SoFlo Sportfishing is the highest-rated deep sea fishing boat in Fort Lauderdale, an owner-run operation that Captain Dave Allen, born and raised in the city, has built into one of the most consistently praised charters in the port. The boat is The Bounty, a 35 foot Bertram sportfisher out of Lauderdale Marina, and the reviews across hundreds of trips describe a captain reviewers call a true pro. It ranks second only because the boat is smaller than the big Hatteras sportfishers above and below it, not because the fishing or the record falls short.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.0 SoFlo is a strong choice and the second ranked boat in Fort Lauderdale, the pick for an angler who wants the best captain in the port and does not need the largest boat. It carries a higher customer rating than top-ranked Marlin My Darlin but on a smaller hull, and it sits ahead of Taco’s Hooked Up. Book it for a light-tackle Gulf Stream day, a kite-fishing sailfish trip, or a wreck trip with a captain who fishes hard. The honest limit is space and range on the longest, roughest days. Compare the field on the Fort Lauderdale ranking.
The boat
The Bounty is a 35 foot Bertram sportfisher with twin Cummins diesels, an air conditioned cabin, and a bathroom, room for up to 6 anglers. It is a comfortable, seaworthy offshore boat with the tackle and electronics for serious Gulf Stream fishing. The honest mark is size: at 35 feet it is smaller than the 46 to 52 foot Hatteras boats that anchor the top of the Fort Lauderdale fleet, so a long day in a hard chop is a tighter, busier ride. For most trips that is no drawback, and the boat handles the close-in Gulf Stream well.
The fishing and what you target
Captain Dave specializes in light-tackle live bait, kite fishing for sailfish, trolling planers, and wreck fishing, which is a more hands-on style than a straight troll. The targets are the Gulf Stream pelagics, sailfish in the cooler months, mahi mahi from late spring into fall, wahoo, blackfin tuna, and kingfish, plus snapper, grouper, and sharks on the reefs and wrecks. The variety of methods is a real strength: the boat adapts to what is biting rather than running one program.
Trips and prices
The rates are posted on FishingBooker: $850 for a 4 hour half day, $1,050 for 5 hours, $1,200 for a 6 hour three quarter day, and $1,600 for a full day, for up to 6 anglers, with a shared morning seat at $400 for 2 people and a big game trophy trip at $1,500. Permits, rods, bait, and tackle are included and the crew fillets your catch, with a 15 to 20% gratuity on top and the Southport Raw Bar at the dock willing to cook your catch. That is good value for an owner-run boat. Our cost guide sets it in context.
The crew
This is where SoFlo wins. Captain Dave Allen owns and runs the boat, has fished the Atlantic coast for more than 30 years, and the FishingBooker record, 4.9 across 300 reviews, is the highest rating on real volume in the port. Reviewers repeatedly describe him as knowledgeable, talented, and genuinely passionate, the captain who keeps people on fish from start to finish. There is no recurring complaint of substance in the reviews we read. That depth and quality of captain sentiment is the core of the score.
Booking and what to know
Book through FishingBooker or direct. Bring food and drinks and a cooler for your fillets. The license is covered and the crew cleans your catch, and the raw bar at the end of the canal will cook it. Budget the 15 to 20% gratuity on top of the posted rate. The shared morning seat is the cheap way to fish a private-quality boat if you do not have a full group.
How we scored it
SoFlo scores 8.0: the best captain-and-crew record in Fort Lauderdale and strong value on a well-run owner boat, marked down only on boat and equipment for a smaller 35 foot hull against the big Hatteras sportfishers. Captain and crew is its clear strength. See how we scored this boat and compare it with the rest of the Fort Lauderdale boats.