The Reward Fishing Fleet is the big budget party boat of Miami deep sea fishing, running out of the Bayside Marketplace Marina in the heart of downtown rather than from Haulover. It puts a seat on a reef-fishing drift boat within reach of almost any budget and is easy to add to a downtown or cruise-port day. It carries the most reviews of any operator in the port, and with that volume comes the most complaints: crowding and uneven crew are the recurring gripes. It ranks at the foot of the field as an honest mixed option, not a bad one.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 6.0 the Reward Fleet is a mixed pick and the seventh ranked boat in Miami, the second party boat on this page. Book it with caveats. It works for a cheap, casual few hours of reef fishing from a convenient downtown dock, especially if you are already at Bayside. It does not work if you mind a crowded rail, want consistent crew attention, or expect a private boat’s catch. The smaller Kelley fleet out of Haulover rates a little higher for a similar fare, and the private boats above, led by Sea Cross, are a different experience at a far higher price. See the whole field on the Miami ranking.
The boats
The fleet runs two party boats and a private sportfisher. Another Reward is a 70 foot boat that takes up to 50 anglers on shared walk-on trips, the cheapest seats and, by the reviews, the most crowded. Reward Won is a smaller 56 foot boat used for group and longer-range trips, and it draws better marks than the big boat. The Legacy is a 37 foot Topaz for private charters. All are described by the operator as Coast Guard inspected. The honest weakness is the one that comes with a 50-angler boat: on a full trip the rail is shoulder to shoulder and lines tangle, which is the single most common complaint.
The fishing and what you target
The boats run out through Miami’s main shipping channel to the reefs, ledges, and drop-offs, and drift or anchor depending on the day. The catch leans on bottom fish, yellowtail, mangrove, mutton, and gray snapper, grouper, and amberjack, with king mackerel, mahi, bonito, and the occasional sailfish up top. It is year-round reef and wreck fishing rather than a billfish program. As on any shared boat, a crowded rail and a slow bite can mean a thin day, while a productive drift with room to fish can fill a cooler.
Trips and prices
Price is where the Reward Fleet gets murky, and that holds value and transparency down. The operator’s own site advertises shared trips from about $75 per person, while its FishingBooker listing prices a shared half day or night at $170 per person, a gap wide enough that you should confirm the exact rate for your trip and trip length before you book. Private whole-boat charters on Another Reward run $2,000 for a weekday half day up to $3,200 for a full day. Rods, tackle, and the license are included, but live bait is sold separately and fish cleaning carries a fee, both of which draw complaints. The cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide help you judge a shared seat against booking a boat.
The crew
Captain and crew is the lowest factor here at 5.5. The reviews split: some praise patient mates who help novices and find fish, while a recurring strand reports crew who are rude or indifferent on a busy boat, little help for seasick passengers, pushy add-on bait sales, and the better spots going to regulars. The higher-rated Reward Won, with smaller groups, fares better on this than the big Another Reward, which is where most of the volume and most of the complaints sit. The captains rotate, so the crew on your trip is part luck.
Booking and what to know
Book by phone or through FishingBooker, which lists free cancellation with seven days’ notice. The downtown Bayside location is the draw for convenience, with parking and food right there. Bring a hat, sunscreen, a soft cooler, and motion sickness medication, and budget extra for live bait and cleaning if you want them. Go in expecting a sociable, crowded reef trip rather than a quiet day, and the experience matches the fare.
How we scored it
The Reward Fleet scores 6.0: broad, convenient, low-cost access on Coast Guard inspected party boats, marked down on captain and crew, track record, and value for crowding, uneven crew, and a confusing split between its posted prices. Trips and access is its strongest factor; the crew and the murky pricing are where it falls short. See how we scored this boat and compare it across the Miami charters we rank.