FAQ’s

Sunglasses, sunscreen LOTION, cash if you wish to purchase live bait instead of catching it, appropriate clothing (a lightweight waterproof windbreak many mornings), cooler with drinks and any snacks (50 quart size or less), and a large bucket of good attitude! Don’t forget a camera or camera phone, we love capturing the excitement of the moment and the big one that didn’t get away!

Please do not bring large (over 50 qt) or multiple coolers, spray sunscreen (It stains fiberglass and makes the safety handholds and deck very slippery, but lotions are fine and recommended), GPS units, glass containers, and please don’t bring ANY illegal drugs, including marijuana, even if you have “a card”, we are under federal law with the USCG and as such all cannibus is illegal on board. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter, we are a Drug-Free Vessel.

While we don’t have any set distance we travel, we generally do travel farther on longer trips than the short ones. TYPICALLY, we are within 12-17 miles on a 5-6 hour charter, 15-25 miles out on an 8 hour charter. Sometimes the bite is on at the Destin Sea Buoy only 1/2 mile out! We don’t want to run past the fish, but we are not afraid to burn the fuel to go find the fish, either. Sometimes fishing gets tough later on in the summer when the fish (and us humans) get lethargic in the heat and we run further to get to less fished areas. Most of the time you will be in sight of land. Some land. Maybe Cuba.

Catamaran boats have a hull on each side of the boat instead of a single hull which is deepest in the middle. This means as you move to one side or the other, there is a hull underneath you which provides buoyancy (lift) to support you and tip much less than a similar sized monohull with a vee-shaped bottom. Also, the shape of the interior of the boat is much more “square” which allows for more usable space available. Double Time also has high sides and a dry ride for comfort while underway to the fishing grounds.

Red Snapper season is determined in April of each year, so that is when we will know for sure, but…. For 2019 the FEDERAL season is proposed to begin on June 1 and run continuous for 62 days, MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT OF THE PROPOSED STATE SEASON. We can count on a June 1 start date and know we are getting 60+ Red Snapper fishing days AS A FEDERALLY PERMITTED VESSEL. Double Time is Federally Permitted so we can catch any and all fish that are open to harvest in federal waters AS WELL AS STATE WATERS if they are open in both jurisdictions!

In order to keep ANY fish in Federal waters while on charter a vessel must have what are known as “Federal Permits” or “Moratorium Permits”. They are called “moratorium” because they are no longer available from the NMFS and have not been available for many years. Charter Boat DOUBLE TIME has both reef fish and pelagic fish Federal Permits, which allows us to fish a much greater area and also have a longer fishing season for some species such as Red Snapper.

Most of the time during the summer the weather is beautiful, with seas 3 feet or less. Mother nature doesn’t always cooperate though, so if the seas are too rough to go safely out in, or if there are thunderstorms, the captain may cancel the trip, or shorten it if we are already out there fishing on charter. If the trip is canceled without leaving there
is no money owed or charged to your credit card. If we are fishing for a few hours and weather worsens, the captain may call the trip and you only owe for the hours out on charter. All weather decisions are the captain’s exclusively, but we will not compromise your safety if the weather is too rough to go or during thunderstorms. Sometimes we do fish on a rainy day, especially in the warm months, so bring a rain jacket when rain is possible. Rain doesn’t bother the fish and often these Florida showers are short-lived. A light rain jacket (see above in “what to bring”) can make for lots of comfort on those days, and you can stow the jacket when not needed.

If you are prone to seasickness or motion sickness we recommend taking  some OTC medication for it such as Bonine or Dramamine, or your doctor can prescribe something if you tell them your fishing plans. We are not doctors authorized to prescribe medications but IF YOU DO decide to take an OTC medication, take it the night before when going to bed, and again in the morning before the trip. If seasickness occurs and you wish to return to the dock early, you will be charged in full for the charter you booked. ***SOMETIMES***if we are very close and seasickness occurs we can return to the dock and drop off the green person(s) and continue on the fishing charter.

We Love Children! Capt. Tim often “acts like a tourist” and jumps to get his camera phone out when a kid’s face lights up after landing that sea monster after a battle! Giving a child a positive experience on their first fishing trip is important, and we have many ‘experienced’ anglers that are very young as well. While there is no set minimum age, 5 years is a good starting point, depending on the child. Some 5 year olds could fish all day, especially if they have a boat in the family, but most children under 10 are better on a short trip like 4 hours. Please make note that the captain cannot babysit a young child while we are fishing, so if you do have young children, have an adult to help out. Capt Tim loves to help as well, but is also busy keeping us on the fish! Note: Children under 6 years old are required to wear a lifejacket on board per FWC rules. We have type 1 commercial jackets aboard for ALL persons, but they are not comfortable to wear fishing in the heat of summer so parents should get a jetski-type jacket for any children they wish to have wear one, and all children under 6 yrs old.

Your captains are non-smokers but smoking cigarettes is allowed on board. Please be courteous, stay downwind when lit, be mindful to keep the hot ash away from clothing and upholstery, and do not throw butts overboard, use an empty water bottle or similar to put butts in. ADD: Please no cigars or cannabis, see “What Not to Bring” above.

After the end of the Destin Fishing Rodeo which ends October 31 we do slow down and take some time off. From November through the end of February we are doing boat projects, going on vacation, and traveling some, but we do still fish, especially in November and December. Weather plays more of a factor during the winter but we have many pretty (sometimes chilly) days to fish! Please give Capt. Tim a shout for availability at these times.

Please come to East Pass Marina on the Destin Harbor, it is about a half mile east of the Destin Bridge. The address you turn into is Brotula’s Seafood Steamer Restaurant at 210 Harbor Blvd In Destin. Turn into the restaurant and come around the LEFT side of the building and down a small hill. The entrance into East Pass Marina is on the left and Double Time is on the front row about halfway down. You may offload people and gear there. Parking is a big issue on the Harbor and all of it is paid parking. After unloading you can park at the restaurant or Fleet Marina next door, just scan the code on your phone.

Tipping 15%-20% the price of the charter is customary if you are well satisfied with the trip. Tipping is always the customer’s call and we will always strive to make your trip memorable so you will fish with us again and again!

We accept Cash or credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Discover Card), Venmo, PayPal and personal checks. There is an additional 3% charge on all credit cards.

Phone calls to Captain Tim are best, we can go over any details much quicker that way. Text is ok, but sometimes are not answered as immediately as a phone call. Email is great way to inquire about a charter, I will follow up with a phone call to confirm the reservation.