercially, you already have the boat, the gear and the knowledge. Running a few charters a month can double or triple a fishing day's income — a single US$400 half-day beats most depot sales for the same hours on the water.

What you need to start

A seaworthy boat with safety gear. Life jackets for all passengers, VHF radio, flares, first aid kit, anchor, bailer. Non-negotiable. Insurance too — confirm with your marine insurer that charters are covered.
Decent guest rods. A few medium-spinning outfits and a couple of trolling setups. Penn and Shimano are the regional standard guests expect. Doesn't need to be fancy — clean and working.
A way to take bookings. WhatsApp Business + a Facebook page is enough to start. List your rates, what's included, and a few photos of happy guests with fish.
Local knowledge of where to take guests. This is your actual product. You know where the fish are — that's what they're paying for.
Patience and people skills. Most guests have never held a fish. You will bait their hooks, untangle their lines, and coach them through the fight. The fish is half the job; the experience is the other half.

Licences and insurance — check first

Confirm with the Fisheries Division and your marine insurer before taking paying passengers. A commercial fishing registration is not automatically a passenger-carrying licence. Some T&T operators run under a tourism-registered business; others operate informally. Know where you stand legally before you take a stranger's money and put them on your boat.

Pricing your first trips

Start at the low end of the market (US$250–$300 for a half-day on a smaller boat) and raise prices once you have reviews and repeat guests.
Offer a “split the catch” option — some guests love taking fish home; it lowers their cash price and costs you fish you'd have sold anyway.
Charge for extras — filleting, airport-ready packing, photos, a second mate. Small upsells add up.
Run a 2-trip day in peak season — a morning half-day and an afternoon half-day. Two US$400 trips = US$800 for one day on the water.

List your trips on Fresh Catch Depot Finder

If you're a fisherman on Fresh Catch Depot Finder, your profile can carry both your catch listings and your charter offering. Visitors searching “fresh fish near me” will find you for catch, and tourists searching “fishing charter” will find you for trips — same profile, two income streams.

Add a “Charter available” note to your seller profile.
Post your rates, boat type, max passengers, and season in your bio.
Use the same WhatsApp number for catch buyers and charter guests — keep it simple.
Photograph happy guests with their fish (with permission) and add to your profile. Social proof sells trips.

Takeaway checklist

T&T charter market: US$250 (small local boat) to US$900 (full-day offshore sportfisher).
Private charters are priced per trip, not per person — a party of 3 splits the cost.
Typically included: boat, fuel, gear, bait, licences. Bring your own food, water, sunscreen, shades.
Peak marlin Feb–June; wahoo in November; tarpon/bonefish July–October (and year-round in Trinidad).
Book with reviews, confirm inclusions in writing, reconfirm 24–48 hours before.
Fishermen: you already have the boat and the knowledge. A few charters a month can double a fishing day's income.
Check licences and insurance with Fisheries Division before taking paying passengers.
List your charter on your Fresh Catch Depot Finder profile — two income streams, one number.

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Guided Fishing Trips & Charters