Capt. Merrick Adventures provides private fishing charters along the coastal waters of Clearwater, Florida, under the leadership of Captain Merrick Westlund. A Florida native with years of experience working on commercial and charter vessels along the Gulf Coast, Captain Westlund customizes each excursion to match seasonal fish migrations and daily tidal shifts. The charter operates using a 24-foot Skeeter bay boat equipped with a reliable 300 HP Yamaha outboard engine, capable of cruising at speeds up to 35 mph to reach active fishing grounds efficiently. The vessel accommodates up to six passengers, features a spacious open-deck layout for unobstructed casting, and is equipped with modern navigational electronics, a GPS, a fishfinder, a wireless trolling motor, and a livewell tank. The boat also features a wheelchair-accessible design to accommodate all anglers comfortably.
The charter offers a diverse selection of specialized fishing packages designed for families, beginners, and experienced anglers, with trip lengths ranging from 4-hour half-day excursions to 8-hour full-day adventures. Depending on the targeted area and season, trips focus on inshore grass flats, mangrove shorelines, local passes, bridges, and nearshore Gulf reefs. Key target species include Snook, Redfish, Speckled Trout, Tarpon, Gag Grouper, Mangrove Snapper, King Mackerel, and Spanish Mackerel. Additionally, Capt. Merrick Adventures runs dedicated morning Tarpon trips and highly popular half-day or full-day Shark trips targeting powerful apex predators like Bull Sharks, Blacktips, Tiger Sharks, Bonnetheads, and Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks using heavy tackle and specialized rigging.
Operating out of central Clearwater, Florida, Capt. Merrick Adventures services multiple guest meeting locations and public docks around the Clearwater Beach area, providing convenient access to both the intra-coastal waterways and the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. All bookings are fully inclusive of the required Florida saltwater fishing licenses, high-quality rods, reels, tackle, lures, and live bait. An onboard icebox is provided to keep passenger food and drinks cold throughout the day. At the conclusion of the charter, Captain Merrick provides complimentary fish cleaning, filleting, and bagging services for all legal keepers, making the catch ready for local "cook-your-catch" dining options or home preparation.