Marlin My Darlin is the deep sea fishing boat at the top of a crowded Fort Lauderdale field, a roomy Hatteras flybridge sportfisher out of Bahia Mar with the longest, steadiest customer record in the port. Run today under the All-Inclusive Sportfishing banner by Captain JJ Logan, a third-generation charter fisherman, it fishes the Gulf Stream for the full pelagic spread and runs dedicated swordfish and Bahamas trips. More than 600 FishingBooker reviews sit behind it, the deepest base of any boat here, and they run strongly positive. It earns the top spot on the weight and consistency of that record.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.1 Marlin My Darlin is a strong choice and the first ranked boat in Fort Lauderdale, the safest first call in a port full of good options. It edges SoFlo Sportfishing on the size and comfort of the boat and the sheer depth of its record, where SoFlo carries a slightly higher rating on a smaller boat. Book it for a comfortable offshore day, a sailfish trip in winter, or a swordfish run. The only honest caveat is that a large review base collects a few off days, including an isolated report of a slow trip and a captain who came across as short, but those are a small minority against the praise. Compare the field on the Fort Lauderdale ranking.
The boat
The Marlin My Darlin is a Hatteras flybridge sportfisher with an air conditioned cabin, leather seating, and the range and comfort for a long offshore day, the kind of boat that makes a swordfish or Bahamas trip realistic. Sources differ on the exact length, with the operator’s own site calling it a 46 foot Hatteras and the booking listings a 50 foot, a discrepancy the operator has not cleared up, but it is a full convertible sportfisher either way, not an open center console. It carries up to 6 anglers in genuine comfort, which is part of why it draws so many repeat families.
The fishing and what you target
The boat fishes the Gulf Stream that runs close to Bahia Mar, trolling and kite fishing for sailfish in the cooler months, mahi mahi from late spring into fall, and wahoo, blackfin tuna, and kingfish through the year. Two specialties set it apart: dedicated daytime and night swordfish trips out to the deep, and deep-drop fishing for golden and gray tilefish, grouper, and snapper in 50 to over 800 feet. It also runs customized Bahamas crossings. The captain matches the trip to the season rather than promising one catch year round.
Trips and prices
The whole-boat rates published on FishingBooker are $800 for a 3 hour trip, $950 for a 4 hour half day, $1,200 for 5 hours, and $1,400 for a 6 hour three quarter day, for up to 6 anglers, with longer offshore, swordfish, and Bahamas trips quoted separately. Penn and Shimano tackle, the license, drinks, and catch cleaning are included, and free cancellation runs up to 14 days out. The transparency gap is that the operator’s own site does not post a table and routes you to call, so the clear numbers live on the booking platform. Our cost guide sets those against a shared seat.
The crew
Captain JJ Logan owns and runs the operation, with Captains Matt Fann and Tommy Copper also named on the boat, and the FishingBooker record, 4.8 across more than 600 reviews, is the deepest in the port. Reviewers consistently credit a clean, well-run boat, a knowledgeable captain and mate, and consistent fish, and the repeat business is high. The weakness sits in that same record: a small strand of reviews reports a slow trip with no compensation, a crew that disengaged during downtime, or a diesel smell in the cabin. Against the volume of praise these are rare, but a fair review names them.
Booking and what to know
Book by phone or through FishingBooker, which lists free cancellation up to 14 days out. Bring your own food, since the boat provides drinks but not a meal, and a cooler for your fillets. No license is needed, as it is covered, and the crew cleans your catch. For the swordfish or Bahamas trips, ask for the rate and the season when you book, since those are quoted separately from the posted half-day prices.
How we scored it
Marlin My Darlin scores 8.1: the most comfortable, capable boat and the deepest, most consistent track record in Fort Lauderdale, with a full offshore and swordfish menu, marked only on value transparency for the unposted rates and on a few off-day reports in a large base. Boat and equipment and track record are its strengths. See how we scored this boat and compare it with the rest of the Fort Lauderdale field.