What People are Saying About Anchors Away Charters
Jeannie King
20:26 04 Sep 24
We did the back country fishing excursion and I can’t imagine how it could have been any better. No stress or worries! Captain Jeff was professional as well as kind. His boat was clean and comfortable. He took us to different locations where we caught so many varieties of fish. We highly recommend him and if we decide to go deep sea fishing he would be our first choice.
Sara Rae
21:44 05 Jul 24
There were five of us who went off shore finishing with Captain Jeff today and we had a great time! Capt Jeff was determined to find us a good spot and boy oh boy did he. We caught a ton of fish and had so much fun! Capt Jeff was patient with us and taught us everything we needed to know and even helped when we needed it! I can’t recommend Anchors Away and Capt Jeff enough. We can’t wait to go finishing again! If you are thinking about going this is your sign to book the trip and do it!
alexis denlinger
13:25 04 Jun 24
Capt. Jeff was amazing! We called and asked for a custom trip - a little something for everyone. Nearshore fishing, intercostal cruise for wildlife viewing, and a sandbar stop to finish it out. The family brought in some beautiful red lane snapper, and were pleasantly surprised with 2 Red Grouper. They didn't get many pictures because the fishing was so fast paced. We saw a few dolphins and then explored a sandbar, I highly recommend bringing a snorkel!Capt Jeff made sure safety was always a top priority. He took us to a sandbar apart from the more popular one because he said there had been quite a few stingrays there lately, and it wasn't worth the risk. I appreciated this attention to safety, especially since we brought the kids. He recommended a great local restraunt, Lock-N-Key, where they will cook your fish. Capt jeff cleaned our fish and bagged it up for us. We took it to the restaurant where the hostess took it back to the chef. We ordered the "Hook & Cook". Needless to say- best fish dinner we've had! Capt. Jeff definitely made this a trip one that none of us will forget. Thank you!!!
Vanessa Price
23:25 30 May 24
Our family had a fantastic day out on the water with Captain Jeff. We did a 5 hour offshore trip. Caught a ton of fish, (didn’t take near enough pictures). Highly recommend and will call him everytime we come back!! All around great guy too, we enjoyed talking with him and learning so much about the area.
angela meeks
18:30 30 May 24
Capt. Jeff was great. Had a great time coming in with zero knowledge or experience doing anything like it before. To top it off we got several excellent meals out of the snapper we caught. Thanks Jeff!
Kerry Fox
22:46 12 May 24
Had a great time and Jeff was able to put us on some fish even with an incorrect weather report from the so called professionals lol. Luckily we had an experienced captain that was able to make the best out of a not so great day weather and wave wise. Would highly recommend and would easily book again.
Robert Dolard
00:12 16 Apr 24
Captain Jeff is a safe, knowledgable, dedicated and interesting guy. If you have a small group you all will be landing fish and having fun. Our little group of 4 fishing and one observing slayed the Snapper (over 70 kept, many returned for another day) and 2 nice legal Grouper. Also had fun catch and release Blue Runners - great fun ! Great boat, outstanding Captain. If you want more you are more demanding than us - all ! Book him and You Will Not Regret It !
Amanda McKee
23:53 15 Apr 24
We had an absolute great experience today with Capt Jeff Watkins! Our first stop and every stop after we immediately caught fish. Capt Jeff was extremely knowledgeable and made our entire trip enjoyable. We caught approx 70 fish on our 6 hour trip! We will definitely book again!
Doug Boyher
21:08 14 Mar 24
Jeff took us on an off shore fishing charter and it could not have been better. Once at the fishing spots the fish were biting like crazy. All four of that were fishing would either be dropping our line in, reeling a fish in, or getting more bait placed on our hook. We came back with more than enough fish to eat.
Andrew Eiferle
19:26 13 Mar 24
Wow. Great experience. Knowledgeable and very good at finding fish. Boat is great too
Marshal Banks
20:50 08 Mar 24
Father and 2 boys had a blast inshore, luckily got a chance at all the species. 6 keepers, boys loved it. Jeff was great with the boys. Professional and friendly, will go again, maybe offshore next time.
Travis Leap
13:41 11 Feb 24
What a great trip Capt Jeff was very honest and straightforward and he really put us on the fish. Thank you for everything we will return Many times.
JARED CATES
20:31 10 Feb 24
WENT out with capitan Jeff, and he put us on fish. His boat was really nice and handled the rought water pretty well. Over all we had a good time with him. Would definitely book through him again.
Sal Vassallo
23:26 20 Dec 23
Capt. Jeff got us on the inshore bite under tough winter conditions. We landed a variety of species including reds, trout, snook, sheepshead, and even a big black drum. The day started slow and heated up quick. I highly recommend Capt. Jeff and Anchors Away Charters. He is a very experienced Captain who knows the holes where the fish are at. Only bummer was the pesky dolphin chasing away a school of pompano before we could hook up! Just makes us want to come back.
Brian Bulgrin
23:49 20 Nov 23
This is the second time my family and I have been out with Captain Jeff. It’s been a gret experience both times. He put us on a ton of fish both times. He ran his tail off making sure we had bait and he kept our lines in the water for the entire trip. Highly recommend Anchors Away charters. This will not be the last buisness he gets from me or my family.
Rebecca Johnson
13:20 06 Nov 23
Captain Jeff was awesome! He was very knowledgeable and took us to multiple inshore spots for the best experience in fishing today! Thank you so much. Josh and I enjoyed ourselves today! We will definitely book again!
AJ Boog
11:04 27 Oct 23
I grew up here in SW Florida and did a bit of fishing while growing up. I’ve used guys I grew up with for fishing excursions because they always know where the fish are. Leave it to the pros! Captain Jeff was an excellent guide as expected. We caught quite a few and we each hit the “slam” albeit with smaller redfish and snook. The trout were a fantastic meal later in the evening. Will use again, highly recommend.
Bill Griep
15:32 21 Oct 23
Very friendly, willing to work with us on short notice. Knowledgeable on where to catch the most fish.
Joyce Noel
16:30 28 Oct 22
We can't speak highly enough of Captain Jeff ! He was amazing in all regards, he found fish and I mean he found A LOT OF FISH! He knows where they are for sure! This was his 1st trip out after hurricane Ian hit but he was on top of his game! He was super fast and helpful in every way, full of knowledge, answered a ton of questions I asked, and was just an overall nice guy! You can't go wrong with this Captain! If you don't catch fish, nobody could have caught any! I was exhausted from reeling in so many! Thanks for making this day the top of our entire 10 days in Florida!
Lori Hilmer
23:35 31 Aug 22
Captain Jeff was flexible on rescheduling our trip due to bad weather. We actually got 8 miles out to sea when the captain felt it was not safe and he prioritized safety which we really appreciated. We had a great experience and caught so many fish! Jeff knew exactly what spots to get us to and we were very happy with what we came home with! He was very prepared with a great variety of bait and equipment. Captain Jeff even took care of my daughters friend who became seasick. Very professional and helpful throughout the entire trip. Would recommend!
Melinda Price
16:01 29 Aug 22
Captain Jeff is an amazing captain. Me and my husband had a wonderful off shore trip. He made sure we caught fish. He was in communication with other captains checking weather conditions and monitoring storms. He was professional , patient and accommodating. He worked hard making sure both my husband and myself had a baited line. His boat was immaculate. My husband and I have been on a few charters and by far this has been the best. I would recommend if you want to book a charter go with Captain Jeff. I look forward to booking another one myself.
Jason
23:22 06 Jul 22
Had an amazing day with Captain Jeff! Caught our limit of grouper plus a ton of red snapper. The entire fishing experience, from appointment booking through fish cleaning/filleting, was first class. Me and my family have been on multiple deep-sea fishing charters and Capt. Jeff was as good as it gets. Thank you!!
Chelsea Smith
14:43 24 Jun 22
Captain Jeff worked his tail off to make sure we were on fish all day long. He did a great job with my 8 year old daughter, making sure she could catch fish as well. His boat was comfortable and well stocked, he kept a large variety of bait and knows what to drop in. Very highly recommended.
Thomas Goebel
11:44 16 Apr 22
Great trip, caught a ton of fish. Captain was great, his boat and equipment are top of the line. We will be booking Captain Jeff for our next fishing trip.
Mike Smith
13:32 15 Feb 22
Had a great trip with Captain Jeff on 2/12/22, on the fish every location we stopped. Be ready for a sore arm with all the action. Highly recommend
Rick Girardin
14:01 02 Feb 22
Loved it. The trip was super organized, so effortless, all I had to do was catch and later on eat fish. I highly recommend going out with Capt.Jeff.
Zach Richards
17:18 25 Jan 22
We went out offshore with Jeff last week. The weather was iffy early in the week and our dates were flexible, and Jeff kept in constant communication with me each night before our scheduled day. We ended up going out Friday and had a great time. There were 3 of us and we caught 41 fish.Jeff did an excellent job baiting our hooks, and cleaning the fish for us.Next time we are down in FL we will be doing another trip with him. I highly recommend Anchors Away if you actually want to catch some fish. It was a long day and well worth it.
Joe Meno
15:42 22 Nov 21
We had a great day all around fishing the back country of Charlotte Harbor with Captain Jeff! On a tough frontal November day, he was still able to put us on many fish. We caught a wide variety of species and had a great time doing it. We will definitely be back with Anchors Away Charters.
Parker Weeks
21:25 20 Nov 21
Kendall and Bethany were amazing! Excellent service and very accommodating. Went above and beyond to make our day on the water perfect! Highly recommend Anchors away if you are looking for a private and exclusive day on the water!
Tyler Voyles
16:45 22 Sep 21
I was looking for the best fishing charter around to take my kids/family on and I definitely found it! We had an awesome experience with captain Jeff. Caught plenty of fish and he made it a fun time for the kids as well. I will definitely be booking another trip with Anchors away in the future!
jil bevis
01:21 01 Aug 21
We had a super fun day on the water with Captain Jeff. We tried to go out on two other dates, but weather was always an issue. Third time was the charm…we had beautiful weather and caught fish after fish!! Captain Jeff kept us on fish all day offshore. We went 50 miles out on his beautiful and comfortable boat! He kept bait on our lines and was right there to encourage us to reel hard!!! So happy Captain Jeff is so safety conscious. This was our first time offshore and we felt safe and secure all day! We can’t wait to go again.
Beth Fletcher
19:03 23 Jun 21
Capt. Jeff is an excellent captain. He let us know in advance what to expect. Once we reached our fishing location the action was nonstop. He kept us on fish all morning. We boated keeper size snapper, grunts and a red grouper. Many other fish were caught and released. His boat and fishing gear were high quality and in excellent condition. He took as much time needed to make sure we all caught fish. Everyone had a great time!
William Fletcher
18:55 23 Jun 21
Capt. Jeff was very attentive. The weather was cooperating & so were the fish! Capt. knew the good spots to go & put us on lots of good fish. One of the 4 of us in our fishing group was constantly hauling in a fish. Caught a nice keeper grouper, large lane snapper, good key west grunt & lots of other snappers. His boat & tackle was immaculate & well maintained -- always a good sign! Would recommend him to anyone wanting a good fishing trip.
Chase Highley
23:46 31 May 21
We had an amazing time on our charter trip with Captain Jeff! We did both an offshore trip and inshore trip and had a blast on both! Jeff is a great guide, very patient with the "greenhorns" we have, and put us on a bunch of fish.We had all the fish filets we could eat while staying at Little Gasparilla Island for our vacation.We're all really looking forward to our next fishing trip with Captain Jeff!
David & Ana
12:43 12 May 21
Thank you, THANK YOU! Our trip was great!For those looking for an honest, knowledgeable, clean, safety conscious person...Captain Jeff is you man! He knew the places to go and we caught fish!! The boat was comfortable and clean! Upon the return, Captain Jeff cleaned our fish and bagged the categorically. He picked us up and dropped us off right at our dock!We will book again!! Can’t wait to do this again!!
Jason Macklin
15:22 17 Mar 21
Capt Jeff was phenomenal. We had a great trip and all three of us limited out on grouper. There were fish everywhere we went but they weren't biting at all spots. Jeff worked hard to get us catching fish and we ended up with lots of snapper and our 6 groupers. He was an excellent guide and gave us all the pointers to have us catching fish. I would highly recommend fishing with Anchors Away Charters.
Kyle Macklin
13:03 16 Mar 21
Got our grouper limit and 3 kinds of snapper too! Captain Jeff hustled all day to make sure we had an amazing trip. He was always right there to teach and help out. Great experience. Highly recommend.
Nathanael DEton
12:59 13 Mar 21
Awesome experience. I've been on many different charters and I feel like Jeff went over and above and out of his way to put us on fish. Very professional. Very passionate about what he does. Caught many different species. Would have to say one of the best charters I have ever been with. Would recommend to anyone. Awesome experience. Thanks again Anchor Away Charters
Karissa Doyle
12:53 13 Mar 21
Captain Jeff is amazing! We were catching fish all day long. I had never done something like this, but Jeff was patient and willing to teach and help. He moved us when we needed to, is extremely knowledgeable about the fish and went above and beyond our expectations. He really cares and wanted to make sure we were always taken care of. Super nice guy and I would recommend him to anyone. You will not be disappointed.
colton stonebraker
15:29 12 Feb 21
Great day on the water. Captain Jeff kept us on fish all day. New boat with good gear made for an amazing family experience. We will be back.
Mike Giles
17:18 01 Jan 21
My wife and I booked a trip on a whim and got lucky. The winds were to strong for offshore so Capt Jeff had to cancel a previously booked trip. That left an afternoon open for for us!! We had a blast and we will be back!! Thanks a ton Jeff!!
Dan Brown
14:28 17 Nov 20
What a great day!!! Captain Jeff was great with my son and we put us right on the fish from the start and we just had a ball. The boat was brand new and super comfortable for the ride out and back in. I would highly recommend Anchors Away to anyone looking for a great day of deep sea fishing. To finish things off Captain Jeff cleaned our fish for us and send us home with a ton of fresh grouper and snapper. Top notch from start to finish
Bernard Madden
21:22 06 Nov 20
The captian n mate did a great job tday during tough windy conditions. I've been talking fishing charters from Cape Cod. To Montauk and found this to be first class. Wild barracuda action and the makings of a good fish fry were the results of the days trip. Already planning the next adventure with Capt Jeff.
Rob schluessler
16:06 28 Oct 20
This was my first deep sea fishing experience. The spots Jeff took us too we were on fish in less than a minute! I went with a party of 4 I caught 18 myself and I am just an average Minnesota Fisherman. Jeff is top notch and worth every penny. Definitely coming back every year!!
Darrell H
13:44 26 Oct 20
Awesome experience !! Best fishing guide out there. We went 40 miles offshore and was catching fish all day. Caught our limit of grouper and snapper. Captain Jeff cleaned our catch and bagged it to take home. He even provided an excellent recipe for the grouper that we tried the same night and it was amazing !! I've been on a lot of charters and this was probably the best one yet. Boat was spotless and clean. Captain Jeff was very professional . I highly recommend this charter.
Ben Duvick
20:23 17 Oct 20
Capt Jeff was amazing, helpful, knowledgeable and above all kept everyone on board safe. This was not the first time I have done a fishing charter, but the first with capt Jeff. I Will be back to anchors away fishing charter and capt Jeff. I suggest everyone who is looking so looking you find your guy.
Ed Dieppa
00:59 17 Aug 20
We thoroughly enjoyed our charter out of Boca Grande with the captain. We went 38 miles out but he made us feel very safe and was very thoughtful of my grandsons. Most importantly, he put us on the fish and we fished until our arms were tired. Legal groupers, big mangrove snappers, lane snappers and a few other species was what we caught. New boat, highly recommended, he’s a consummate professional.
Venetta Jones
21:21 13 Aug 20
We had a wonderful time on our 4 hour trip. Captain Jeff was kind, professional, and made sure we had a wonderful time. We caught lots of fish and our little group had a great time on the water today!
Phil Lukan
19:07 19 Jul 20
My sons and I booked our 7hr fishing adventure with Anchors Away Charters. Captain Jeff Watkins was knowledgable, patient and very professional. We felt safe with Captain Jeff and learned a LOT during our time on the water. More importantly, we caught plenty of grouper and snapper throughout the day. We will definitely be returning. Thanks Capt Jeff!!
Diana Obermeyer
12:09 21 Jun 20
Captain Jeff delivered a perfect offshore fishing experience. We liked the comfort, space and layout of the boat, which made fishing enjoyable for all four of us. Captain Jeff is professional and personable. He kept us on fish all day!
Phil Trunnell
13:10 03 Jun 20
Me and my two teenage sons had a great trip with Capt Jeff the other day. Caught a ton of Fish, grouper, snapper, etc. Great day, can't wait to go again in a few months!
Charlene Prather
17:57 19 Mar 20
Thanks Captain Jeff for a fantastic day of fishing. Captain Jeff does everything top notch and with safety in mind. I felt totally spoiled. We will be eating nothing but fish for the rest of our vacation and I couldn't be happier!
anthony church
18:54 18 Feb 20
Awesome experience!! Captain Jeff is the best fishing guide out there. Went out 41 mile today. Caught our limit on grouper and snapper. Can’t give this guy enough praise. New boat with great gear. Boat is super clean. This was our second year with him. Planning another one next spring. Highly recommend this charter.
James Wood
02:18 18 Feb 20
This was one of a kind fishing trip limiting out on red Grouper. There were four of us and all limited out. We also caught several snapper. Capt Jeff and son Jeff were very cordial and worked very hard to make sure we had the best trip. Capt Jeff has also excellent fishing gear and a boat set up with the state of the art gps, sonar, and radar. I highly recommend Capt Jeff and his son Jeff. Fish doesn't always bite but this team will try to make it happen.
Tucker Stafford
16:22 08 Jan 20
Unreal trip with Captain Jeff. As a group we caught over 100 fish and the day could not have been any better. Really appreciate the work Jeff and his team (son that day) put in to make it happen. Easy, fun, and a true professional. Recommend to anyone looking to catch quality fish in the Gulf
Evan Herman
02:25 13 Dec 19
Had a wonderful day out fishing. Captain Jeff took us out to one of his hot spots, we caught soo many fish. We reached our grouper limit early and started catching a bunch of red snapper. It was non stop action all day, everyone was laughing and catching fish, most fish I’ve ever caught. Captain Jeff was so knowledgeable and nice all day, looking forward to it again.
Pam Elliott
01:03 13 Dec 19
We caught our limit of Grouper (>20”), Mangrove Snapper, Lane Snapper, Triggerfish (had to go back as not in season). Captain Jeff put us right on top of the fish and we were catching them immediately one after another. It was absolutely awesome!! His boat is comfortable and immaculate! Great time had by all. We will definitely go out again and highly recommend him!
Rebecca Elliott
22:15 11 Dec 19
Awesome fishing charter with very knowledgeable captain Jeff Watkins. Caught our Grouper limit and caught tons of red snapper. Can’t wait to plan our next trip out. We caught fish everywhere we went. Very comfortable and clean boat (and I am 22 weeks pregnant so that says a lot).
Ang W
21:14 12 Oct 19
We wanted a family friendly trip that would make memories and bring home a little dinner too. Captain Jeff did not disappoint. He was patient and had us on fish the whole time. The kids had a great time with nonstop action. They talked about their day all the way home. My husband and I can’t wait to book another trip
Barbara D
20:39 12 Oct 19
My husband and I went fishing on a 6 hr offshore fishing charter with Captain Jeff . We had an absolute blast and caught about 100 fish . Capt Jeff is very professional and knowledgeable (he knows his stuff!) . Every spot we went to we got fish . Only down side is we were sore the next day from catching all the fish! We would highly recommend Anchors Away Charters to others and look forward to our next fishing trip! Thanks Captain Jeff
David Vale
22:30 11 Oct 19
If you want a successful fishing trip, this is the guide you want. we went out in July of 2019 and all i know is that Captain Watkins knew exactly where to go to find the grouper we were looking for. His attention to detail is amazing and the boat was immaculate. Very, very spotless. we came back with enough fish to feed us for a very long time. i recommend this charter captain and know that when i go again, there will be no hesitation in who i will be calling.
Sea Palm House
00:26 09 Aug 19
I treated my son and my cousin to an offshore fishing charter with Captain Jeff. They both came back with tons of fish and said they had the best day ever fishing. The boat is top of the line and Jeff knows where to go to get some big ones. We live in Sarasota and have never caught anything close to what they caught off of Boca Grande today. We will definitely use Captain Jeff again!
Dominic Palumbo
14:16 19 Apr 18
My son and I had a great experience deep sea fishing with Anchors Away Charters. Captain Jeff took the time to teach my son the fundamentals on catching and reeling in fish from the ocean. The captains mate his son Jeff JR. was very helpful making sure we had our hooks baited and took the fish off the hooks when needed. He was very knowledgeable about deep sea fishing. The boat was fantastic and a great ride. I definitely would use Anchors Away Charters again.
