The Flying Fish Fleet is the Sarasota deep sea fishing institution, a family operation running out of Marina Jack for more than 60 years and the only walk-on party boat in the port. The two big Coast Guard inspected party boats, the 85 foot Flying Fish and the 75 foot Flying Fish II, sell seats by the person on 4.5, 6, and 8 hour Gulf trips, which makes this the cheapest, most sociable way offshore in Sarasota. The operation also runs the Big Catch, a private 43 foot Hatteras for up to 6. The party boats are a genuinely mixed product, though, so the verdict here depends on the trip you book.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 6.9 the fleet is fifth in the Sarasota ranking, and the score is a blend of two different experiences. The party boats are the only walk-on option in the port and the cheapest way to get a family offshore, but they are crowded, often 25 to 50 anglers on the rail, the ride out eats a chunk of the trip, and reviewers regularly note the fish run small, which is why the band lands at mixed rather than strong. The private Big Catch is the better fishing if you book the whole boat. The methodology’s mixed verdict fits it exactly: book with caveats, depending on the trip. For a private boat without the party boat trade offs, the four ranked above it are stronger calls.
The boat
The fleet is three boats for two very different trips. The Flying Fish is an 85 foot Coast Guard inspected party boat that takes up to 80 passengers, and the Flying Fish II is a 75 foot inspected boat with a salon, cushioned seating, a galley, two restrooms, and an upper deck. They are big, stable, well found boats, and the inspected rating and the room are real strengths. The catch is the crowd: a full rail means tight fishing and crossed lines, which is the opposite of the space a private six pack gives you. The Big Catch is a separate animal, a 43 foot Hatteras with air conditioned space and a head, run for up to 6 of your own group with a captain and mate.
The fishing and what you target
The party boats bottom fish the Gulf reefs and ledges for what is biting and in season: red grouper, lane and mangrove snapper, amberjack, grunt, and porgy, with king mackerel on the troll at times. It is honest, mixed bag bottom fishing, and on a busy boat the better spots on the rail and the captain’s read of the grounds matter to your day. Reviewers note that a good share of a 6 hour trip is the run out and back, since the boat travels several miles to the grounds, and that the fish can be on the small side. The Big Catch, fishing the same grounds with 6 anglers and a dedicated crew, gives you more room and a better shot at a quality box.
Trips and prices
The party boats sell seats by the person, which is the whole appeal: it is the cheapest way offshore in Sarasota, with the rod, reel, and fishing license included and fish cleaning at 50 cents per fish, and food and drinks sold aboard. The honest gap is that the operator’s own site does not post a current fare table and asks you to call, so you confirm the per person rate by phone rather than read it online. The Big Catch private charter is booked by the whole boat for up to 6 and priced on request. Our cost guide sets out the party boat against the private tier, and the party boat versus private charter guide is built for exactly this choice.
The crew
The party boats run with a roster of Coast Guard licensed captains and deckhands, and the sentiment is genuinely mixed, which is the heart of the score. Many reviewers describe a friendly, helpful crew that baits up and helps new anglers, while a recurring thread reports brusqueness, restrictions around the restrooms, and uneven fishing depending on the captain’s spot for the day. That spread is what you would expect of a high volume party boat and is the main reason captain and crew and track record sit lower here than on the private boats. The Big Catch, with a dedicated captain and mate, draws the steadier reviews.
Booking and what to know
Reservations are required, and there is free parking at Marina Jack in downtown Sarasota. Call to confirm the current fare and the trip times, since they are not posted. Bring sun protection, motion sickness medication if you are unsure of your stomach, since a full party boat in a Gulf chop is a common place to feel it, and cash for cleaning and the galley. No fishing license is needed. Pick the party boat for a cheap, social day and the Big Catch when you want your own boat and a better shot at the fish.
How we scored it
The fleet scores 6.9: the port’s only walk-on party boat and a 60 year institution with the widest access, on big inspected boats, marked down to mixed because the party trips are crowded with a long ride out and small fish and the crew sentiment is uneven, while the private Big Catch is the stronger trip. Trips and access is its best factor. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric and weighting, and compare it against the rest of our Sarasota rankings, including Outriggers and Neptune Charters.