Gulfstream Fishing Charters has run out of Clearwater Beach since 1974, the longest standing private fishing business at the Clearwater Beach Municipal Marina, with a family line on the water that reaches back to 1954. It fishes two United States Coast Guard inspected boats, so it can take anything from a couple to a group of 22, which makes it the natural pick in Clearwater for a big party that wants one boat to itself. The rates are posted in full, by boat and by trip length, and the price includes bait, tackle, ice, and licenses.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.5 Gulfstream is a strong choice and the right answer for a specific reader: a group too large for a six pack that still wants a private, fair priced boat. Where it sits behind the dedicated fishing boats is focus. Gulfstream also runs cruises, sunset trips, dolphin watches, and private events, so it is a flexible charter business more than a hard core fishing program, and the fishing reviews, while good, are fewer than the head boats draw. For a pure fishing day on a private boat, Stella Fishing Co., Reel Deal Sportfishing, and Fisheye Sportfishing are more specialized; for seats by the person, the Queen Fleet and the Double Eagle head boats are cheaper. The full field is on the Clearwater ranking.
The boat
The fleet is a 40 foot Gulfstream, licensed for up to 10, and a 51 foot Gulfstream II, licensed for up to 22 on cruises and a more comfortable number when everyone is fishing. Both are inspected passenger vessels, a Coast Guard category above the six pack, which is the reason Gulfstream can carry the big groups that the private sportfishers cannot. They are roomy, stable platforms suited to families and corporate parties. They are not, however, sportfishers built for a hard offshore run, so set expectations toward comfortable group bottom fishing rather than chasing pelagics at speed.
The fishing and what you target
Gulfstream fishes the Gulf bottom that Clearwater is known for: red grouper year round, mangrove and other snapper, king mackerel, amberjack, and the mixed bag of grunts and porgies that fill a cooler. Trips run from 4 hours close in to full days on better structure, with extended and overnight offshore trips, including a bill fishing run, for groups that want to go deep. Reviewers report good days with plenty of fish, including the occasional 4 hour trip that fills the box. Some note undersized red grouper that have to go back, which is a regulation reality on this coast, not a fault of the boat.
Trips and prices
This is where Gulfstream earns its keep: the rates are clear and whole boat. On the 40 foot boat a 4 hour trip is $860, a 6 hour $1,290, and an 8 hour $1,720. On the 51 foot Gulfstream II the same trips run $960, $1,440, and $1,950, with a 12 hour at $3,000 and an overnight bill fishing trip at $3,600 plus a fuel surcharge. Each is priced for up to 6 anglers, with each extra person $120 to $200 depending on length, so the per person cost drops fast with a full group. Our cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide help you weigh that against a head boat seat.
The crew
Reviewers describe experienced captains who put groups on fish and run a friendly, well organized trip, with several calling it one of the better run charters on the beach. The operation uses more than one captain across its boats, so, as with any multi boat business, the day depends on who is at the helm. The sentiment is positive but thinner than the head boats collect, which is part of why the track record score sits where it does rather than higher.
Booking and what to know
Book direct by phone or online, and be specific about your group size and that you are there to fish, since the same boats also run cruises and events. For a large group, confirm how many can fish comfortably rather than the maximum cruise capacity. Bait, tackle, ice, and licenses are included, so you mainly bring food, drinks, sunscreen, and a cooler for the catch.
How we scored it
Gulfstream lands at 7.5: a long established, transparent, Coast Guard inspected operation that fits a big group well, held back by a split focus between fishing and cruising and a thinner fishing review record than the head boats. Value and transparency is its best factor on the strength of the posted rate card. See how we scored this boat for the rubric and weighting, and the Clearwater ranking for where it falls in the port.