Please bring any food or drinks you want except NO hard liquor. Plenty of water, sunscreen, sunglasses. and hats. Wear non marking, nonskid, water-resistant shoes. Hand rags are highly recommended (and can be tied to the rail or the rod you picked out to hold your spot during boarding and the ride out.

NO drugs or firearms allowed by federal regulations.

Please arrive by 7:30.

Park in the lot next to the Bait and Tackle shop. Please do not park in front of the shop. Locate and sign the manifest as this will determine your boarding order. DO NOT Board before your name is called. There are no reserved spots on the boat and is first come first served when you board. 

There is a convenience store two doors down from the bait shop if you wish to get coffee, ice, or snacks before boarding. We provide squid and threadfin herring for bait. If you wish, you can purchase live shrimp, and pinfish at the bait shop. Bring a bucket and bubbler to keep your bait alive.  The bait shop rents 5gal buckets with lid and bubbler for the day if you don't have one. (Price as of 6-1-2022 is $10)

Please be prepared to pay the captain when you board. The mate with assist you getting on board.

Pay the Captain for your trip. Find an empty spot and claim your rod and store your belongings out of the pathways. Follow the Captain's and Mate's instruction as they prepare to leave the dock. We will travel 1 1/2 to 2 hours to get to our first fishing spot.

Enjoy your trip.

On Thunder we supply you with a 4/0 conventional rod and reel with 50lb test monofilament line, a 3oz egg weight and a 7/0 circle hook on a 12-18” leader.  This may vary some depending on conditions and targeted species of fish.  If you haven’t used a conventional reel before please ask the mate for instructions to avoid problems while fishing. 

When we arrive at a fishing spot, please do not drop your line until the Captain has shut down the engines.  He needs to anchor the boat and position it over the fish.  When the engines start up again it is time to reel in so we can move to another spot. 

We typically provide two different baits: cut threadfin herring and squid.  If  you use the head portion of the herring, hook it thru the eye sockets or thru the top of  the head. Using the tail portion, you should remove the tail then hook thru the back and under the spine.  For squid, hook it once thru the thickest part. 

When you drop your bait, let it go all the way to the bottom, and take up some of the slack. You want your bait on the bottom to catch the most fish.  Fish will tug at your bait and you will feel a tapping in the line. Resist the urge to “set the hook”. Circle hooks set themselves. When you have a fish, just start reeling. If you need help, call for the mate to assist you.  If you hook the bottom, and can’t get it loose, call for the mate.  The mate will also put new weights and hooks on if you get broke off. 

At the end of the day, your fish will be filleted and put in a ziplock bag for you to take home and enjoy.  If you need some ice, just ask: we will be happy to give you enough to get your catch home safely.