Southbound Blog

What’s biting and the random ramblings of a local boat Captain.

Zombie Bike Ride

Oct 21, 2018

Ema and I got a bit "Zombied up" for the Zombie bike ride (In case you can't tell, that's me on the right) My lovely bride, Emalyn

October 12, 2018 It's been a long couple of months in the boatyard and it's almost over. Started putting in a new deck in late August. We did more than originally planned and it took longer than expected, (always does). But it's starting to look like a boat again and...

First Big Catch

Jul 9, 2018

First Big Catch in 1958 Going through some old photos and, at my wonderful wife's suggestion, I thought it would be fun to put up this picture taken in July of 1958, that's 60 years ago this month. Can't say I remember the picture, the fish or the trip to the Catskill...

Fish Still Biting!

Jul 8, 2018

While there haven't been enough big fish to make me happy, (then again there never are or will be), the dolphin fishing has been good enough that nobody has had to anchor up to catch Snappers. I have nothing against bottom fishing for snapper and grouper this time of...

Key West Recovers after Hurricane Irma

Jun 24, 2018

June 24th, 2018 Key West has fully recovered from Hurricane Irma and then some. We've been very busy since the beginning of the year. I think this is in part to the lack of rooms and services in the middle Keys that were hurt so badly by the storm. Unfortunately, the...

Keep Life in Perspective

Sep 20, 2017

September 20, 2017 Keep Life in Perspective I watched the Giants game Monday from a motel in Sebring FL while on my way back to Key West. I evacuated a week ago Saturday, (9/9) at 1 am. Originally I intended to ride the storm out in a big hotel but after seeing Irma...

Riding Out Irma

Sep 8, 2017

September 8, 2017 I've decided to stay. The projected tracks were showing Irma passing over the upper keys a couple days ago. If that happened, they would have been crushed but we would have gotten tropical storm winds here. The projections are now for Irma to pass...

Hurricane Irma Approaching

Sep 6, 2017

September 6, 2017 This may be the last entry I make here. Getting ready to evacuate Key West as Hurricane Irma approaches. I've been here just shy of 36 yrs, almost all of my adult life. I've built a good business and a great life here and I'm grateful for it. I...

Summer of 2017

Aug 16, 2017

August 16, 2017 It's been a pretty good summer in both the fishing and business sense. We've been running 6-9 trips most weeks and there have been a good, but not great, number of dolphin offshore. On Half days, we've had great action with big Bonitos, a (very) few...

Remembering Gary

Mar 27, 2017

March 27th, 2017 - Sad News I received a phone call today. One of my best customers/friends had passed away. Gary has been fishing with me for probably close to 20 yrs and was always a pleasure to have on the boat. We had a lot of good days........and some not so...

Today’s the Day!

Nov 21, 2015

November 21, 2015 I'm always telling my customers I know how lucky I am. I make my living by taking people fishing on the waters of Key West, I have a nice house 1 block off Duval St in Key West, and Most of all, I live with the sweetest, most amazing woman I've ever...

Ups and Downs in November

Nov 26, 2014

November 26, 2014 Fishing has still been up and down the last few weeks, but with more ups than down, which is good. Black Fin Tuna and Wahoo have been showing up offshore finally and the schools of Ballyhoo, (bait fish), have finally moved out to the reef as the...

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Southbound Sport Fishing Key West

4.9

Based on 65 reviews

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Chris Green

23:07 11 Nov 24

Captain Rich and Barbie are THE BEST! Barbie is one of the hardest working people I've ever met - they don't call her Sailfish Barbie for nothing. We caught two sailfish (and lots of other fish) when no one else out there caught anything. Great people, great operation. Book here. Drink beer. Have fun!

Dan Malloy

19:11 12 Sep 24

We had an unbelievable time with southbound sport fishing. Captain and crew were unbelievable. As great as the fishing was our time with Cap’n Rich and Barb really made our time on the ocean unforgettable.

Leslie Garcia

10:42 12 Jul 24

Capt. Rich was very accommodating to our party when we had a family emergency. Appreciate his empathy.

David E

13:08 08 Jun 24

My son and I recently did a day and a half of fishing with Captain Rich and Barbie. The experience was excellent from start to finish. The free cottage is perfect - great location, clean and very comfortable.Barbie was an excellent mate and we caught a lot of fish even though most of the boats around us were not having much luck!I highly recommend fishing with Captain Rich and Barbie!

Andi Sotirin

22:35 25 Apr 24

I went deep sea fishing with Rich and Barbie today and it was an incredible experience!! Most folks in our group had never been fishing before and they did an AMAZING JOB walking us through what to expect and helping us along. We caught blackfin tuna, barracuda, bonita and a mackerel. If you are looking for a crew to take deep sea fishing this is it!!!!! Highly recommend, had the best experience and so much fun!!!!!

Jody Miller

02:02 08 Jan 24

Family had so much fun on board the Southbound Friday! Caught plenty of fish and made alot of great memories! Captain Rich put us on the fish all day! Barbie was the best mate ever! They make an awesome team!! Thank you Captain Rich and Barbie for showing us the best of Key West fishing! Thanks again!The Millers

Samantha Miller

01:14 08 Jan 24

These guys came recommended by Darren who was helping us on the Gulf Stream party boat on our first trip of the week. We weren't expecting much based on the reports we were hearing and knew it wasn't a great time of year for the fish we were after. Darren hooked us up with Rich and we had a good feeling and really wanted to catch some bigger fish, so booked the trip. The Southbound didn't disappoint and we managed to go home with 4 Mahi and 2 Tuna. Rich's deckhand Barbie was amazing. Let me tell you she did the work of 3 men. It was amazing watching her work she is a boss lady for sure. Rich and Barbie make a great team, super knowledgeable, friendly and were excellent with my family of 5. If your looking for a friendly, fun and experienced captain and crew Rich and Barbie are your people. Next time we are in the keys we will definitely book our next adventure with the Southbound!Rich and Barbie thank you guys so much for an amazing trip!

Jaclyn Riel

20:10 03 Jan 24

Great experience and highly recommend! I went with my 14 and 8 year old nephews. We all enjoyed ourselves and they went out of their way to make sure the boys had a great time and learned a lot about fishing!!

Jason Carmichael

12:43 12 Dec 23

Three friends and I went out with Rich and Barbie and had an amazing trip! They were a great crew and got us on the fish. The boat was spacious and comfortable and we all had a trip of a lifetime. I highly recommend them!

Joe Thompson

22:08 11 Nov 23

Captain Rich and Barb are awesome. We did two 8 hour trips, and we were not disappointed. My freezer is full of meat without feet, and my uncle and I both caught a sailfish. I highly recommend booking a trip with Southbound.

Dan DiCioccio

21:17 07 Nov 23

I wanted to return to my family with an ice chest filled with good fish, and that's exactly what I got. The action was fast paced, and it made for a great day out on the water. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year!A big "Thanks!" goes out to Captain Rich and his 1st Mate, Ben.

james nicodemus

18:34 22 Jul 23

Had a great time with Southbound Sport Fishing! Rich and Barbie did a great job giving us a great Key West experience! We will definitely be back next season for another trip!!!!

Mike Barlion

17:33 18 Jul 23

Rich and his mate worked really hard to put us on fish. It was a slow day at first but things really picked up and was the most fish we’ve caught in a charter. I would definitely recommend Southbound charters for a good time offshore fishing.

Matthew T

15:47 07 Jan 23

Had a blast!! Went out looking to catch and we were not disappointed hooked up with 2 sails within a hour caught plenty of mackerel and snapper on our first experience we will definitely be going to attend with them again when we hit the keys next time

Jill Gainor

16:02 27 Dec 22

SO MUCH FUN!! We took advantage of the 3 day fishing vacation package and stayed at the cottage for 6 nights. The place is perfect! It's quiet, super clean, and a short walk from all the fun of Duval. We fished with Capt Rich the last week of November and caught a ton of fish! We cooked some at the cottage and brought home plenty to share with friends and family. When the biting slowed down, Rich and Barbie were quick to come up with a new plan. The 3 day trip was great because we got a little more time to spend trying for bigger fish that we probably wouldn't have with less time. We even limited out on a couple types! Capt Rich was so kind and gave us options on what we wanted to do based on what he was hearing from other boats and obviously alot of experience on the water. Barbie was a super fun gal and so quick to get the fish off the lines and new bait on again. Also, the weather was gorgeous the whole time! We would highly recommend Capt Rich and Southbound for anyone looking to catch some fish and spend the day with some great people. We can't wait to go back!

The HR Trail, LLC

11:51 23 Oct 22

We had a blast with Southbound Sport Fishing! We had all three of our boys with us and everyone got to do something fun and catch some really cool fish.

Jeff Grossman

18:23 31 Aug 22

Can't say enough for Capt. Rich and mate Barbie, My son and myself chartered the Southbound for 3 days the week of Aug. 14 to Aug. 20th. The capt. and mate did not disappoint. The capt. put us on the fish and mate Barbie worked her tail off from before we got on the boat until after we left. If you talk about professionalism this is the boat to be on. The best perk of all is if you book the boat for whatever amount of days you get to stay in the house capt. Rich has. This was a great bonus because we didn't have to book a hotel for the week. If I could give 10 stars this would be where I would use them. Thanks again Capt. Rich and Barbie for a week I will never forget.

Garrison Shaker

00:38 10 Jul 22

By far one of my favorite fishing experiences I’ve ever done. Not only was he super friendly and helpful and knowledgeable. But he gave us one of the best fishing recipes to make our own fish when we got home. And it was extremely delicious. Highly recommend to anyone. We also caught a ton of fish on what appeared to be a slow fishing day for other boats.

Stephanie Smith

21:15 18 Dec 21

If I could give 10 stars I would! My husband and I have taken our three boys on several fishing charters from Hawaii, San Francisco, Great Lakes and the Panhandle and by far this has been the best! Rich and Edward are top notch! Educational, fun and really engaging with my boys during the entire trip! My boys are already begging to go back!The boat was clean and comfortable and we even saved a bird that tried to catch bait and got caught in the line.

Michael Caroselli

16:05 11 Dec 21

We were down in Key West celebrating a birthday and decided to go on a family fishing trip. After calling one charter boat that didn't have time available they recommended Southbound. That was such a wonderful recommendation because as you can see in the pictures below we had a great day catching fish. The captain, Rick and his mate Edward taught us so much about catching fish. We left the boat with tons of fish and then went to a restaurant that prepares your catch for you. Key West was such a great trip so I would highly suggest going there for a trip.

COpalmer29 Gaming

00:56 25 Nov 21

Had such an awesome experience from the second we hit the docks captain Rich and Edward were right there to greet us! Captain rich was on point with talking to my little man and making sure where ever we went was going to be a good safe spot for little man. Edward was on point making sure all the rods and reels were ready to go and we had bait and were hooking up with lots of fish! We had a blast catching several sharks and quite a few bait fish 10 out of 10 would highly recommend Southbound Sport Fishing to anyone looking to go out on a charter trip!! Will definitely be back and out again with these guys!!

Brian Judycki

16:17 18 Sep 21

Captain Rich and Mate Johnny were absolutely terrific! Had a great day catching fish.

Alexandra Trofimov

21:16 24 Aug 21

THIS COMPANY HAS EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS! GREAT JOB!Highlights: reservation experience, fishing, pregnancy, fish for food, extending the tripCapital Richard and his first mate Edward have done an exceptional job taking my husband and I on a private 6-hour fishing trip. During the reservation process, they promptly responded to my email and phone call, answered all of my questions, gave an honest feedback on the fishing situation at that time.Upon arrival, they were there on time, greeted and oriented us to the boat, provided a safety brief, and asked us about the exact type of fishing we desired. We ended up having a great deep sea fishing trip, caught several Mahis, lost several Mahis, and caught a gigantic barracuda that we let go. Edward has been very accommodating and informative. If you want to learn or get hands-on experience - this is the place. Other than that sit back, enjoy your refreshments, and wait for something to bite.P.S. We have never seen anyone reel in 3 rods so fast when the 4th one had a bite.If you have a successful fishing day and want to eat what you caught, these guys will cleaned and prepare the fish for you, and will recommend you some restaurants in the area that will cook your fish.When confirming the reservation details I asked about extending the trip time and was told it is possible if no other reservations were made that day. When we asked about extending our time one hour prior to the end of the trip the Captain said he had already turned back and headed to shore. If you want to extend your trip, it's better to ask about it before you begin your trip.I was in my second trimester and the trip was completely safe. There's also a head on the boat. I also received a very cute baby shirt for my baby as a gift to remember.Overall, great job!

Ron Collins

14:31 11 Jul 21

This was our 2 charter with Southbound and the experience was without tarnish! Capt Rich was out of town and put us in the hands of Capt Andy and Capt Edward, both having decades of knowledge and experience in the waters of Key West. While Capt Andy scouted and navigated for the best areas, Capt Edward did a phenomenal job at managing the chaos of us having multiple lines hooked… all 5 at one point! Needless to say, we WILL be back to book another trip (as should you).

Georgia Radtkevegv-just l,kkk

19:10 27 Mar 21

We had Captain Craig with Adam as a shipmate, and they were incredible! They had fun personalities and knew exactly where to find the fish! We can’t wait to book another trip with them!

Gary Cottrell

16:08 11 Feb 21

Captain Rich provided my family with a very positive fishing experience. Our most important objective was to have a fun and engaging fishing trip. With 6 adults of varying levels of fishing background we mostly wanted to catch fish. Captain Rich delivered! The charter was a very positive experience for each of us. A+ super good time!

Michael Wehner

03:17 03 Jan 21

Excellent experience and they made the day very fun. Captain Rich and Ben did an excellent job with my daughter and me in keeping us comfortable, getting to the fish and tailoring the day to our needs. Couldn't have asked for a better experience!! I highly recommend Southbound!!

Jeff Nash

13:03 03 Dec 20

Captain Rich and his First Mate did a great job putting us on fish when boats around us struggled. The action was consistent and exceeded our expectations.The ocean was choppy and a cold front came through a day before. Captain Rich knew exactly where to go and put us on fish immediately.We will be coming back and highly recommend Southbound Fishing Charters.

Lance Stephens

20:42 10 Jul 20

Took a 1/2 day tour with Rich and Paul this morning. They had us on fish minutes after getting the lines wet. Very knowledgeable fellers treated me, my wife, and 2 daughters very professionally. Outstanding service and will definitely look them up again.

James Fleege

18:00 13 Mar 20

Awesome!!! Caught a lot of fish! Great guys!

Victoria Cason

21:45 01 Mar 20

We could not have asked for a better trip. Captain Richard and his First Mate Ben, worked very hard to make sure we had a great time. We booked the package that included 2 full days of fishing and three nights in a cabin. The cabin was close to the marina, comfortable, and perfect for us. We caught tons of fish - Cero Mackrel, King Mackrel, Yellow Jack, Yellowtail Snapper, and Barracuda. We saw manatees, dolphin Nd hammerhead shark too! Ben cleaned and filet all the fish, organized them by type, and packed them on ice for us. He even set aside a special bag of filets for us to take to a local restaurant so they could cook it up for dinner. Richard let us borrow his vacuum sealer so we could get the fish prepared to take home. I could go on and on! We will definitely be back!

aleksander kuzminov

16:36 16 Nov 19

Great boat. Great experience

Chris Ball

02:09 06 Jul 19

Capt Richard and mates of Southbound fishing have provided us with multiple productive, exciting days of fishing with memories I won’t forget. Richard is very knowledgeable and uses his experience to put you on the fish! In the four times we have fished together, we caught Multiple species, including 4 nice sail fish and had an hour long battle with a 42 pound Bull Dolphin! If you want to come down to the keys and have a great time with the best chance at your fish of a life time, go with Southbound! Accommodations at the cottage were great both times as well and it’s placed in a very convenient location (close to the dock and close to the nightlife). Thanks to mates Steve, Paul, and Ben for your assistance and hard work. Hope to be back soon.Chris and Stephanie.

Rickie Zellers

20:36 09 Jun 19

On 6/4/19 I took my dad fishing with this outfitter. We had a blast!! The Captain and Mate are a boat load of fun (no pun intended haha), and extremely knowledgeable. The Mate worked his butt off keeping everything running smoothly! My dad had such a great time he can't wait to be able to do it again!! If you are going fishing in Key West this is the guy you want!! My only wish is that he wasn't so busy and would post our fishing picture. haha

Scott Campbell

23:43 12 Feb 19

All I need to say is top shelf!!! Rich and Paul put me on fish quick. I had the opportunity to catch and release many barracuda top was 30 lbs and then the hammer head shark came inUnbelievable experience. Saw sea turtle and dolphins, trolling home I caught a mackerel for dinner.This is the place to fish in Key West!!Rich and Paul thank you!Scott

Anonymous

13:31 27 Dec 18

We had a great day fishing with Rich and Ben! They were excellent... even though the seas were very “sporty”. They made the experience and made sure we were ok at all times with the rough waters! They wanted us to catch something to bring home so we went even further to catch some black fin tuna after we already caught and released some bonitas and barracudas. I would definitely recommend using them for your fishing experience in the Keys! We can’t wait to come back!!

Rocky Alumbaugh

20:56 15 Dec 18

If you are going to Key West and want to catch some fish, book with Southbound. Great people and they will put you on the fish. We had a great time. Thanks again.

Tyler Marincov

20:34 01 Dec 18

Great boat and even better hosts. Comfortable setup and lots of action! Will definitely re-book

Matt Strang

23:40 17 Nov 18

Great charter today. Guys were great and the fishing was excellent. Definitely recommend and will use them again.

James Pearce

02:12 20 Jun 18

Richard and John are the best in the business. Richard is the best captain I’ve fished with, his first mate John is first class and also the absolute best. Two knowledge guys that try their hardest to get you onto fish and do a great job doing it. They’re a fun crew and love what they do and it shows. They’re military friendly and great people to spend a day on the water with. Our group had experienced fishermen and someone who was a first timer, and everyone had a great time. I don’t write reviews,ever. Good or bad. I just felt like I absolutely had to after the amazing day we had with them. We did a 6 hour trip and caught over 20 Mahi and some jack. What a day. Won’t go to anyone else in key west from now on.

Justin Gjokaj

12:01 04 Nov 17

One of the best trips I’ve ever been on and not only because we crushed fish, but Capt Rich and Adam are great guys. Not only did they bring fun and energy all day, they taught us a lot of little tricks of the trade. Thanks guys for a great day!

Scott M

23:50 24 Dec 16

Best captain in Key West, period. We fished in mid January and caught Cero Mackerel, Yellowtail, and Mutton Snapper. Perfect day, and mate Barbie did a great job keeping lines tight.

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