Six private trips with Capt. Tanner Martin: inshore, fly, Homosassa tarpon, scalloping, duck hunts and the backwater mud boat. Every trip priced per boat, with licenses and tackle included.
★★★★★5.0 on Tripadvisor•Licensed & insured•Guiding the Nature Coast since 2018
Tap a trip for the full details, prices by group size and open dates.
Guided fishing in Crystal River and Homosassa
The Nature Coast is the last stretch of Florida’s Gulf side without a beach: spring-fed rivers run through miles of grass flats, oyster bars and mangrove creeks before they reach the Gulf, and that is why the fishing holds up year-round. Redfish and trout live here all twelve months, snook push in from the south, and every spring the Homosassa tarpon migration rolls across the same flats where the fly-rod world records were set.
Capt. Tanner Martin grew up fishing this water and has guided it full time since 2018. He runs three boats so the trip matches the water: a 23-foot Carolina Skiff for inshore groups and scalloping, an 18-foot Hells Bay poling skiff for fly and tarpon, and a Prodigy surface drive for duck hunts and the backwater mud boat trip.
At a glance
Waters
Crystal River, Kings Bay, Ozello, Homosassa and the Gulf shoreline
Departs from
Pete’s Pier, Crystal River (most trips) or MacRae’s of Homosassa (tarpon)
Run time
10 to 30 minutes to the first spot
Tackle
Spin, fly and light tackle, all provided; bring your own if you like
Trips
Six private trips, 1 to 6 guests depending on the boat
Private trips • Priced per boat, not per person • Fishing licenses, rods, tackle, bait and ice included • $100 deposit holds your date
Trip 1 of 6
Redfish, trout and snook on the creeks and flats between Crystal River and Homosassa. Click a photo to open the gallery.
Most booked • Year-round • 23’ Carolina Skiff
Inshore Charter
From $6004 or 7 hours • up to 4 anglers
4 or 7 hours
Up to 4 anglers
Spin & light tackle
Redfish, trout, snook
The trip most people book. A private boat with Capt. Tanner working the creeks, oyster bars and grass flats from Crystal River to Homosassa for redfish, speckled trout and snook, with cobia, jacks and Spanish mackerel showing up on the outside in the warmer months.
Both lengths fish the same water with the same gear. Four hours covers one stage of the tide; seven hours lets you follow the fish through the swing and run farther when the bite is somewhere else.
Pick your length
4-Hour Trip
Two or three spots on one tide. Morning or afternoon departures, so you are back for lunch or dinner. The pick for families and first-timers.
from$600
7-Hour Trip
A full tide swing, more water and more spots. The one for anglers who want the whole picture of the Nature Coast.
from$700
Best for:
Families, first-timers and seasoned anglers alike. Kids of any age are welcome.
Want to fly fish?
The Backcountry Fly & Light Tackle trip runs the same water from the poling skiff, two anglers max.
Bigger group?
Up to 4 anglers on the Carolina Skiff. Five or more, call Tanner about a second boat.
Price by group size
1 to 2 anglers
3 to 4 anglers
4 hours
$600
$700
7 hours
$700
$800
Priced per boat, not per person. The base price covers 1 or 2 anglers; 3 or 4 anglers add $100. Fishing licenses, rods, tackle, bait and ice are included. A $100 deposit holds your date and the balance is due after the trip.
Sight fishing from the bow of the Hells Bay on the Ozello and Homosassa flats. Click a photo to open the gallery.
Poling skiff • 1 to 2 anglers • 18’ Hells Bay Professional
Backcountry Fly & Light Tackle
From $6004 or 7 hours • 1 to 2 anglers
4 or 7 hours
1 to 2 anglers
Fly or light spin
Sight fishing
Sight fishing from the bow of an 18-foot Hells Bay Professional while Capt. Tanner poles the skinny grass flats and backcountry creeks. Redfish tailing on the flats, snook along the mangroves and big trout in the potholes, all on fly or light tackle.
This is a two-angler trip by design: a quiet skiff, one angler on the bow at a time and the captain on the platform reading the water. Bring your own fly rod or fish Tanner’s; 8-weights with floating lines cover most days.
Pick your length
4-Hour Trip
One tide on the flats closest to the ramp. Good for a first sight-fishing trip or a quick morning before the wind comes up.
from$600
7-Hour Trip
Enough time to run to the best flats for the tide and wait out a slow stretch. The pick for serious fly anglers.
from$700
Best for:
Fly anglers and anyone who wants to sight-cast to tailing fish in clear, shallow water.
Never fly fished?
Tanner teaches casting on the water, and light spin tackle is on board as a backup.
More than two?
Book the Inshore Charter on the bigger skiff, up to 4 anglers.
Price by group size
1 to 2 anglers
4 hours
$600
7 hours
$700
Priced per boat for 1 or 2 anglers. The poling skiff is limited to two anglers for safety and casting room. Licenses, fly and spin tackle, flies and ice are included.
Staked out on the Homosassa flats waiting on the migration. May and June are the peak. Click a photo to open the gallery.
Mid-April to end of July • Homosassa • 1 to 2 anglers
Homosassa Tarpon
$9008 hours • 6 AM to 2 PM • up to 2 anglers
8 hours
1 to 2 anglers
Fly or spin
80 to 180 lb tarpon
Homosassa is where the fly-rod tarpon world records came from, and the migration still rolls across the same clear flats every spring. Eight hours on the water, leaving MacRae’s of Homosassa at 6 AM to be set up on the fish when they start showing.
You will pole and stake out on the travel lanes, watching for rolling fish and daisy chains, then make the cast. It is a patience game with a huge payoff. Bring your 11 or 12-weight or fish Tanner’s; spin tackle is on board for anglers who would rather not fly fish.
One trip, one length
8-Hour Tarpon Trip
6 AM to 2 PM out of MacRae’s of Homosassa. Priced per boat for up to 2 anglers.
per boat$900
Best for:
Anglers chasing a first tarpon, or a 150-pounder on fly. Not a beginner trip.
Season:
Mid-April through the end of July. Book May and June early; the best weeks fill a year out.
Off season?
Juvenile tarpon show up in the backcountry on the Inshore and Fly trips through summer.
Price
$900 per boat for 1 or 2 anglers, 8 hours. Tarpon trips are limited to two anglers. Licenses, tackle and ice included. $100 deposit holds your date.
Bay scallops on the Crystal River and Homosassa grass flats, July through September. Click a photo to open the gallery.
July to September • All ages • 23’ Carolina Skiff
Scalloping
From $600Half day • up to 6 guests
Half day
Up to 6 guests
Snorkel & swim
Gear included
Crystal River and Homosassa are the scalloping capital of Florida. From the July opener through September, Capt. Tanner runs you out to the grass flats where the water is waist to chest deep, hands everyone a mask, snorkel and mesh bag, and you fish by hand.
No experience needed. Kids love it, grandparents love it, and the boat is right there the whole time. Limits fill fast on a good day, and your catch is cleaned at the dock so you can cook it that night.
Pick your group size
Up to 2 guests
A couple or a parent and kid. Same boat, same flats, same half day on the water.
per boat$600
Up to 4 guests
The family trip. Four masks, four bags and plenty of deck space for the cooler.
per boat$700
Up to 6 guests
Two families or a group of friends. Six is the boat limit for scalloping.
per boat$800
Best for:
Families, groups and anyone who wants a day in the water, not just on it.
Gear included:
Masks, snorkels, mesh bags, a cooler with ice and the saltwater license for everyone on board.
Want to fish too?
Ask Tanner about a fish-and-scallop combo morning in season.
Price by group size
Up to 2 guests
Up to 4 guests
Up to 6 guests
Half day
$600
$700
$800
Priced per boat by group size, not per person. Six guests max. $100 deposit holds your date; the balance is due after the trip.
Guided marsh and backwater hunts on the Nature Coast from the Prodigy surface drive. Click a photo to open the gallery.
Mid-November to end of January • Up to 3 hunters • Prodigy surface drive
Duck Hunts
$500Morning hunt • 2 hunters • +$250 for a third
Morning hunt
Up to 3 hunters
Boat, blind & decoys
Divers & puddle ducks
When the fishing slows in late fall, Capt. Tanner swaps the push pole for the Prodigy surface drive and hunts the marshes and backwaters of the Nature Coast for redheads, bluebills, teal and the mixed bag that winters along the Gulf.
Guided hunts include the boat, decoys, blind and a captain who scouts the birds all week. Bring your shotgun, shells, a Florida hunting license with state and federal duck stamps, and waders.
Pick your group
2 hunters
The standard hunt. Two guns in the blind with Tanner working the decoys and calling.
per hunt$500
3 hunters
Add a third hunter for $250. Three is the limit for the boat and the blind.
per hunt$750
Best for:
Hunters who want Gulf-coast divers and puddle ducks without trailering a boat down.
Season:
Mid-November through the end of January, following the Florida duck seasons.
Combine it:
Hunt in the morning, then fish the afternoon on the Inshore Charter. Ask about a cast-and-blast day.
Price by group size
2 hunters
3 hunters
Morning hunt
$500
$750
$500 for two hunters, $250 for a third. Three hunters max. Hunting license, duck stamps, shotgun and shells are not included.
The 1856 Prodigy and the winter backwater it fishes. Click a photo to open the gallery.
Winter backwater • Nov to Feb • 1856 Prodigy mud boat
Mud Boat Trip
From $5004 to 6 hours • up to 3 anglers
4 to 6 hours
Kid & family friendly
Nov to Feb low tides
Redfish & trout
From November to February the negative low tides drain the flats and push redfish and trout into the deep holes and channels back in the mangroves, essentially trapping them. More opportunity, less pressure and a better shot at quality fish.
The 1856 Prodigy runs in extremely shallow water and sometimes straight mud to get back where those fish are holding. Four to six hours, up to three anglers, kid and family friendly, with group and corporate trips on as many boats as you need.
Pick your group size
1 or 2 anglers
Four to six hours on the winter low tide. The standard mud boat trip.
$500
3 anglers
Same trip with a third angler for $100 more. Three is the max on the Prodigy.
$600
Best for:
Winter negative tides from November to February, when the fish are trapped in the holes and channels. Families and kids welcome.
Low tide is the time:
The mud boat shines when the skiffs are stuck at the dock. Tanner will steer you to it on the right days.
More than three?
Group and corporate trips go out on as many boats as you need. Call for a quote.
Price by group size
1 or 2 anglers
3 anglers
Per boat
$500
$600
Priced per boat. Licenses, tackle, bait and ice included. $100 deposit holds your date.
Rods, reels, tackle, flies and live or artificial bait
Ice and a cooler for your catch
Fish cleaning at the dock
Bottled water
Snorkel gear and mesh bags on scalloping trips
What to bring
Polarized sunglasses and a hat
Sunscreen and light long sleeves
Snacks, lunch and any drinks you want
A light rain jacket in summer
Non-marking shoes or sandals
Cash for the 20% tip (card fees are 3.5%)
Three boats, one for every trip
The boat is picked for the water, not the other way around. Groups and scalloping go on the Carolina Skiff, fly and tarpon anglers get the Hells Bay, and the Prodigy handles the backwater and the duck marsh.
Swipe to see all three.
23’ Carolina Skiff
Up to 4 anglers • 6 for scalloping
Wide, stable and dry. The inshore and scalloping boat, with room for a family and a cooler.
18’ Hells Bay Professional
1 to 2 anglers
The poling skiff. Floats in inches of water for sight fishing the flats and the tarpon lanes.
18’ Prodigy surface drive
Duck hunts • Mud boat trips
Runs over grass and mud where nothing else goes. The winter boat for ducks and backwater reds.
Where we launch in Crystal River and Homosassa
Most trips leave from Pete’s Pier on Kings Bay in Crystal River, five minutes from US-19 and about 90 minutes from Tampa or Orlando. Homosassa tarpon trips leave from MacRae’s of Homosassa, 20 minutes south. Tanner confirms the ramp and time the evening before your trip.
Pete’s Pier, Crystal River
1 SW 1st Place, Crystal River, FL 34429
Inshore, fly, scalloping and mud boat trips
Free parking, restrooms and a bait shop at the marina. Meet Tanner at the boat 15 minutes before departure.
Capt. Tanner was able to put me on my first snook and first tarpon. 100% recommend and will be booking him again very soon!!
Jacob G. • Sept 2025
★★★★★
“Amazing trip!”
The captain was so knowledgeable regarding everything. He knew about the plant life as well as marine life. He knew the water channels like the back of his hand.
Sherry T.
★★★★★
“Perfect”
Captain Martin is a wonderful guide and host. His knowledge of these waters is incredible and he always has ways to adapt to changing conditions.
Mitchell W.
★★★★★
“Excellent Charter”
Captain Tanner Martin was raised on the river. Knows the area better than anyone. Works hard to make sure you get a good catch.
The questions Tanner gets asked most, answered here so you do not have to call. Anything else, call or text (352) 577-4084.
Do I need a fishing license?
No. Everyone on board is covered by the boat’s license. Duck hunters do need a Florida hunting license with state and federal duck stamps.
Where do we meet?
Pete’s Pier in Crystal River for inshore, fly, scalloping and mud boat trips. MacRae’s of Homosassa for tarpon. Tanner texts the ramp and time the evening before.
How does the deposit work?
$100 holds your date. The balance is due after the trip, by cash or card. Cards carry a 3.5% processing fee, so most people bring cash.
What if I need to cancel?
Cancel more than 14 days out and the deposit comes back. Inside 14 days it is non-refundable, but it is credited to any future trip.
What about weather?
If Tanner calls the trip for weather, you get a full refund or a new date, your choice. If it is fishable, you fish; light rain and wind are part of it.
Can kids come?
Yes. Inshore and scalloping trips are built for families and there is no minimum age. Tarpon and duck hunts are better suited to experienced guests.
Is a tip expected?
A 20% tip for the captain is customary on fishing charters, cash preferred. It is not included in the trip price.
Can we keep the fish?
Yes, within Florida limits and seasons. Tanner cleans your catch at the dock and bags it on ice for the drive home.
Pick your trip and check the calendar
Open dates fill a month or more out in spring and summer. Pick the trip, pick the date and Tanner confirms the same day.
Speckled troutInshore · year-round
RedfishInshore · Aug to Oct peak
TarponHomosassa · mid-Apr to Jul
ScallopsJul to Sep
Ducksmid-Nov to Jan
