Calcutta Gold is the value pick among the Venice tuna boats and a solid fifth, a 42 foot Razorcat catamaran under Captain Eric Newberry with a strong FishingBooker record and a base rate that starts lower than the high-end fleet. It earns the spot on a clean, deep run of reviews, a capable catamaran, and a crew the reviews single out by name. The honest frame is that the low headline rate is a base, since fuel is paid on top and is the bulk of the cost on a long run, and it is a single boat, so it cannot field a group across hulls the way the larger operations can.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.3 Calcutta Gold is a strong choice and the fifth ranked operation in Venice. The case for it is straightforward: a 4.7 star FishingBooker rating across 41 reviews is a deep, traceable record for a Venice offshore boat, the catamaran is well rigged for the run, and the deckhands, Christian and Brent turn up by name, draw consistent praise. The base rate is the lowest of the offshore boats we rank, which makes it the value play once you account for fuel. It sits below the boats above it because it is a single hull with a narrower trip menu and a moderate, rather than deep, overall reputation next to the 20 year operations. Book it for a full day offshore when value matters. For the newest boat in the port, Tuna Town is the step up; for a deeper roster, Super Strike.
The boat
The Calcutta Gold is a 42 foot Razorcat catamaran, powered by four 350 horsepower Suzuki engines, with extensive electronics, outriggers, downriggers, and a livewell. It is well set up for the range of Venice offshore fishing: the outriggers and the downriggers cover trolling and deep work, the livewell keeps bait for the tuna, and the catamaran hull handles the chop on the run to the floaters. It carries up to 6 anglers, the six pack limit. As a single boat operation it does not have the fleet depth of the larger outfits, so a date can sell out and a large group cannot split across hulls, but for a party of up to 6 the boat covers the fishery well.
The fishing and what you target
Yellowfin and blackfin tuna are the headline, fished on the rigs and the deepwater floaters, with wahoo and mahi mahi in season and swordfish on the deep drop. On the bottom the boat works grouper and red snapper in their seasons. The techniques run from heavy tackle and trolling to jigging and deep dropping, so the trip flexes to the conditions. The boat carries the HMS permit that covers everyone aboard for tuna, and the recreational yellowfin limit is 3 per person at a 27 inch minimum. It is a tuna boat first, with the bottom and billfish work filling out the menu, rather than a dedicated billfish operation.
Trips and prices
Calcutta Gold sells the whole boat for up to 6 anglers, private only, and its pricing has a quirk worth understanding. The listed rate starts around $900 for the boat, which is well below the rest of the offshore fleet, but fuel is not included and is paid directly to the marina at the end of the trip, typically $800 to $1,500 depending on how far the boat runs. So the real cost of a full offshore day lands in the same low-thousands range as the other boats, with the difference being that more of it is fuel and less is the charter rate. Rods, reels, tackle, live bait, lures, and catch cleaning are included. For a group that watches the number, it is the value option. Our cost guide breaks down how fuel drives the real Venice cost.
The crew
Captain Eric Newberry runs the boat, and the reviews give the crew real credit, with the deckhands Christian and Brent named repeatedly as among the best people have fished with. The recurring themes are a captain who finds fish, a hard working deck, and a well run trip, which is what a 4.7 across 41 reviews reflects. The honest qualifier is depth rather than quality: 41 reviews is a solid, traceable record, but it is a smaller sample than the hundreds behind the port’s biggest names, so there is less history to weigh. With a single owner captain, the person you book is the person who runs your trip.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator or its FishingBooker listing, which carries the reviews. The boat leaves from Venice Marina, about two hours south of New Orleans, and the offshore trips are long days, so arrive early and pack food, drinks, foul weather gear, and motion sickness medication if you need it. Fuel is settled at the marina at the end of the trip, so budget for it on top of the rate, and the crew cleans your catch. The boat carries the HMS permit for tuna. For the choice between this and a higher-rate, fuel-extra high-end boat, weigh it against Tuna Town Fishing.
How we scored it
Calcutta Gold scores 7.3, the fifth ranked operation in Venice. Captain and crew, boat, and service are its strongest factors, carried by a deep FishingBooker record, a well rigged catamaran, and deckhands the reviews praise by name. It is held below the top boats by a narrower trip menu, a single hull, and a moderate overall reputation next to the 20 year operations. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric, and compare it against the rest of our Venice rankings.