The Boat

Captain Nick’s charter boat is a 22 foot Classic Aquasport with an 8 foot beam and a deep-V hull. This is one of the most desired boats around due to its versatility and comfortable ride. It’s powered by a 175 HP Suzuki 4-stroke (a motor well known for quality and reliability) and has a hydraulic jack plate that allows the boat to run in a foot of water or less.

The boat has a lightweight yet sturdy aluminum tower with 6 rod holders and a T-top extension to provide shade from the sun when needed. The tower allows Nick to get a bird’s-eye view of the water and enables him to locate fish from a distance so as not to startle them. This gives you, the angler, the best chance at catching the most fish.

The boat also has a state-of-the-art Garmin fishfinder with GPS that allows Nick to locate very specific areas of structure where the fish most frequently tend to be.

The livewell holds 40 gallons and is large enough for all the fresh bait you need for a full day of catching fish.

Nick’s tackle is top-of-the-line equipment and is in excellent condition, with his reels being frequently respooled with fresh line. For inshore fishing, he uses 7-8 foot medium to medium-heavy action Calico Jack spinning rods equipped with Pflueger reels. For the bigger fish, 7-7.5 foot Shakespeare and Penn rods equipped with Penn Battle II and Shimano 6500 Baitrunners are his setups of choice…these reels hold plenty of line and have some of the smoothest and best performing drags available.

The boat is ideal for fishing the west-central coast of Florida, particularly in the bays and backwater. That, along with Captain Nick’s lifetime expertise from having grown up fishing locally, and you’re in for a great day on the water!