Our Charter Rates

We have the flexibility to launch from various boat ramps in the region, depending on the fishing conditions and your travel preferences, which we will discuss before your charter.

The Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg area of Florida is renowned for its abundant species, including large trout, redfish, snook, tarpon, pompano, and more. The season will significantly influence the types of fish we target, and we will cover this in our pre-charter conversation.

Fishing in the intracoastal waterways along the Gulf Coast resembles lake fishing; hence, seasickness is rarely an issue since the area is well shielded by barrier islands.

Most of our fishing takes place in waters ranging from 1 to 6 feet deep, often just a few hundred yards from the shore, where the land is always visible.

We mainly utilize spinning tackle because of the lightweight lures and bait suited for this style of fishing, and if you’re not familiar with the gear, we are happy to teach you.

If you prefer fly fishing, feel free to bring your own fly rod as it's an exhilarating way to catch fish in these shallow waters.

We advocate for catch and release, as it is fulfilling to see the fish swim away, but if you'd like to keep some for a delicious dinner, we will clean your catch for a nominal fee.

Any fish exceeding your legal limit will be released right away, and please note that the captain does not count as part of your legal limit.

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Growing up in Florida, I’ve always felt at home outdoors. Fishing and hunting became favorite pastimes early on, inspired by my father and grandfathers and their love of both. Today, I’m turning that lifelong passion into a full-time career as a flats fishing guide in the beautiful Tampa Bay and St. Petersburg area.

My first fishing lessons came from my grandmother at a stocked pond, where we used bread balls for bait. Once, I even caught a one-pound bass with a piece of brown paper bag. It may sound like a fisherman’s tale, but my grandmother can back me up!

Much of my childhood was spent on the water, catching bluegills, bream, bass, and the occasional soft-shelled turtle. My grandparents owned a houseboat on Lake Hatchineha, where we spent countless weekends together. Some of my fondest memories are of fishing for specks at night under the lights, holding a cane pole in each hand with a fish on both lines. For a young kid who loved fishing, it didn’t get much better than that.

When I was young, my family bought property in Perry, Florida, a short drive from the Gulf and Keaton Beach Marina. Steinhatchee, a favorite destination for scalloping, was about half an hour away. Those weekend trips soon became a family tradition—a chance to slow down, explore, and enjoy a peaceful break from Tampa’s busy pace.

That easygoing spirit is part of what I hope to share through Day Away Charters. Whether you enjoy fishing for trout, cobia, big redfish, and flounder or spending time scalloping, there’s something special about being out on the water. The Perry area holds a special place in my heart, with friendly neighbors waving as they pass and fellow anglers always ready to swap stories about the day’s catch. It’s that sense of community, along with the quiet of our fish camp, that makes it feel like home.

Day Away Charters grew from my love of fishing and the satisfaction of helping others learn and enjoy it—and, yes, a few boyhood dreams helped inspire it, too! The next time you’re in the Tampa Bay or St. Petersburg area and want to spend a day fishing, give me a call. I’d love to show you around, share a few tips, and catch some fish together. After all, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing!

>>> Check out my Bassmaster Bio <<<

Featured Review for Day Away Fishing Charters

My son is just getting into fishing with artificial s but this year has been tough sledding in Titusville where I normally wade fish due to the grass beds dying off/poor water quality from the algae bloom/excessive rain/runoff (I just can’t locate the fish consistently anymore especially considering my time /range on the water is limited).

Since I didn’t want him to get discouraged, plus this was our last weekend before the grind of school begins again, I splurged and chartered Captain Jeremy Heimes of Day Away Charters in Tampa, FL for the day.  He was recommended by some folks over in the West Central Coast forum that I must remember to thank!

We were on the water in the Cockroach Bay Preserve near Ruskin, Fl before dawn. The conditions weren’t the best with the tide at almost dead high, the water dirty, and bait a plenty.

We started in the backwaters focusing around mangrove points and cuts between islands as well as schools of large black mullet.  After a lot of short strikes on topwater plugs we did manage to hookup a couple of nice reds.  We then worked all over the area – drifting across potholed flats or along shorelines under mangroves as the tide dropped – with steady action picking off smaller snook and some nice trout here and there using topwater plugs, suspending hard jerk baits, and jig/jerkbait combos.  Captain Jeremy said it was really a slow day because it wasn’t a particular strong tide that was also working against the wind so the fish weren’t concentrating in the deeper pockets and channel edges between the islands like they normally would be as it falls).

Later in the day Captain Jeremy netted a bunch of greenies which we used chumming then pitching baits around deeper potholes/mangroves/channels steadily picking off snook and trout again.  I must add we spotted more huge snook and reds then I could count.  They just weren't biting what we were offering with all that bait around.

Captain Jeremy was very accommodating even moving up his normal schedule/bait catching routine so we could get out at first light and focus on topwater fishing.  This area is absolutely beautiful and reminds me a lot of MIWR so for all you folks from Central Florida looking for an alternative to the Northern Indian River/Mosquito Lagoon area I highly recommend giving Captain Jeremy a call (813-714-9808).

Local knowledge – especially if operating a boat due to the changing tides – is critical (we saw a group of tourist in a rented pontoon boat get stuck on a sandbar while we there).  It is simply a different fishery.

Captain Jeremy is well worth it – didn’t mind teaching me about the area - where to focus/best tactics to use - while still letting me fish – but most of all for putting my son on his first west coast slam (redfish/snook/trout)!!

I’ll definitely be booking him again this fall, when he says the bite is really on).  My son’s smile says it all!

....Ben and Daemon DuBois