Reel ‘Em N is the big group choice for deep sea fishing out of Tybee Island, a 43 foot boat that takes up to 20 anglers when most of the port caps at six. The Brown family operation runs all inclusive bottom fishing and trolling trips from 4 to 12 hours, with the gear, bait, license, and fish cleaning in the price, and the boat carries a shade awning, a cabin berth, and a restroom for a long day. For a large party or a multi family trip, it is one of the few practical options on this coast.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 6.3 Reel ‘Em N is a mixed call and fourth in the Savannah field. Its strength is real and specific: the room. A 43 foot boat licensed for 20 is the only sensible way to put a big group on the water out of Tybee, and the all inclusive price and the onboard restroom suit a long day with a crowd. But the reviews are genuinely mixed, and the recurring complaint is one that matters, that the paid clock starts at the dock rather than at the fishing grounds, so a shorter trip can leave less fishing time than the hours suggest on a coast where the reefs are a long run out. Book it when the size of your group is the deciding factor. A party of six or fewer gets more fishing time and a cleaner record from a boat ranked above it, such as Georgia Coast Charters or the longer running Amick’s operation.
The boat
The Reel ‘Em N II is a 43 foot sportfishing boat built in 1980 by Torres, powered by a single 700 horsepower Caterpillar, and rigged to carry a large group: a wide deck, a shade awning over the cockpit, a cabin berth to rest on during the run, and a restroom below. The size is its whole reason for being, since it is the room that lets it take up to 20 anglers. The downside is the age and the single screw: a 1980 hull is well past new, and where the better private boats in the port run twin engines, this one runs a single, which is a fair point to weigh on a long run far offshore. For a big group fishing the reefs, the deck space matters more than the speed.
The fishing and what you target
Reel ‘Em N fishes the Georgia reefs and live bottom, with some trolling on the way. The bottom is the staple: black sea bass, open all year, with sheepshead, amberjack, and grouper on their schedules, while the troll picks up king and Spanish mackerel, cobia, and, on the longer summer runs, mahi mahi and wahoo as the warm water pushes in. Barracuda round out the structure fishing. As with the rest of the port, red snapper are on the bottom but federally restricted, so they are mostly a catch and release fish. The trip works best as a bottom fishing day for a group that wants everyone catching, rather than a dedicated pelagic hunt.
Trips and prices
The rates are posted and run by trip length: $1,185 for 4 hours, $1,470 for 5, $1,780 for 6, $2,200 for 8, $2,560 for 10, and $2,800 for 12, each for the whole boat up to 6 anglers, with an extra per person charge beyond six up to the 20 person limit. The fishing license, live bait, all gear, and fish cleaning are included, and there is an onboard restroom. Two things to factor in: an 18 percent crew gratuity is mandatory, payable the morning of the trip, so the real cost is higher than the headline rate, and the paid time is counted from the dock, so a longer trip buys proportionally more fishing once you account for the run. Free cancellation runs up to 30 days out. Our cost guide sets these numbers against the rest of the port.
The crew
The crew draws the warmest part of the record. The positive reviews describe captains and mates who work hard, run a friendly trip, and put a big group on fish, and the FishingBooker rating sits at 4.8 over a modest 13 reviews. The wider read is more mixed, though. Across TripAdvisor and Google the picture is uneven, with a recurring grievance about how the trip time is counted and at least one strongly negative account, which is why track record and value sit in the mixed band rather than higher. The volume of public reviews is also on the lower side for a boat this established, so the record is thinner than the years would suggest. Ask how the time is counted and read the recent reviews before you commit.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator’s site or its FishingBooker listing, which carries the posted rates and the free cancellation. The boat leaves from Tybee Island at 7 a.m., so arrive early to park and load a large group. No license is needed, the crew cleans the catch, and the boat has a restroom and shade for a long day, which is part of why it works for a crowd. Budget for the mandatory 18 percent gratuity on top of the rate, bring food and drinks for everyone, and pack motion sickness medication, since the reefs are a long way out and a big group means a long day. The party boat versus private charter guide helps if you are weighing this against splitting onto a smaller boat.
How we scored it
Reel ‘Em N scores 6.3, a mixed verdict and fourth in the Savannah port. Trips and access is its best factor, on the rare large group capacity, and the boat scores fairly on the room it offers a crowd. It is marked down on value and transparency for the mandatory gratuity and the dock counted clock, and on track record for a mixed and thin public review record. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric, and compare it against the rest of our Savannah rankings.