Top Shot Sportfishing runs the Happy Day Today, a big 52 foot Hatteras out of Bahia Mar and one of the largest charter boats in Fort Lauderdale. Captain David Zsak describes the business as established in 1974 and among the longest-running in South Florida, and it posts clear prices, offers a walk-on shared seat, and runs the full Gulf Stream and swordfish menu. The boat and the heritage are real strengths. It ranks lower than its reputation would suggest because the review base we could directly verify is thinner than the busiest boats in the port.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.1 Top Shot is a strong choice and the seventh ranked boat in Fort Lauderdale, the pick for an angler who wants the biggest boat and a long-established operation, or a walk-on seat on a private sportfisher. It sits just behind Don’t Tell Mom and ahead of the Fishing Headquarters drift fleet. Book it for a comfortable offshore day on a large Hatteras, or a swordfish run. The honest reason it does not rank higher is evidence: its directly verifiable review count is the thinnest of the ranked private boats, even though its reputation and history run deep. Compare the field on the Fort Lauderdale ranking.
The boat
The Happy Day Today is a 52 foot Hatteras sportfish, one of the largest boats in the Fort Lauderdale charter fleet, with twin Detroit diesels, an air conditioned cabin, and the range and comfort for a long offshore or swordfish day. It carries up to 6 anglers with plenty of room. Sources differ slightly on the build, with the current listing citing a 1990 hull restored in 2018, but it is a genuine large convertible sportfisher, a steadier ride than a center console on a long, rough day.
The fishing and what you target
The boat fishes the Gulf Stream off Bahia Mar for the pelagic spread, and the operator publishes its own seasons: sailfish December through April, the shark run peaking May through July, and mahi and wahoo in summer. It also runs daytime and night swordfish trips out to the deep, with a federal permit, a 47 inch minimum, and a one fish per person limit, plus bottom fishing for grouper, snapper, and amberjack. The seasonal honesty is a good sign in a field where many boats promise one catch year round.
Trips and prices
The rates are posted on the operator’s own site, which counts in its favor: $900 for a 4 hour half day, $1,125 for 5 hours, $1,350 for a 6 hour three quarter day, $1,800 for a full day, and $2,600 for a 10 hour day, for up to 6 anglers, with a 9 hour swordfish trip at $2,400 and a walk-on shared seat at $275 per person. Tackle, live bait, the license, and cleaning are included. Cancellations must be made 72 hours ahead, and a card is held and charged after the trip. Our cost guide sets those numbers in context.
The crew
Captain David Zsak owns and runs the boat, and the operation’s history, described as running since 1974 with dozens of local records, is genuine heritage. The reviews that are visible run strongly positive on a professional captain and a clean, well-maintained boat. The honest problem is depth: the directly verifiable review base is modest, around 26 on FishingBooker, with a real but harder-to-confirm presence on TripAdvisor. The reputation is strong, but the verifiable record is thinner than the boats above it, which is why track record is the lowest factor here.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator’s site or FishingBooker, and note the 72 hour cancellation window. Bring food and drinks and a cooler for your fillets. No license is needed, as it is covered. The walk-on seat is the budget way onto a large private sportfisher, and the swordfish trips are worth asking about for the day or night option.
How we scored it
Top Shot scores 7.1: a large, capable Hatteras and a long-established operation with posted prices, a walk-on option, and honest seasons, marked down on track record because the review base we could directly verify is thinner than the busiest boats in the port. Boat, access, and value are its strengths. See how we scored this boat and compare it with the rest of the Fort Lauderdale field.