The Double Eagle is the deep sea fishing name anglers pair with the Queen Fleet, and it has run out of Clearwater Beach since 1967. It is a family head boat operation, owned by the Haggert family, that fishes two catamarans for grouper, snapper, and the rest of the Gulf bottom. What sets it apart in the port is the menu: alongside the standard half and all day trips, it runs long range trips of 12 to 36 hours during red snapper season, which no other Clearwater head boat does. The prices are posted plainly, which is more than some private boats here manage.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.7 the Double Eagle is a strong choice and the second of the two big head boats, narrowly behind the Queen Fleet on the consistency of the day. Book it for the long range trips, for the all day when you want more time than the half day allows, or simply when the Queen Fleet is full. The reviews are the reason for the gap: they run more uneven, with a real strand reporting crowded decks and slow days alongside the strong ones. If you want a private boat instead, Stella Fishing Co., Reel Deal Sportfishing, Fisheye Sportfishing, and the larger Gulfstream Fishing Charters are the alternatives, and you can compare the whole field on the Clearwater ranking.
The boat
The fleet is two catamarans at the Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina. The 88 foot Double Eagle III runs the half day trips and carries the larger crowd, and the 65 foot Double Eagle II runs the all day. Both have a full galley serving breakfast and lunch and clean modern restrooms, and the catamaran hulls give a steadier ride than a monohull in a chop. The weakness is the one reviewers name most: on a full boat the deck gets tight and lines tangle, and the experience leans on the mates keeping order. On a busy holiday weekend that is a real consideration.
The fishing and what you target
The Double Eagle fishes the same Gulf ledges as the rest of the Clearwater fleet: red grouper year round, mangrove, lane, and vermilion snapper, hogfish, white grunt, porgy, sea bass, and triggerfish. The half day stays within about 10 miles on the Double Eagle III, which is a shorter run and a lighter box of fish. The real draw is the long range program: the all day reaches deeper structure, and the 12 to 36 hour trips run out to the Middle Grounds for red snapper and bigger grouper when the season is open. Gag grouper is closed for most of 2026, so red grouper carries the bottom fishing.
Trips and prices
The Double Eagle posts its rates, which counts in its favor. The half day is $69 for adults and $39 for children, the all day $99 and $69, both per person with bait and sales tax included and a rod rental of $7 or $15 on top. Long range trips start at $225 for the 12 hour and climb to $480 for the 36 hour. A whole boat private charter on the Double Eagle III is $2,500 for a half day. A military discount and a frequent fisherman card are offered. Our cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide put those numbers in context against booking a private boat.
The crew
The sentiment on the crew is genuinely mixed, which is what holds the score below the Queen Fleet. Many reviewers describe professional, attentive mates who take fish off the hook, set up lines, and keep first timers fishing. Others report a flatter experience on crowded trips, a slow or dead day with little caught, and the occasional late departure. As with any head boat, the captain rotates, so the deck crew on your day matters more than the name on the hull. Read recent reviews before you pick a date.
Booking and what to know
Book by phone or through the Double Eagle site, which takes online reservations, and pay the long range deposit up front, since those trips fill. Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to park and check in. The galley means you do not have to pack a full lunch, though you can bring your own food and a soft cooler for the ride home. As with every boat here, no license is needed and the crew handles fish cleaning at the dock.
How we scored it
The Double Eagle scores 7.7: a transparent, long established head boat with the broadest trip menu in the port and posted prices, marked down on the uneven sentiment around crowding and day to day catch. Trips and access and value are its strongest factors; captain and crew and track record are where the mixed reviews pull it down. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric and weighting.