Don’t Tell Mom Sportfishing is a strong offshore boat in a deep Fort Lauderdale field, a classic 46 foot Hatteras run by Captain Will Daley, a licensed 100 ton master with more than 30 years on the water. It posts both private and shared prices, runs the Gulf Stream spread out of the 301 Seabreeze dock, and holds a near-perfect rating. It is a capable, well-credentialed operation. It ranks in the middle of the pack, with a modest review volume next to the busiest boats in the port the main thing keeping it from rising higher.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.2 Don’t Tell Mom is a strong choice and the sixth ranked boat in Fort Lauderdale, the pick for an angler who wants a real Hatteras sportfisher and a fully licensed captain, with the option of a shared seat. It sits just behind Bay Breeze and ahead of Top Shot. Book it for a private offshore day or a shared trip on a tournament-rigged boat. The honest limit is the depth of its public record: the rating is excellent, but on a smaller base than the boats above it, so the score rests on a good sample rather than a huge one. Compare the field on the Fort Lauderdale ranking.
The boat
The Don’t Tell Mom is a classic 46 foot Hatteras sportfish with a custom tower and tournament outriggers, twin Detroit diesels, and room for up to 6 anglers. It is a genuine offshore convertible, rigged for serious fishing, with the range and the ride for a long Gulf Stream day. It is an older Hatteras rather than a new boat, but the tower and outrigger setup and the captain’s credentials make it a capable sailfish and kite-fishing platform.
The fishing and what you target
Captain Will Daley fishes the Gulf Stream off Fort Lauderdale for the pelagic spread: sailfish in the cooler months, mahi mahi in the warmer ones, plus wahoo, blackfin tuna, and kingfish through the year, with amberjack, grouper, and snapper on the bottom and a range of sharks. The boat also runs swordfish trips, quoted on inquiry. The tower and outriggers suit kite fishing for sailfish, which is the signature winter trip here.
Trips and prices
The operator posts both private and shared rates. Private whole-boat trips run $850 for a 4 hour half day, $1,050 for 5 hours, $1,250 for a 6 hour three quarter day, and $1,650 for a full day, for up to 6 anglers. Shared per-person seats are $185 for 4 hours and $365 for 8 hours, a cheaper way onto the boat without a full group. Swordfish trips are quoted separately. The shared option is a genuine plus in a port where most private boats sell only the whole boat. Our cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide help you weigh the two.
The crew
Captain Will Daley holds a Coast Guard 100 ton master license and has fished more than 30 years, which is real, verifiable credentials in a field where many operators do not state them. The reviews across FishingBooker and the other platforms run strongly positive on a knowledgeable captain and a well-run boat, with a near-perfect rating. The honest mark is volume: the verifiable review base, around 70 on FishingBooker, is modest next to the 100 to 600 counts of the boats above it, so track record is scored on a smaller sample.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator’s site or FishingBooker. Bring food and drinks and a cooler for your fillets. No license is needed, as it is covered. The shared seat is the budget way onto the boat, and the swordfish trip is worth asking about, since it is priced on inquiry rather than posted.
How we scored it
Don’t Tell Mom scores 7.2: a capable Hatteras sportfisher with a fully licensed 100 ton master captain, posted private and shared prices, and an excellent rating, marked down on track record because its verifiable review base is modest next to the busiest boats in the port. Captain credentials and value are its strengths. See how we scored this boat and compare it with the rest of the Fort Lauderdale boats.