Hubbard Fishing Charters?

Started by coastal_dan, November 17, 2017, 06:44:25 PM

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coastal_dan

Holy cow...I just found my dream trip...Anybody fish with these guys before?

https://hubbardsmarina.com/63hr-pelagicdeep-drop-fishing-trip/

What a hoot this would be!  Nice that you can get 2 Day limits vs a 1 day = 1 trip limit.

I may need to start saving some pennies...
Dan from Philadelphia...

Where Land Ends Life Begins...

xaf

Although I used to fish with them all the time I have never been on their deep drop trips.  I mainly do my deep drop trips out of Key West.  Hubbard's usually does pretty well but deep drop trips can be hit or miss dependent on conditions.

Hubbard's is a good operation and well worth looking into.  They have several boats and do different length trips to different areas.  I usually went on their 39 and 44 hour trips to the middle grounds for grouper, snapper, amber jack etc. They also have a smaller, fast boat that gets to the middle grounds in a couple hours vs 8 hours on the bigger boat. The larger boat has a galley bunks and built in live wells.  They provide cut bait but also sell live bait if ordered ahead of time.

Fishy247

I used to work at Hubbard's back in 2001. The deep drop pelagic trips must be a new thing, but it sounds pretty cool! The boats back when I was there were rather Spartan in term of sleeping quarters, but boy howdy did they catch fish! I used to go on the Middle Grounds trips and put a hurtin on the grouper, snapper, and amberjack. Lots of fun! I hope you get to go out on one of those trips so we can read about it!  ;D ;D

Mike

ReelFishingProblems

I'm planning on doing a 39hr trip in January. I would love to have some good company!

Nick

xaf

Nick, good luck on your trip.  Wish I could make it but have too many other things happening in Jan.  Don't know if you go on the Florida Sportsman Forum but there is a lot of info there if you haven't gone on their trips before.  The best advice I can give you is to listen to the mates.  They go out here all the time and know what works and what doesn't.

There's a clique of regulars who go out all the time. They shouldn't be hard to identify. Usually they're catching fish faster then the mates can put them on their stringers.  If you ask them for advice, most will be more then willing to help you.  Bob Harbison goes on nearly every trip.  He doesn't fish much any more; mainly takes pictures and posts write-ups about the catch.  He'll take pictures of you and your catch and e-mail them to you if you want.  A friend of mine, Larry Miller, is a regular on the boat.  He'll give you advice if you need it.  Will, the first mate, has been there forever.  If you run into any of those guys tell them that Bob Hummel says hello. 

ReelFishingProblems

Bob,

That is some valuable advise. I will definitely head the advise and seek those gentlemen out.

Nick

Wally15

I went on my "one and only" overnight trip with them in 2015. Always wanted to fish the FL "Middle Grounds". Once was enough. This is a partial email I sent Hubbard's after the trip:
The positives from the trip:
1) the boat was in good shape, clean and organized. The bunk COULD have been a little softer on my 65 yo bones, esp. on the rough trip out.
2) the crew was courteous and professional. And I tipped them accordingly.
3) the food was better than I expected it to be. Glad I got the meal plan.
4) You can't control the wind, waves, and current. You put us on fish, but in all but 2-3 spots out of the 20 or so stops we made, the fishing was poor. Especially with the bait you provided. I did purchase 5 doz pinfish, but by Sat evening about 2 dozen were dead. The aerator was working fine, probably just too many fish for that size livewell. I have the same problem on my boat.
 ADDED- my assigned livewell was halfway up the port side. Several people up there thought it was OK to help themselves to my live bait.
The negatives (in no particular order):
1) Your website is misleading (and out of date). You say squid and sardines will be provided. The squid provided was huge, tough, and had little flavor for the fish. People who brought aboard the packaged small squid did much better. There were NO sardines, only pinfish to cut up. I like sardines and cigar minnows for cut bait. I don't like pinfish as cut bait. Had I known, I would have bought my own.
2) You publish rules that are blatantly ignored and not enforced-
a) NO Braid - I re-lined 2 reels from braid to mono for this trip, yet lots of people fished with braid. I lost several nice fish and lots of fishing time due to braid tangles or the braid cutting my mono.
b) NO cellphones - several people had cellphones. I don't think those phones are going to locate your spots 100 miles from any cell towers (unless they're satphones) - but that is another rule that was ignored.
c) 3 rod maximum - several of your "regulars" came aboard with custom rod holders and 6-8 rods. Nothing was said.
d) "Regular" customers - some of those guys bought aboard an excessive amount of stuff in addition to their extra rods. I requested and was assigned spot #58 (near port stern). The area around me was full of their equipment, bait, tackle, custom rod holders, and other paraphernalia. No place close to me to sit down or even place my one tackle bag and 3 rods. And the boat was only half full (because it was an overnight trip)! I stored my 2 extra rods halfway down the port side, crammed in with several other peoples rods. Some guy accidently knocked my heavyweight rod and reel off the overhead rack and broke an eyelet off my Penn Senator 3190RS rod. So I didn't have my 6/0 equipment available for the amberjack wreck.

Hubbard's did respond to my email, they were apologetic, promised to enforce some rules, and offered me a nice discount on a future trip. Isn't worth a 6 hour drive to me. I'd much rather fly across the country and go out with Alan's group on the SOA.
Your experience may differ.
GA Mike
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.
"Fire and Rain"
James Taylor

sharkman

Hub bards has some great trips. I would like to do the 63 hrs trip.  Going out on my third 39 hour trip in Dec. The two best head boats in the area are Hubbards and Ms Pass a Grille.

ReelFishingProblems

#8
Quote from: sharkman on November 19, 2017, 06:43:59 PM
Hub bards has some great trips. I would like to do the 63 hrs trip.  Going out on my third 39 hour trip in Dec. The two best head boats in the area are Hubbards and Ms Pass a Grille.
Which trip are you going on?
We still need to get together and fish.

Never did go after whiting when you said they were biting.
I've been doing weekend night fishing on the skyway pier and weekend day fishing on the pier with my daughters (and still catching Spanish mackerel)


What is your schedule like this winter?

sharkman

Going on Dec 1 trip. Winter schedule Mon-Fri. We will have to get together and do some fishing.

xaf

Walley, not knocking you or promoting Hubbard's, I just don't think one trip is enough to get a true picture of an operation.  Having said that you may note that I said I used to fish their overnight trip all the time.  I don't anymore for many of the reasons you noted plus a few others.  I still believe they are a good operation, catch a lot of fish and provide trips that a lot of people could not make otherwise.

I have fished many head boats over the years and they all have their quirks, some good and some bad.  In my experience most boats have "regulars" that know the in's and out's of the boat and know what they can and can't get away with. Since I was a member of Hubbard's Regulars Club for years I know what you mean by all the gear some guys bring.  Most are good guys and will move things if you ask.  I have had eyes broken and even lost a rod overboard on party boats.  That is one reason many of the regulars bring their own rod holders on that boat. I've found the only way to have things the way you want them is to have a private boat (and it may still not be perfect.)

coastal_dan

Some great information posted here!  4 Years ago I started fishing party boats pretty regularly and I agree, there are 'regulars' who you see on every trip, as well as the occasional loud mouths that 'know everything', haha.  Such a fun experience with meeting new folks and learning various ways to fish...

Maybe I'll try to do this as a 2020 trip, drive down from PA, fish a few days, then drive back...now I need to find a way to get the wife to approve...HAHA!
Dan from Philadelphia...

Where Land Ends Life Begins...

Wally15

Quote from: xaf on November 20, 2017, 05:32:06 PM
Walley, not knocking you or promoting Hubbard's, I just don't think one trip is enough to get a true picture of an operation.  Having said that you may note that I said I used to fish their overnight trip all the time.  I don't anymore for many of the reasons you noted plus a few others.  I still believe they are a good operation, catch a lot of fish and provide trips that a lot of people could not make otherwise.

I have fished many head boats over the years and they all have their quirks, some good and some bad.  In my experience most boats have "regulars" that know the in's and out's of the boat and know what they can and can't get away with. Since I was a member of Hubbard's Regulars Club for years I know what you mean by all the gear some guys bring.  Most are good guys and will move things if you ask.  I have had eyes broken and even lost a rod overboard on party boats.  That is one reason many of the regulars bring their own rod holders on that boat. I've found the only way to have things the way you want them is to have a private boat (and it may still not be perfect.)
I wasn't really knocking Hubbards per se, my biggest peeve was with the "regulars" and all their gear and their attitude. What's the point in having a "shopping list" of rules if certain people don't follow them. Dylan Hubbard sent me a very nice reply to my email, agreed with several points I made, and offered me a discounted future trip. I actually tried to take him up on a 63 hour trip August of last year, but it was already booked up. Regular customers and repeat business is essential to their long term success. Obviously they're doing something right. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper than owning and operating an offshore boat.
I grew up in NC and fished head boats out of MHC (Carolina Princess and Cpt Stacy) numerous times, just never on an overnight. In some ways Hubbards is a step up.
GA Mike
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground.
"Fire and Rain"
James Taylor

sharkman

#13
Funny you talk about the gear regulars bring.  My very first trip I was a guest of one of the regulars. The regulars get to load one hour before the rest of the people.  So here I was with all my stuff (on my shoulder and in hands). Thinking I was over packed then all of a sudden one the regulars come in with a garden wagon loaded three high in storage boxes. I was like the guy on Jaws movie I think I need more stuff.

otownjoe

Being a regular does have its perks. The best thing about the Hubbard's trips is they will put you on fish you can keep. With all the regulations in Florida it's hard to find a trip where you can put quality fish on ice .the 39 hour trips are one of the best bargains in the state. I will be on the dec 1st trip .It will be my first one this year. Hope I'm not too rusty. Joe