Merritt Island Deep Sea Fishing Charters & Trips

73 captains within 25 miles of Merritt Island, 8 of them in Merritt Island itself, 27 running offshore. A full day is typically $1,800 for the whole boat. Call the captain directly — we take no bookings and charge no fee.

  • 73Captains within 25 miles
  • 27Deep sea boats
  • $700–$2,200Full day, typically

Contact details checked on each captain's own website

Charters in Merritt Island

Call or visit a captain's website to ask about trips, dates and prices. If they're out on the water, leave a message.

73 charters in Merritt Island

Deep sea fishing in Merritt Island

27 of the 73 charters in Merritt Island list offshore trips on their own websites.

State or federal water

Florida state waters on the Atlantic run from shore to 3 miles out; beyond that is federal water. Which side of that line you fish on can change the season and the limits.

Federally permitted boats

Boats with a federal South Atlantic snapper-grouper permit follow federal closures in state waters too, such as the April closure for amberjack. Ask whether the boat is federally permitted.

Where to find current Merritt Island fishing reports

We don’t publish a daily report and we won’t reprint one. What’s biting this week comes from the boats — here is where the Merritt Island fleet posts it.

On Instagram 4 Merritt Island boats

Most captains put the day’s catch here, not on their website.

Handles and report pages come from each charter’s own website; every link goes to the captain and nothing of theirs is reproduced here. Boats are ordered by how established they are locally.

State records from the water off Merritt Island

Florida's all-tackle list records one species taken on Indian River, which the boats here fish.

Heaviest on the list

Striped Bass

43.56 lb

Carl R. Jackson · 2004

Why this one is here

The record was taken on Indian River, which is the water the boats on this page fish — not Merritt Island itself. A record is what came over the rail once; it is not what to expect on a trip.

See the record

From Florida's own records page, linked on each row. Records are certified by the state and can be broken at any time.

What a deep sea trip costs in Merritt Island

The rates Merritt Island charters publish on their own websites, by trip length. These are the price of the whole boat, and a range across many boats rather than any one boat's rate. Read on 2026-10-01. Confirm with the captain when you call.

  • Half day (3-5 hours)$300 – $1,000 6 charters publish a rate · middle of the range $650
  • Full day (8+ hours)$700 – $2,200 5 charters publish a rate · middle of the range $1,800

What a trip costs moves with fuel prices, the size of the boat and how far out it runs, and a quiet Tuesday is not a holiday weekend. Nothing here is a booking; we take no fee and hold no rates.

Fishing trips in Merritt Island by type

Counted from what each captain lists on their own website.

Inshore and bay fishing in Merritt Island

22 charters list inshore trips, in the bays, back-waters and shallows closer to shore. Among them: Dirty Dolly Fishing Charters, Slightly Obsessed Fishing Charters, East Central Florida Outfitters, Indian River inshore charters, Spacefish and 17 more.

Half-day and full-day fishing trips

19 charters list half-day trips and 21 list full-day trips. Trip lengths vary by boat, so ask the captain exactly how many hours are on the water.

Family fishing charters in Merritt Island

32 charters mention kids or families on their websites. Ask the captain about life jackets in children's sizes and how long the trip runs.

Planning a trip to Merritt Island

See the closest airports.

Closest airports

With airline service

  • MLBMelbourne Orlando International 14 miles away
  • MCOOrlando International 39 miles away

Local public airports

  • COIMerritt Island 2 miles away
  • TIXSpace Coast Regional 16 miles away
  • X21Arthur Dunn Air Park 24 miles away

Straight-line miles from the centre of Merritt Island.

Airports: FAA airport registry for public-use airports and their locations, FAA CY2024 passenger boardings for which have airline service, town centre from the Census 2024 gazetteer, Merritt Island CDP.

Questions about fishing charters in Merritt Island

How much does it cost to go deep sea fishing in Merritt Island?

5 Merritt Island charters publish a full day rate on their own site, and they run $700 to $2,200 for the whole boat, with the middle of the range at $1,800. That is the boat for the day, not a price per person — split between six anglers a $1,800 trip is about $300 each. Shorter trips cost less; ask the captain, because fewer of them publish those rates.

What happens if it is too windy to go offshore?

Often the trip just moves inshore rather than being called off — 11 of the 73 boats here run both, so a blown-out morning can become a back-country or bay trip. Ask what the captain does with weather, and what the cancellation terms are.

Back-country or offshore — which trip should I book in Merritt Island?

They are different days on different water. 16 charters here list offshore only, 11 list inshore only, and 11 list both. Offshore means a longer run and bigger fish; inshore means calmer water, shorter runs and sight-fishing. The month-by-month table above shows which fish the fleet says are around when you are coming.

How long is a trip out of Merritt Island?

Four and six hours are the lengths Merritt Island captains list most often. The clock starts at the dock rather than at the fishing grounds, so the run out and back comes out of your time on the fish. As Local Lines Guide Services puts it: “This charter is a 6 hour trip and is only run in the morning.”

How many people can come along in Merritt Island?

Six is the usual limit on a private boat here, though plenty take four — it is set by the captain's licence and the boat, not by how many will fit.

Are there family-friendly fishing charters in Merritt Island?

32 charters in Merritt Island mention kids or families on their websites. Ask the captain about children's life jackets, trip length and whether there's a restroom on board.

How do I book a charter in Merritt Island?

Call the captain or use their website. CharterFishingBoat doesn't take bookings or payments, and there's no fee to use the directory.

What should I ask the captain?

Ask what the trip includes, how long it lasts, how many people can come, what you're likely to catch that time of year, and the cancellation policy if the weather turns.

Where do state waters end off Merritt Island?

Florida state waters on the Atlantic run from shore to 3 miles out; beyond that is federal water. Federal seasons and limits apply beyond it, and for some fish they also apply to federally permitted charter boats inside state waters.

What airports are closest to Merritt Island?

The closest airports with airline service are Melbourne Orlando International (MLB), 14 miles away and Orlando International (MCO), 39 miles away. Local public airports nearby: Merritt Island (COI), 2 miles away, Space Coast Regional (TIX), 16 miles away and Arthur Dunn Air Park (X21), 24 miles away. Distances are straight-line miles from the centre of town.

How many fishing charters are in Merritt Island?

This page lists 73 fishing charters in Merritt Island, Florida, each with a phone number and website checked on the captain's own site.

Fish you can catch out of Merritt Island

Counted from what each captain lists on their own website — the number is how many Merritt Island captains name that fish.

Tarpon41Snook40Redfish40Speckled Trout31Black Drum26King Mackerel25Grouper23Cobia23Mahi-Mahi22Snapper18Sailfish17Wahoo17Shark14Amberjack13Pompano10Flounder10Jack Crevalle10Mangrove Snapper10Sheepshead10Barracuda10Bluefish9Catfish8Blacktip Shark7Tripletail7Gray Triggerfish7Blackfin Tuna7Ladyfish7Spanish Mackerel6Bull Shark6Hammerhead Shark6Red Snapper5Tilefish5Goliath Grouper4Bonito4Bonnethead Shark4Swordfish4Skipjack Tuna4Largemouth Bass4Yellowfin Tuna3Spinner Shark3Gag Grouper3Black Grouper3Scamp3Tuna3Nurse Shark2Red Grouper2Blue Marlin2Snowy Grouper2Lane Snapper2Blacknose Shark2Bonefish2Tiger Shark1Atlantic Sharpnose Shark1Vermilion Snapper1Black Sea Bass1Warsaw Grouper1Speckled Hind1Black Bullhead Catfish1Bigeye Tuna1White Marlin1Almaco Jack1Mutton Snapper1Permit1Sandbar Shark1Atlantic Croaker1Hardhead Catfish1

Charters near Merritt Island

Port Canaveral64Cape Canaveral64Cocoa Beach72Cocoa77West Canaveral Groves71Viera East79

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