Kristin K Charters is the dedicated groundfish specialist of the Portland deep sea fishing fleet, a private boat that Captain Ben has run for about 20 years out of South Portland. It steams 20 to 30 miles to Tantas and Jeffreys Ledge for cod, haddock, and pollock, and it carries one of the deepest and most loyal review records on the coast, with more than half its trips going to returning customers. For an angler who wants a private boat and a captain who fishes the ledges every week, it is the strongest Portland option.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.1 Kristin K is a strong choice and second in the southern Maine field, behind only the Bunny Clark. It earns the place on the captain and the record: 20 years on the same ground, a long run of five star reviews, and the kind of loyal repeat custom that only a consistent operation builds. What holds it back from a higher number is small but real. The operator does not publish the boat’s length or specs, so we score the boat on what the trips require rather than a posted sheet, and a private day at $1,400 costs more per head than a shared seat on a head boat. For a private Portland groundfish day, it is the one to beat.
The boat
The Kristin K is a private sportfishing boat set up for ground fishing the Gulf of Maine ledges. The operator does not publish the length, capacity, or electronics on its site, which is the one notable gap on an otherwise transparent operation, so we judge the boat on the trips it runs and what reviewers describe rather than on a spec sheet, and we note the gap. What the record shows is a boat that consistently reaches the deep bottom 20 to 30 miles out and puts anglers on fish, with the gear and the run for a serious 8 hour day. Ask the captain about the boat’s size and layout when you book if that matters for your group.
The fishing and what you target
Kristin K fishes the full southern Maine range, but the ground fishing is the heart of it. The 8 hour trip runs 20 to 30 miles to Tantas or Jeffreys Ledge, fishing 180 to 300 feet for cod, haddock, pollock, and monkfish, with haddock the keeper mainstay and cod mostly released under the tight Gulf of Maine limits. Closer in, the inshore light tackle trips work for sea bass, cod, bluefish, and mackerel, and there is a dedicated shark trip in the summer. Captain Ben has a reputation for putting people on fish quickly, with reviewers describing pulling them in about as fast as the crew could unhook them on a good day.
Trips and prices
The rates are posted and sold by the boat, private only. Ground fishing is $1,400 for an 8 hour trip, the shark trip is $1,400 for 8 hours, and the shorter inshore light tackle runs are $650 for 4 hours and $850 for 6. The operator is upfront that the rates were set on fuel prices at the time the site was built and can change, so confirm the current figure when you book. A private boat works out per head only when you bring a full group, so for one or two anglers a shared head boat seat is cheaper. Our cost guide breaks down the private and shared tiers, and the party boat versus private charter guide helps you choose the format.
The crew
Captain Ben is the draw, and the reviews are overwhelmingly positive across the platforms: prompt, polite, knowledgeable, and quick to find fish, with a long run of five star ratings and a base of returning customers that more than half the trips come from. That repeat custom is the clearest signal on a small operation, since people do not rebook a boat that disappoints. The crew also draws praise for teaching newer anglers and handling a mixed group. With one captain running the boat, you know who you are getting, which is the flip side of the rotating rosters on the bigger fleets.
Booking and what to know
Book direct through the operator’s site or by phone. The boat leaves from South Portland, so arrive early to park and load, and bring food, drinks, and layers for a long day on the water, plus motion sickness medication if the offshore chop is a question for you. No fishing license is needed on the charter, and the crew handles the catch. Confirm the current rate and the deposit when you book, given the operator’s note that fuel can move the price.
How we scored it
Kristin K scores 8.1, second in the southern Maine port. Captain and crew and track record are its strongest factors, on 20 years of consistency and a loyal review record, and trips and access and value rate well on a dedicated deep ledge program with posted rates. It is marked down on boat and equipment only because the specs are not published, not for anything the record shows on the water. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric, and compare it against the rest of our southern Maine rankings.