Jacksonville Fishing Trips — Attraction in Jacksonville

An odd charter experience all around. Capt Rog was a nice enough guy but the experience was not nice. This came as a surprise because he does have a lot of good reviews. Booked a 5 hour charter, no exaggeration, drove around on the boat for 2 and 1/2 hours and fished for 2 as charter only lasted about 4 and 1/2 hours. Not sure, maybe he counts putting in, pulling out and cleaning fish in the 5 hours. First 4 hours we drove around everywhere stopping for a few minutes at a time to jig the same plastic lure. I’m sure he would argue he was just trying to put us on some fish, but not once did he suggest trying a different lure or live bait. I did come to find out live bait (shrimp) probably wasn’t an option because he said his live well didn’t work. Not sure how you’re a professional charter service with no working live well. That however was inline with the poor condition of the boat. It is NOT a nice boat! It was very dirty, seats all tore up, bumpers falling off, live well doesn’t work, engine starting troubles at times, the capt does not take pride in his ride. There was even a manual trolling motor that he for some reason bragged about and said he preferred. My guess is because it allowed him the best fishing for OUR charter. No exaggeration he stood on the bow (the best casting spot on the boat) while running his manual trolling motor and he fished the ENTIRE time. I totally understand guides fishing a bit to help show technique but Rog was casting in front of us to hit the best spots, this was a first for me. Lastly, we came to fish, not hear your political views. Rog talked about politics a lot, I’d rather fish in silence than pay someone to hear their political views. Surprisingly he even bashed his city saying how he wouldn’t even go to the grocery store or out in his front lawn without carrying his gun. Rog talked about himself a lot, no joke he didn’t ask ONE question about his charter guests. Overall a disappointing charter and pretty odd experience. The 2 stars to Rog’s credit, he put us on some reds in the last 30 min by finally switching to blue crab bait. Caught 3 good reds but then he immediately pulled anchor and we went in. Would’ve been nice to stick around a catch and release a few more. My assumption is he didn’t want to use anymore expensive live bait. It was a poor fishing day, that’s not the captains fault and no big deal because that happens. It was a poor charter experience because of how the captain runs...

I never made it on the boat called how to set up appointment for a charter because we had already made an appointment somewhere else but they had mechanical difficulties he told me he would not take us out on a charter because we did not call him first hand it all the other captains in Jacksonville were clowns and get not know what they were doing was very rude to me and my wife I cannot even figure out why we were and always are very polite he basically cussed me out because I didn’t call him first and pretty much said F you and I’m saying that nicely cussed both me and my wife out and then hung up on us guess he wasn’t thinking about plus being a charter at a later date just carried on full of himself thinking that he was the best captain and all of North Florida those are his words so I guess how old the other charters are just clowns has he put it I would never advise anyone to use his services I’m sure he may seem really nice at first but in reality he is not a nice person he made my poor wife cry and thought it was funny she just wanted to go fishing that is all didn’t know it was such a big deal to call him first he was by far the most expensive that we had found Hope you guys have a better fishing experience with him than we...

This was my third trip with Capt Roger Bump, first trip was my son and I, second we brought along my best friends son , this year my best friend. We didn’t know we would break our record of trout , 15 keepers last yr. But with Roger he said lets keep fishing the bite is on!! So 23 trout keepers and a keeper flounder later we decided to head in for cleaning then travel Home of 2.5 hrs to Valdosta ga. Amazing trip full of teaching us tricks for the Unfair lure, getting to know each person on boat, we talked tides, slopes, gear and fish movements. Don’t carry a watch because you do not want the trip to be over. We fished one Unfair smack shad all day and it caught any type fish with not one bite mark on them. Roger is the most expert in the Jacksonville inshore area, navigating those creeks for 25 years. I went to Ace hardware and Glen Shelton told me what gear Roger is using, didn’t just point me to the aisle. I encourage any Kayaker to go so like me, you can use the knowledge gained for trips in creeks...