Reel Thrillz Coastal Adventures is a flexible, multi boat operation out of Port Aransas, running three private boats from a 28 foot nearshore express to a 35 foot offshore center console under Captain Jeremy Bawcum. The prices are posted for 2026, fish cleaning is included rather than billed at the dock, and the booking record is deep and friendly, which makes it an easy pick for a family or a group that wants to match the boat to the day. The mark against it is a run of complaints about cancellations and slow refunds.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.8 Reel Thrillz is a strong choice and the third ranked operator in the port, the flexible all rounder of the private fleet. It runs a boat for most trips, from a short snapper run or a sunset cruise to a 12 hour offshore day, and it includes the things some boats charge for, fish cleaning among them. Where it slips is service: several reviewers describe a cancellation that was hard to get refunded, one to the point of disputing the charge through their card, and slow replies on deposits and confirmations. For a single owner run boat with a cleaner record, Blue Water Excursions ranks higher; for a deeper fleet with cabin boats, Coastal Charters sits just above it. See the Port Aransas ranking for the order.
The boats
Reel Thrillz fishes three private boats and matches them to the trip. The offshore boat is the Controlled Chaos, a 35 foot Donzi center console restored in 2019 with twin Suzuki four strokes, the one that runs the long days for snapper and tuna. The 28 foot Head Turner, a Carolina Classic express, and the 30 foot Thriller Time cover the nearshore trips, family days, and the sunset and dolphin cruises. All three are center console and express style boats rather than cabin boats, so they fish hard and ride open, with shade but not the shelter of an enclosed boat on a long, rough day. Each is capped at 6 anglers.
The fishing and what you target
The trips split by distance. The nearshore runs, 10 to 20 miles out, work the close reefs and the rigs for king mackerel, red snapper, and cobia, with Texas state waters open for snapper year round inside 9 nautical miles. The offshore trips push 25 to 85 miles for wahoo, blackfin tuna, and mahi mahi, with the 12 hour safari the one that reaches the better water. Red snapper on the offshore trips runs in the federal for-hire season, June 1 to October 26, 2026, and amberjack is closed until September 1, so an early summer day leans on snapper and kingfish.
Trips and prices
Reel Thrillz posts current whole boat prices, which is a point in its favor: $1,000 for a 4 hour sunset trip, $1,800 for a 5 hour snapper run, $2,400 for 8 hours, and $3,000 to $3,500 for a 12 hour offshore day, each for the boat and up to 6 anglers. Bait, fuel, ice, tackle, and water are included, and so is fish cleaning, which the crew arranges at the Fisherman’s Wharf fish house, a small but real saving over the boats that bill it separately. A Texas license is not included, so anglers 17 and older buy their own. The cost guide and the shared versus private charter guide help you weigh the format.
The crew
Captain Jeremy Bawcum, a licensed captain and former tournament bass angler who has guided in Alaska and Florida, runs the operation alongside Captain Trace Miller, who came up from the deck. The reviews are warm on the fishing and the people: a captain who communicates well and flexes with the weather, a crew that does the work, and a boat kept in good shape, with first timers and children well looked after. As a multi boat operation it runs more than one captain, so which one you draw varies, and a few reviews note the trip is only as good as the captain assigned that day.
Booking and what to know
Book online, through the booking platform, or by phone or text, with a deposit to hold the date and a stated 10 day cancellation policy for a full refund. This is the part to go in clear eyed on: a recurring complaint is that cancellations and refunds were slow or contested, so get your confirmation and the refund terms in writing. Trips leave from the Fisherman’s Wharf docks at 900 Tarpon Street, with free parking and a small shop. Bring sun protection, food and drink, and a cooler for your fillets; bait, tackle, ice, and fish cleaning are covered, the license is on you.
How we scored it
Reel Thrillz earns its 7.8 on a flexible three boat fleet, posted 2026 prices, and the bonus of included fish cleaning, with a deep, friendly review record on the fishing itself. It sits where it does because service is its weak factor at 7.0: the cancellation and refund complaints are specific and repeated, and the boats are solid working center consoles rather than the top end of the port. See how we scored this boat and the Port Aransas ranking for where it lands.