The Susie E II is one of the established big sportfishers of Montauk, a 48 foot Coast Guard inspected boat that runs the full ladder from a relaxed half day inshore to a full day offshore for tuna. Captain Burt Prince and his crew have decades on this water, and the boat carries the clearest rate card in the port, with every trip and add on priced plainly. For a group that wants a big, comfortable boat and no guesswork on what the day costs, the Susie E II is a strong, straightforward pick.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.9 the boat is a strong choice and ranks third in Montauk, behind the Viking Fleet and Crunch Time. Its strengths are an even spread across the factors: a big inspected boat, a broad trip ladder, and the most transparent pricing in the port, with no factor weak. The honest limits are two. The price climbs fast for the offshore days, with a full day tuna trip at $2,500 for the boat, and the public review volume is more moderate than the booking platform boats, so the record is solid rather than the deepest. For the deepest record, Crunch Time leads; for a dedicated tuna specialist, Moondance and Tailwrapped are the call; for an owner run six pack, Push the Limit; and for a cheap half day, Lazybones. The full field is on the Montauk ranking.
The boat
The boat is a 48 foot custom sportfisherman, U.S. Coast Guard inspected, which lets it carry up to 16 anglers on a fishing trip and up to 28 on a specialty charter, more than the six pack boats can take. The size and the inspection make it a genuine option for a larger group that wants a private trip with room to move, and it is comfortable on the offshore tuna and shark grounds. Like the other Montauk day boats it runs the canyons as a long day rather than overnight, so for multi day range the Viking party boats are the option. For a big group day, inshore or offshore, it is well suited.
The fishing and what you target
The boat fishes the full Montauk calendar. The half and full day inshore trips work the rips and the bottom for striped bass, bluefish, fluke, porgies, and sea bass. The full day offshore trips run for sharks and for bluefin and yellowfin tuna, with mahi mahi around the structure in summer. Shortfin mako are catch and release only under current federal and state rules, so any mako is released. Striped bass run a one fish slot of 28 to less than 31 inches in New York. Confirm the current seasons and limits with New York DEC and NOAA Fisheries before you plan around any one species.
Trips and prices
This is where the boat is at its best: the rate card is the clearest in the port. Trips are whole boat for up to six anglers, plus $100 per extra angler on a half day or $150 on a full day. A half day or evening is $900, night bass $1,100, a full day inshore $1,500, a full day offshore shark $1,900, and a full day offshore tuna $2,500. Custom tackle, bait, ice, fish cleaning, and digital photos of your catch are included, and a 4 percent fee applies to card payments. Nothing is hidden, which is the appeal, though the offshore days are a real outlay. Our cost guide sets the tiers side by side, and the party boat versus private charter guide covers the private format.
The crew
Captain Burt Prince runs the boat with a crew the operation describes as hardworking and friendly, with decades of experience off Montauk. The sentiment across Google and TripAdvisor is positive and steady, describing a comfortable boat, a crew that works to put a group on fish, and the small touches that the rate card promises, the cleaning, the bagging, the photos of your catch. The honest read on the record is volume: the public review pool is more moderate than the boats with a deep FishingBooker history, so it is a solid, consistent record rather than the deepest in the port, which is what holds the track record score a step below the leaders.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator, and pick your trip from the rate card so you know the cost before you go. Confirm the trip length, the per angler add on for a bigger group, and the card fee. The boat runs from Westlake Fishing Lodge and Marina on West Lake Drive. Bring food, drinks, and warm layers for the offshore and night trips; the boat covers the tackle, bait, ice, and cleaning, and sends you home with photos of the catch.
How we scored it
The boat scores 7.9: an established, Coast Guard inspected 48 foot sportfisher with a broad trip ladder and the most transparent pricing in Montauk, held below the leaders by an offshore price that climbs fast and a public review record that is solid rather than the deepest. Value and transparency is its standout factor. See how we scored this boat and the Montauk ranking for the field.