Fishing Wars - Sport-Fishing vs. Center Console

Captain Billy
Feb 13, 2018
6 min read

With over 6 million visitors, Baldwin County beaches account for over a quarter of Alabama's tourists annually. If you've traveled south on I-65 from Birmingham to Baldwin County in the months of March-September, you have probably seen at least one or more minivans / SUV's packed with kids, sand buckets, beach bags and luggage racks loaded down. If so, you may have hit the accelerator to avoid being stuck on the Bayway, Highway 98 or Hwy 59 for hours. Having said that, we love our tourists and they love coming back year after year.

While most visitors flock to the area just to relax for a week on the beach, a significant number are here to take advantage of the outstanding fishing we have on the Gulf Coast. The Coastal Alabama waters have something for everyone whether it's inshore fishing for Redfish and Speckled Trout, nearshore trolling for King and Spanish Mackerel, offshore reef fishing for Red Snapper, Amberjack and Grouper or just enjoying a sunset cruising for dolphins. Thanks to Red Snapper season, the offshore boats are typically busiest during June and July. Sure, there are plenty other species to catch while people are here, but none as sought after as the Red Snapper.

Fisherman's Paradise and Boat Lovers Dream

As visitors ease through the toll booth and peer over the Intracoastal Waterway bridge, the first thing they notice is million dollar Sport-Fishing yachts and cabin boats docked at the Wharf Marina in Orange Beach. Most center console boats are either in dry storage, on lifts or trailered.

Sport-Fishing yachts and Center Console boats each have their own advantages and offer different amenities, but one thing is common. They are both made to fish hard or die.

Sport-Fishing Yachts

The Pro's: Size, comfort, protection from the elements, restroom facilities, huge ice boxes, large fuel tanks and towers. These are just a few advantages that most Sport-Fishing boats have over most Center Console boats you will see running charters out of Orange Beach, Alabama.

Most Sport-Fishing boats out of Orange Beach are typically anywhere from 40-60 feet and should provide a smoother ride in rough seas. Most have air conditioning to get relief from our scorching summer heat and humidity and protection from the elements should a pop-up shower roll through. Yes, pop-up showers happen on a regular basis here in the summer. In addition to this, they all have restroom facilities. Most Center Console boats do not.

Sport-Fishing boats typically have more space to hold ice and keep the fish cold once boated. Sport-Fishing boats also have larger fuel tanks, allowing them to travel longer distances and stay on the water for a long weekend. Sport-Fishing boats almost always either have a tower. The towers provide a better vantage point when cruising for cobia or spotting other schooling fish.

The Con's: Slower travel speed, more costly to the consumer, everyone fishes off the back of the boat, noisy with exhaust.

Sport-Fishing boats travel anywhere from 22-30 knots to fishing spots, some even slower and a few faster than that. What does this mean? Most charter captains do a good job of rotating fishing locations so they don't over fish their spots. On a 6 hour fishing trip, you might fishing 5-10 different areas. Consider traveling at 20 knots (23 mph) for 20 miles to your first spot. That is roughly an hour of riding time, before you get to your first fishing destination. If your first destination is 25-30 miles offshore, which is common in our area, you might be looking at 1 1/2 hours of riding each way on a 6 hour trip. That's 3 hours of riding and 3 hours of fishing.

Sport-Fishing boats are more costly to own and operate, therefore the trip will likely put a bigger hit on your bank account. Typically, a trip on one of these boats starts around $ 225-250 per person / per hour, before deckhands tip and fish cleaning. Estimated cost on a Sport-Fishing boat for a 6 person trip after tip and fish cleaning can range from $ 1550 - 1815.

Once at your destination, if you have a party of 6 people, everyone sets up on back of the boat, drops their lines to the proper depth and waits for the tug. Inexperienced anglers and strong currents can reek havoc on anglers trying to maintain tangle free lines. There is no 360 degree fish fight from a Sport-Fishing boat.

One other thing worth noting is that Sport-fishing boats typically have engines that are louder and exhaust to deal with.

Center Console Boats

The Pro's: Speed, Space while fishing, Cost Effective, versatility while fishing, quieter with little to no exhaust. These are just a few advantages that most Center Console boats have over most Sport-Fishing Boats you will see running charters out of Orange Beach, Alabama.

Offshore Center Console Boats out of Orange Beach, Alabama, typically range from 22-35 feet with either single or twin engine outboard motors. They are commonly referred to as "Monkey Boats" by their bigger counterparts because they have a T-top mounted in the center for poles that people can hang on to while riding. Center Consoles typically travel anywhere from 26-52 knots (30-60MPH). What does this mean? It means you, the consumer, arrive at your destination sooner and get more time with your lines in the water. When you arrive at your destination, instead of everyone piling into the back of the boat, everyone spreads out around the vessel and gets their own space to fight a fish. If someone happens to hook into a big King Mackerel, Cobia, or Shark and needs to walk around the boat to fight the fish, they can do it. Not only this, but often, on a Center Console boat you may find yourself casting to schools of fish or setting a line out the back while you are on anchor.

In addition to the above advantages, charter trips for center console boats run from $ 125-175 per person / per hour plus deckhand tip and fish cleaning. These prices vary on size of the boat and number of motors run. stimated cost for a 6 person trip after deckhand tip and fish cleaning can range from $ 800 - 1200.

The highly efficient 4 stroke outboards of today prevent additional costs from being passed along to the consumer and they won't choke you with their exhaust.

The Con's: no air-conditioning or interior protection from the elements, rougher and possibly wetter ride

While most Center Console boats don't have a cabin to lie down or seek shelter from the elements, most have a T-top. The T-top doesn't necessarily protect from the rain but it will allow you to seek shelter if you start melting in the sun. In rough seas the ride in a Center Console won't be as cushy as the larger Sport-Fishing yachts and you know ahead of time, you might be able to save that morning shower for the boat :)

And The Winner Is...

Each type charter boat has its own pro's and con's, so it's up to you the consumer to decide what things are most important when planning your next fishing trip. Do you want a smoother dry ride in rough seas? Do you require air conditioning or indoor facilities? Do you want to stay out for a couple days on the water? Do you have a party greater than 6 people? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then a Sport-Fishing Boat may be best for you.

Do you want to spend more time fishing and less time riding? Do you want a fishing option that will allow you have money left over to put toward other excursions while you're on vacation? Would you like having your own space while fishing versus being elbow to elbow with someone else? Would you like to be able to stop on a dime and cast to some schooling Bonita or Cobia while running? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then a Center Console boat may be the best charter option for you.

Whichever route you choose, you are sure to have a great experience. We have some really great Captains in Orange Beach that will put you on the fish and have you dying to go again.

Our Boat

Bent Outfitters Fishing Charters in Orange Beach, Alabama runs a state of the art, Federally Permitted, 2017, 28 foot Nautic Star Center Console boat with twin Yamaha 250, 4-stroke outboards. She is outfitted the latest technology from RayMarine with dual 12-inch Axiom sonar/chartplotters and radar, the Optimus 360 joystick, a T-top and plush cushioned seats. Most days we will have you fishing within an hour of boarding the boat. Expect to get in 3 hours of fishing on a 5 hour trip. In addition to having a T-top, we have a fully functioning restroom facility on our boat.

Thank you for taking time to read our blog post. Subscribe on our website for updates. Captain Billy Howell is a U.S.C.G. Licensed Captain out of Orange Beach, Alabama.

Bent Outfitters Fishing

28101 Perdido Beach Blvd

Orange Beach, Al 36561

www.bentoutfittersfishing.com

bentoutfittersfishing@gmail.com

601-938-7161