In 2 Deep is the long range private boat in the Sarasota field and the highest rated of them, a well rigged center console that runs anywhere from 10 to 80 miles offshore for grouper, snapper, and the pelagics beyond the ledges. Captain Dustin Lambert was born and raised in Sarasota and grew up fishing these waters, and his FishingBooker record runs 4.9 across 45 reviews, the strongest rating in the port. The boat, a 29 foot Regulator with twin 300 horsepower outboards, has the speed and the rigging for a serious offshore day. The gap is value: these are the priciest private trips in the port, and there is no short or budget option.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.6 In 2 Deep is second in the Sarasota ranking, just behind Outriggers on the size of the boat and the length of the captain’s record, and ahead of the rest on range and rating. The reason to book it is reach: where most of the port fishes the nearer grounds, this boat will run 80 miles out on a 12 hour trip for the deeper grouper and the tuna. The mark against it is that it asks a real commitment, with a 6 hour trip the shortest on offer at $1,600 for the boat and nothing cheaper for a family testing the water. Book it for a dedicated offshore day with a group ready to go the distance. For a shorter or shared trip, look to Neptune Charters or the Flying Fish Fleet.
The boat
The In 2 Deep is a 29 foot Regulator center console, a serious offshore hull, rigged with outriggers, a live bait tank, a private head, and a full set of Shimano, Star, and Avet tackle, and powered by twin 300 horsepower Yamaha outboards that cruise up to about 40 knots. That speed is the point: it is what makes a run to the 80 mile grounds and back workable inside a 10 or 12 hour day. It is a center console, so the ride is more exposed than the Outriggers sportfisher on a rough day, and the 2007 hull is not new, but reviewers consistently describe a boat that rides well and fishes clean. There is room and a head for 6 anglers on a long day.
The fishing and what you target
In 2 Deep fishes the full Sarasota offshore spread, scaled to how far you book. The nearer trips bottom fish for red grouper, yellowtail and mangrove snapper, amberjack, and permit, with one review noting a pile of mangrove snapper just 30 minutes from the dock, while the longer 10 and 12 hour runs reach the deeper ledges and the blackfin tuna, kingfish, and sharks beyond them. The captain also runs a seasonal red snapper trip when the Gulf windows open, which is the prize on this coast and tightly regulated. Those seasons shift every year, so confirm the current dates with Florida FWC before you plan a snapper specific day.
Trips and prices
In 2 Deep posts its rates on its FishingBooker listing, sold by the whole boat for up to 6 anglers: $1,600 for 6 hours, $2,000 for 8, $2,400 for 10, and $2,700 for a 12 hour or seasonal red snapper trip. Live bait, the fishing license, catch cleaning and filleting, and drinks are included, with a captain and mate gratuity on top. The honest note is that this is the top of the private market in the port and the shortest trip is 6 hours, so there is no cheap way to sample it, which is the one drag on an otherwise clear and well stocked offering. Split across 6 anglers a 6 hour trip works out reasonably per head; as a couple it is a lot of boat. Our cost guide puts those numbers in context.
The crew
Captain Dustin Lambert owns and runs the boat, and the case for the crew is the rating: 4.9 across 45 current reviews, the highest in the Sarasota field, with the recurring theme a captain who puts groups on fish without a long run and keeps the tackle and the boat in good order. As a one captain, one boat operation you get the named captain every trip, which the methodology rewards, and the limit is availability rather than consistency, since there is no second boat to absorb the overflow on a busy weekend. The record is deep enough and recent enough to trust, if narrower than the big party boat’s volume.
Booking and what to know
Book through the FishingBooker listing or direct, and confirm the meeting point, since the boat works out of the Sarasota area rather than a single public marina. Pick your trip length by how far you want to run: 6 hours for the nearer grounds, 10 or 12 for the deep ledges and pelagics. Bring food, sun protection, and a cooler; drinks, bait, the license, and cleaning are covered. No fishing license is needed. For a red snapper trip, book around the season once the dates are set.
How we scored it
In 2 Deep scores 7.6: the longest range and highest rated private boat in Sarasota, a well rigged center console under a native captain, with clear posted prices, marked down only on value because it is the priciest boat in the port and offers no short trip. Captain and crew is its strongest factor. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric and weighting, and compare it with the rest of the Sarasota charters, including Outriggers and Sarasota Reef Charters.