TAN MAN Charters is a sailfish focused sportfisher at Bud N’ Mary’s Marina in Islamorada, Captain Matt Davis’s 44 foot Henriques. The boat is built for billfish, with the kind of big cockpit a sailfish fight needs, and it posts the clearest price ladder in the fleet, with the license, bait, tackle, and cleaning all included. It is a strong, fair pick for a winter sailfish day or a general reef and offshore trip. What keeps it in the middle of the ranking rather than the top is a thinner customer review trail than the most reviewed boats in the port.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.5 TAN MAN is the fourth ranked boat in Islamorada, a strong choice that does the core job well. Its best marks are the boat and the value: a purpose built billfish sportfisher and a posted, all-inclusive price ladder that is easy to read before you book. Captain Matt Davis fishes sailfish hard and reviewers who go out with him and mate Ryan describe a friendly, professional, hard working day. The honest reason it sits behind the Sea Horse is track record: the independent review volume is lighter, with more of the visible praise reading as the operator’s own framing than the deep, recent customer record that carries DirtyBoat. Book it for a sailfish trip in the cooler months or a clearly priced reef and offshore day.
The boat
The Tan Man is a 44 foot Henriques sportfisher, a hull known for a large cockpit that gives anglers room to work a sailfish or a stand-up fight, with an air-conditioned salon and well kept Penn tackle. That cockpit room is a real advantage for billfish and is the main reason boat and equipment scores well. It is a proper cabin sportfisher rather than an open boat, so it fishes a full day in comfort for up to 6 anglers. The boat is maintained to fish hard rather than to show, which is the right priority and matches what the reviews describe.
The fishing and what you target
Sailfish are the specialty. Davis spends the cooler months chasing them along the reef edge, where Islamorada billfishing is at its best, and the big cockpit pays off when one is hooked. The rest of the year the boat trolls for mahi mahi, works the ledges and the Islamorada Hump for blackfin tuna and wahoo, and fishes the reef for yellowtail and grouper, with kingfish and cobia in the mix. It fishes the full Islamorada card with billfish as the headline. Sailfish carry a 63 inch minimum and a one fish bag, and the Atlantic seasons move, so confirm the current rules with Florida FWC before a date specific trip.
Trips and prices
This is the boat’s strong suit on transparency. TAN MAN sells by the whole boat for up to 6 anglers with a $400 deposit, and posts a clear ladder: a 4 hour half day at $900 to $1,200, a 6 hour three quarter day at $1,150, and an 8 hour full day at $1,500 to $2,000. The fishing license, bait, tackle, Penn rods and reels, a cooler with ice, and fish cleaning are included, so the posted rate is close to the all-in cost, with the mate’s gratuity the main extra. That is among the cleanest pricing in the port and a step under the Sea Horse at the half day end. Our cost guide sets a whole boat day against the cheaper ways onto the water here.
The crew
Captain Matt Davis runs the boat with a focus on sailfish and the local knowledge to back it. The customer sentiment that exists is positive and specific: reviewers name Matt and mate Ryan working hard to find fish and to help anglers of every level, and describe a timely, professional operation. The qualifier, and the reason track record is the lowest factor, is volume. The independent review trail is thinner than the leaders’, so the captain and crew score reflects a solid but smaller evidence base rather than the deep record that lifts the top boats.
Booking and what to know
Book direct through the operator’s site by phone or email. TAN MAN leaves from Bud N’ Mary’s Marina at mile marker 79.8 on the ocean side. Because the license, tackle, and cleaning are included, you mainly need a cooler for the fillets, sun protection, and motion sickness medication if you are unsure of your stomach. Reserve ahead for a winter sailfish window, which is the boat’s best season and the busiest.
How we scored it
TAN MAN scores 7.5 on a purpose built billfish boat and the clearest, most inclusive pricing in the field, with a capable sailfish captain. It is held back by a thinner customer review trail than the boats above it, which keeps track record its lowest factor. See how we scored this boat, and compare it with the other ranked Islamorada charters.