Half Day Fishing Experience From John's Pass In Madeira Beach, Fl - 5 Hours

What a great fishing experience. I think we caught more fish than the cost of the trip for three. Views are amazing and weather in Oct was perfect.

This was well organized and a very fun day. All the crew were polite and friendly while dealing with 40+ people. Caught grey snapper and porgy which are very tasty. Walked a few places down the pier and had them cooked, so wonderful eating them fresh. Good day, met nice people, watched nature and caught fish.

Had a great time. Crew was awesome. Caught alot of fish. Ac in cabin area was a plus. Will be booking again.

The people are so friendly and had no problem assisting and showing you what to do! From the parking to the trip itself everyone was so nice and professional!

Don’t expect to catch large fish. Small fish, pan size like mangrove snapper are more likely. August is very hot! We were disappointed the mate did not keep track of the few fish that we actually caught and put them on the wrong stringer.

It was a nice trip. Definitely needed Dramamine! The crew was good. A mixed bag in terms of enthusiasm. The woman on land who greeted passengers at the beginning and shepherded them into lines for fish filet was ill-tempered and clearly hated her job. Watched her the day before as well when we went on shelling trip. Similarly ill-tempered. Trips like this are sort of like a restaurant - if the appetizer and dessert are terrible, it really casts a shadow on the main dish even if excellent. She should do better or find other work.

We had a great time on our 5 hour fishing tour. The guides on the boat were a great help with everything. They showed us how to fish, gathered the fish we caught and helped if we got our line caught or anything while fishing. I would recommend getting the shrimp live bait. We took our catch next door and had it for lunch. We and just about everyone on the boat rented rods and they worked well.

I think you should bring your own bait if you really want to catch fish. The people on the boat that caught fish had their own poles or at least brought their own bate.

Wonderful family trip and great value for the money. Been twice and loved it each time. Highly encourage everyone to use the restaurant next door to cook your fish. So good! Book early, spits fill up quickly!

Don’t expect to catch any fish over about 10 inches. Everything is small. Yes, you can bring many of them home but they fillet to almost nothing. Really too small to fillet. They advertise 3 hours of fishing, actually closer to 2.5 hours. Really wouldn’t want to take this trip again. Guess they do the best they can for such a short trip only 12 miles off shore.

Subject: Feedback on My Saturday Morning Fishing Trip – June 27, 2026 For years I’ve watched Captain Dylan Hubbard on TV, and I’ve always remembered his phrase: “If you’re too busy to go fishing, you’re just too busy!” It finally inspired me to save up and bring my two nephews on one of your trips on Saturday morning, June 27, 2026. I spent $423.79 for three adults, plus $14.98 for parking for two vehicles. My purchase included three meals, 12 dozen shrimp, and three rod rentals because I wanted us to have the full experience. The fishing itself was enjoyable. We caught several grouper (catch and release), and spending time with my nephews was the best part of the day. The captain and crew on the boat were outstanding, and I made sure to leave a generous tip to thank them for their hard work. Unfortunately, the experience before boarding was disappointing. When I checked in around 7:10 a.m., the atmosphere in the gift shop was tense. One older employee in the gift shop and another female employee working the bait table came across as extremely rude and impatient with customers. There were many excited families and tourists looking forward to their trip, but the mood quickly changed because of the way people were being spoken to. It simply wasn’t the warm, welcoming experience I expected after following Captain Dylan for so many years. At the end of the trip, I also experienced a problem exiting the parking garage. I had been told my parking ticket would cover both vehicles, but one vehicle couldn’t exit without paying an additional $7. The extra charge itself wasn’t the issue—it was just another frustrating experience that capped off the day. Because of the overall experience, my nephews and I didn’t stay to enjoy John’s Pass Village & Boardwalk or visit any of the restaurants afterward. We simply left and drove home. That was disappointing because I had planned to spend additional time there and support other local businesses after the fishing trip. I rarely write reviews or complaints, but I felt this was important to share because I don’t believe this experience reflects the image Captain Dylan presents on television or the reputation Hubbard’s Marina has built over the years. My hope is simply that this feedback helps improve the customer experience for future guests. I genuinely appreciated the fishing trip itself, and the crew on the boat did a great job. However, the customer service before boarding and the parking issue afterward left me feeling disappointed after looking forward to this trip for so long.

5 hr trip very poor, overfished areas where we were taking, very crowded boat, very old fishing rods and tackle, I would not recommend it

Good fun trip. Great crew, large boat. Supplied gear is heavy for the mostly small fish you’ll catch so take your own lighter stuff if you can (this is covered on their website/email) but plenty of fish caught by everyone and on board.

Very professional and organized with friendly helpful employees. Great fishing and had our catch cooked for lunch when we returned right at the onsite restaurant.

Amazing time. The restaurant afterwards was the best seafood we've ever had. Amazing waitress. We loved everything

It was great day for fishing from the start till the end..the boat mates, Capt. Seabass and his children were great help with our catches..

The mates, Paul and Marty, really did a great job taking care of everyone. Everybody caught some fish!! Boat was clean, equipment is well maintained, captain and the kitchen did their thing! Can't wait to go back next trip 🐬

We caught fish! All of them who joined this trip caught so many actually. It was a great and fun experience! We will use this service next time again.

They rent fishing poles, they don't provide poles in the cost of the trip! Poles are extra cost. However, they don't check if you rented or not, because if you don't have a pole while walking on, they give you one, without checking if you paid for rental! Captain Dillon offered some local History and was informative. They also charge extra to clean the fish you caught $1 per fish. Staff was great, they string the fish you catch. We caught about 14 Black snapper, keepers. We used the bait they gave us (squid) No reason to pay extra for shrimp, we saw no difference in catching around us. Staff always there to straighten out tangled lines, which there was a lot. (tourists who never fished!) Fished about 5 different spots. If we weren't catching anything Captain Dillon would move to new spot! Bring sunscreen , hat and seat cushion! Be careful walking around, elderly need help, for sure.

Great time fishing with great crew . Everyone caught fish which is a big plus

Great experience! Was well taken care of!! Lots of fun! Book now! No, right now! Do forget to bring you

We were suppose to go out on the 10 hour trip, but Mother Nature had other plans. That trip had to be cancelled and we went the following day for a half day trip. (One day I will do the 44 hour trip!). Unfortunately, it was still a little windy and catching wasn’t the best. I only caught 4 (3 had to be thrown back because they were too small) my husband caught one. Due to the wind and the boat drifting caused a lot of “catching other people’s lines on the other side”. Still was fun because we were out there! HUBBARDS is my favorite place to be!! So very tempting to pack up and move down because they are hiring!! Bonus: Captain Dylan was there as we were walking up and he has THE…COOLEST…TRUCK!! Lots of pics and lots of fun! We still went next door and had our fish cooked up! Oh my….so so good!!

We had an absolute blast. Josh was fantastic with our entire group. We wanted for nothing. Greatest service ever. If you’re on this trip ask for Josh. They. Work mostly for tips so please be kind.

Prompt excursions. Easy to reschedule due to weather. Clean boat, friendly staff If only they could control the waves!

We had a good time fishing. Caught several fish, enough for a meal! It was fun! Staff very attentive. They helped whenever & wherever they could. Would recommend this trip and we’ll do it again.

This was a great fishing trip! Caught some fish and the deck hands were very helpful. Fish were filleted right as you get back. The Friendly Fisherman will cook them up for you. Be prepared. If you need to rent the equipment it’s $10/person/rod. That was not mentioned in the write up about the activity. Also bring cash. You need to tip 15-20%!

I would highly recommend this tour for anyone that wants a fond exciting day and also catch a lot of fish. I would rate this tour a 10 out of 10..

Great 5 hr fishing trip. The deck hands were very busy helping everyone and they were all smiling and seemed to be having a good time themselves. Excellent directions on how to use the fishing gear. And, we caught a lot of fish. Having them cooked at your restaurant was also a highlight.

A fun day on the water even though it wasn’t a big catch day for many. My husband and I caught 4 snapper which we enjoyed for dinner. Crew was attentive to our needs. Only improvement would have been to have more guys on hand to filet the fish afterwards. We waited in a long line.

Best time we had on our honeymoon book it you won’t regret it! We caught fish met great people and saw dolphins!

VERY fun half-day. We slayed them AND made friends. The crew all knew what they were doing and took care of us all very quickly. I am definitely going fishing with Hubbard's again!! Thanks all!! :)

Driftboat fishing was a fun day on the water. They took us out for a little over an hour when we arrived to the spot they chose everyone dropped their bait into the water. Some were catching some small fish mostly, crew was quick to remove fish from the hook. Sometimes a little too quick to even see the fish. Nonetheless it was fun, boat crew was great, friendly and very helpful. When we returned the crew cleaned the fish and Friendly’s restaurant next door would cook them up. It would be great for inexperienced fishermen.

this trip was part of my honeymoon and if i could get even a % of my money back, i would. first- you do not get to fish for anywhere near 3 hours. we got to our first spot and started fishing at 930. by 12:30 we were almost back on shore. we fished maybe 2 hours at most. my fiancé and I also rented equipment and the shrimp were SO small that we had to put 2 on our hooks every time. not worth buying - bring your own. also the amount of people on the boat is INSANE. we spent so much time un-tangling our line from the people next to us. between my fiancé and I, we caught 4 fish total. all together we spent about $250 and would definitely not go again. the staff was very nice but that was the only positive. Really, really disappointing for a start to our honeymoon.

We absolutely LOVED our 5-hour fishing trip (1pm-6pm) with Hubbard’s Marina over Christmas break 2025! My husband and I went with our two sons (late 20s), and it was the perfect length for beginners like us. The crew and captain were beyond amazing—friendly, patient, and worked so hard to make sure everyone had a great time. One moment that really stood out was when a bird got caught on a hook while trying to steal a fish. The crew went above and beyond to rescue it, carefully removed the hook, and released it safely. Everyone cheered as it flew away—such a testament to their care and professionalism. The fishing was fantastic! We caught 31 fish in total and had them filleted right at the dock. Then we took them next door to the Friendly Fisherman restaurant, where they cooked them up for us—delicious and the perfect ending to the day. Other highlights: Happy Hour: $2 Miller beers on the way back (about $4 earlier in the trip). Relaxing Atmosphere: We sat inside, played cards, and enjoyed drinks on the trip back. Gorgeous Sunset: The ride back was absolutely beautiful. We used their poles and bait, and also bought some live shrimp. Everything was beginner-friendly and stress-free. Totally worth the price for such an unforgettable experience!

Friendly & helpfull staff., great interaction with customers. Nice boat, food & beverages provided on board for a small fee.

I visit Hubbards every time I travel in the area. I usually do the half day fishing trip. The staff is always helpful!!!!!

We had an excellent time fishing on the five hour trip. The staff were courteous and helpful. As soon as you caught a fish they were there to help if you needed it. The food was good on board. It was also nice to have a team to filet the fish when we got off for a small fee. Lovely day and the water was calm. Thank you for the nice trip!

Awesome half day trip with you guys. Caught more fish than i ever have on a half day charter. Great crew and clean boat. Thank you

We all had a great time! I learned so much and caught so many fish. They fillet the fish for us to take. It was a wonderful day!

Although it was a windy day on the boat I had lots of fun. Proud to say I'm 80 years old and caught the first fish. The crew was very helpfully with any questions and situations that came up

Great staff, tried to find the best fishing spot. Successful tour ! I would recommend, solo., friends and family to do this experience.

Great time! Caught lots of fish! Excellent time provided by Captain Hubbard, Joe, Paul, Chuck and the guy in the galley ! Thank you 😊

My wife and I went on the 5 hour fishing trip, it was fun . We have been on this fishing trip before in the past. We had a great time catching fish, and the crew was their to help. That was the good , now the not so good. I kept count of the fish my wife and I caught, because this has happened to us before on this boat. We caught 13 fish, every time I gave them our stringer number. When we are back to the dock to get off the boat, we collected our stringer of fish. We had 7 , not the 13 we caught. That felt like the time we spent working for our fish was some what of a waist, and magically have them disappear. This is why I can't give a higher rating. Keep an eye on your fish.

10/10 experience. This was my first time deep sea fishing and I loved it. They crew were very helpful, explanations were clear and concise, and they made it fun. I had a wonderful time and can’t wait to do it again

We’ve always had a great experience with Hubbards. Staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and work very hard to make sure you have a great time fishing. We had 7 members of our family go out on a half day trip and Captain James knew where the fish were. We totaled 75 keeper fish! Deckhands Jason and Mason were phenomenal. If your line broke, they had you tied up again in about two minutes and able to get your line back in the water. My father took me on fishing trips with Hubbards when I was a kid, and I got to share my first charter fishing experience with my son this time. There is no other business I’d rather use than Hubbards for deep sea fishing. I promise you, if you follow their instructions on how to fish in these waters, you will catch fish, and a lot of them.

After reading the great reviews and booking our 5 hour fishing excursion for yesterday, we were somewhat dissapointed in the service we received. Just a few things, the staff giving the initial information rushed through and was hard to hear. The deck crew wasn't as attentive as we expected, maybe they were short staffed. They had a fifteen yo girl and 11 yo boy helping Smokey. My son had to wait 10 minutes for a hook to be replaced on his line. And we were told to just throw the fish on the deck they would come by to put them on the stringer. They made sure to inform us that for tips $15-20 per person was the usual amount. Announcements were hard to hear and understand ( at least by all of us in the bow of the ship.) Also, we could see that the young man piloting the boat was using his feet, so he could use his hands be on his phone. Not a very encouraging site. It was a beautiful day on the water, so we made the best of it. I Don't think we will book with Hubbards again.

Really had a great time! Weather was perfect and we caught fish the entire time! I would recommend this Charter to anyone .

Excellent fishing trip. Crew was wonderful and very helpful. Best charter for beginners and families. Every thing was very well organized right up to moving to different spots when fish weren't biting. We plan to do this again next year. I highly recommend it.

The Hubbard fishing people where great to deal with and very friendly , the price was a good price not to expensive