10 Point Charters is the giant bluefin specialist of the Gloucester fleet, the boat to book when the tuna is the point. Captain Ira Shank has more than 20 years fighting giant bluefin out of Gloucester, the boat carries a flawless review record across more than a hundred trips, and the price is fully posted with everything included. It is also a capable groundfish and striped bass boat, a 36 foot hull that takes six anglers in comfort. The one honest knock is the boat itself: a restored 1976 hull that cruises slowly, so the long runs to the tuna grounds eat into the fishing day.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.3 10 Point is a strong choice and second in the port, and for a giant bluefin trip it is the first call. Captain Shank’s two decades on the tuna, a 5.0 record across 136 trips, an all included price, and a roomy deck are the case. What holds it just below the top is the hull: the Annie M is a 1976 boat, restored in 2021 but cruising around 18 knots, and on a run out to the canyon edge or the fall giant grounds that slower speed costs fishing time. For a fresher, faster boat, the top ranked Tuna Tail is the pick; for the most reviewed boat in the port, see Lyla Rose. Compare the field on the Gloucester ranking.
The boat
The Annie M is a 36 foot Harris on twin 250 horsepower Caterpillar engines, built in 1976 and restored in 2021, with a head and an ice box aboard and the deck space for six anglers to work a tuna or a groundfish drop. It is a roomy, stable platform, well suited to a day of fighting big fish. The mark against it is age and speed: a restored 1976 hull cruising around 18 knots is slower than the newer boats in the fleet, which matters most on the long runs to the offshore tuna grounds, where every knot is fishing time saved. For the inshore and nearer groundfish trips it makes little difference.
The fishing and what you target
This is a tuna boat first. Captain Shank runs a ladder of bluefin trips through the season, from a 7 hour early run to Jeffreys Ledge to the 10 and 12 hour giant tuna days in the fall, the fishery Gloucester is known for and the one this boat does best. Around the tuna it fishes cod and haddock on the offshore grounds, with haddock the reliable keeper and cod on a short, one fish season, and striped bass and bluefish close in through the summer. The bluefin retention is set year to year by NOAA’s HMS division, and the cod and haddock seasons by NOAA Fisheries, so confirm the current numbers before a targeted trip.
Trips and prices
10 Point posts a full grid of per boat prices on its FishingBooker listing, up to six anglers. A 4 hour striped bass trip is $600 to $650, a 5 hour groundfish trip $850, a 7 hour early Jeffreys Ledge tuna trip $1,000, a 10 hour groundfish trip $1,200, and the 10 to 12 hour giant tuna trips $1,250 to $1,300. Rods, reels, tackle, the fishing license, catch cleaning, live bait, snacks, and ice are all included, which makes it one of the better value tuna days in the port for what you get. Our cost guide breaks down what a charter runs, and the private versus head boat guide sets it against the Gloucester party boats.
The crew
Captain Ira Shank has more than 20 years chasing giant bluefin tuna out of Gloucester, and that focus shows in the reviews: anglers describe a captain who knows where the fish are and works to put them on the rod, on a boat that runs a clean, well organized trip. The FishingBooker record is a 5.0 across 136 trips, the deepest spotless record among the port’s six packs, with no recurring complaint to flag. For a giant bluefin trip in particular, that track record is exactly what you want under you.
Booking and what to know
Book through the FishingBooker listing, and well ahead for the fall giant tuna window, which is the busiest and most weather dependent stretch of the year. Bring food, warm and waterproof layers, sunscreen, and a cooler; the tackle, license, bait, snacks, and cleaning are covered. For the long tuna days, plan on an early start and a full day on the water, and set expectations by the season, since a giant bluefin is never a sure thing.
How we scored it
10 Point earns its 8.3 on a specialist tuna captain, a flawless deep review record, a wide trip menu, and an all included price, held below the top by a restored 1976 hull that cruises slowly on the long offshore runs. Captain and crew and track record are its strongest factors. See how we scored this boat and the Gloucester ranking for the field.