Shearwater Charters is the deepest reviewed boat in Biloxi and the top of our field, a 37 foot sportfisherman that Captain Brandon Morano has owned and run out of Biloxi Small Craft Harbor since 1995. It carries more than 350 reviews on FishingBooker at 4.9, the largest record of any deep sea charter in the port, and it runs the fullest trip menu here, from a half day close to home to a 12 hour run past the barrier islands for red snapper. It is owner operated, federally permitted, and set up with bunks and a cabin for the long days, and it sits first in our ranking on the strength of the captain and that long, deep track record.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.1 Shearwater is a strong choice and the first boat in our Biloxi ranking. It earns the spot on the two factors that decide most days, the captain and the track record: an owner who has run the same boat for three decades, backed by the deepest, most consistent review record in the port, ahead of the bluewater specialist Mississippi Gulf Coast Fishing Charters. The honest limit is the boat itself. The Shearwater is a capable, comfortable hull, but it dates to 1981 and cruises around 18 knots, so the long run to the snapper grounds eats more of the day than it would on a faster boat, and one detailed complaint describes a trip that started slow on bait and fuel. Book it for an offshore reef or snapper day with an experienced owner captain, and confirm the trip plan when you book.
The boat
The Shearwater is a 37 foot custom Buskens sportfisherman with an air conditioned cabin, two sets of bunks, a salon, a full flybridge, a fighting chair, and a restroom, which is the setup that makes a 10 or 12 hour offshore day workable. It carries up to 6 anglers, the Coast Guard limit on a six pack boat. The trade off is age and speed: the hull is from 1981 and the cruise is around 18 knots, slower than the newer boats in the port, so on a long snapper run a good chunk of the charter is spent getting there and back. It is a proven offshore platform, not a fast one.
The fishing and what you target
Shearwater fishes the full Biloxi range. The dedicated snapper and bottom trips run 20 to 40 miles past the barrier islands to the Gulf reefs and wrecks for red snapper, vermilion snapper, and amberjack, with king mackerel and cobia on the troll. Red snapper is the in season headline, fished on the federal for-hire season, which runs June 1 to October 26 in 2026 on a federally permitted boat like this one. The shorter half day trips stay closer in and pick up speckled trout and other nearshore fish, so the trip you pick sets the target. The reviews credit a captain who puts people on fish and a mate who works the deck hard.
Trips and prices
Shearwater sells by the whole boat for up to 6 anglers, and the menu is the widest in the port. The posted rates run $850 for a 4.5 hour half day, $1,000 for 6 hours, and $1,300 for an 8 hour troll, with the dedicated red snapper trips at $1,650 for 8 hours, $1,750 for 10 hours, and $1,950 for 12 hours in season. The value is a real strength: rods, reels, tackle, bait, ice, the fishing license, and catch cleaning are all included, the rates are posted in full, and cancellation is free with a week’s notice. That transparency is better than several boats in the port manage. Our cost guide sets these whole boat numbers in context.
The crew
Captain Brandon Morano is the reason to book this boat. He has owned and run it out of Biloxi since 1995, earned his 100 ton Coast Guard master license young, and fishes the boat himself with a working mate, so the person you book is the person who meets you at the slip. The FishingBooker record bears it out: more than 350 reviews at 4.9, with repeat customers common, and the recurring praise is local knowledge, a laid back style, and a mate who rigs everything and handles the fish. The honest qualifier is a single detailed complaint describing a trip that started slow, with the crew catching bait on the clock, which is worth asking about, though it stands against a long run of strong reviews.
Booking and what to know
Book through the FishingBooker listing, which carries the full menu, the rates, and the review record, or contact the operator directly. The boat leaves from Biloxi Small Craft Harbor at 679 Beach Boulevard, by the lighthouse and the downtown casinos, and runs out through the Mississippi Sound and past the barrier islands to the Gulf. No fishing license is needed, the boat covers it for everyone aboard, and the crew cleans your catch. Bring food, drinks, sunscreen, and motion sickness medication for the long runs, since the snapper grounds are a real distance offshore. For a steadier ride on that run, the catamaran at Fish-On Charters is the alternative.
How we scored it
Shearwater scores 8.1: the deepest reviewed and longest running deep sea boat in Biloxi, owner operated since 1995, federally permitted, with the fullest trip menu and the clearest, all inclusive pricing in the port. Captain and crew, value, and track record are its top factors. It sits at the top of a strong field rather than far above it because the hull is older and slower than the newer boats, and a single complaint flags a slow start. See how we scored this boat, and compare it against the rest of the Biloxi fleet.