A hefty stringer of Key West grunts, grey snappers and one hogfish put a big smile on this party boat angler. Image by Tom Adkinson

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – Seekers of good times gravitate to one kind of party boat for music, drinks and frivolity, while anglers gravitate to a different kind of party boat – one whose goal is a virtual certainty of landing a bunch of fish to fillet. Hubbard’s Marina in Madeira Beach in the middle of St. Petersburg has catered to the latter crowd for almost 100 years. It will mark its 100th year of baiting people’s hooks in 2028.

Capt. Dylan Hubbard is the lecturer/warmup comedian for a half-day fishing trip into the Gulf of Mexico. Image by Tom Adkinson

An anglers’ party boat is a simple way to enjoy the ocean and to participate in some very basic fishing. No real skill is required, and the fun factor is especially high for people who have little or no fishing experience. For Florida vacationers, a Hubbard’s half-day trip, which actually consumes more than half a day, probably costs less than a day hanging out at a theme park with a big mouse or superhero characters.

“Fishing is a wonderful activity. It clears your head and delivers fun in the sun – and it’s a mystery. You just don’t know what you’re going to pull in,” said Capt. Dylan Hubbard, the fourth generation in his family at the helm of Hubbard’s Marina.

Hogfish, named for their elongated snouts similar to terrestrial hogs’ snouts, are one of the species often caught on Hubbard’s Marina half-day trips. Image by Tom Adkinson

Hubbard’s Marina boats cruise through John’s Pass for 9 to 12 miles into the Gulf of Mexico to reach target areas 30 to 50 feet deep. If the first stop isn’t productive, the captain will motor to another a short distance away.

Although you can buy live shrimp for bait and bring your own tackle, you really don’t have to bring anything – especially bananas. (More on that later.) Rental tackle is available, and your ticket includes cut squid for bait. Deckhands are in constant motion baiting hooks if necessary, putting caught fish on each angler’s stringer, unsnarling any line tangles and coaching.

Little coaching is needed. This is bottom fishing, so the technique is letting a lead weight plummet to the bottom, keeping your line tight, and reacting if you feel that a fish has taken your shrimp or chunk of squid.

A group of outbound anglers watches from the stern as the beachfront buildings of St. Petersburg/Clearwater grow smaller. Image by Tom Adkinson

As Hubbard said, what you might catch is a mystery. Most common at these depths are grey snappers, Key West grunts, porgies, black sea bass and an occasion hogfish, which is prettier than its name implies. All-day 10-hour trips go to deeper water, where prospects to catch grouper increase.

Not every fish brought to the surface is big enough to keep, and some are ones you don’t want, anyway. Pufferfish are an example of the latter, but catching one is a great science lesson. Slow-moving pufferfish have a distinctive defense mechanism – the little round fish can inflate themselves to twice their normal size and form spiky balloons that immediately look less appetizing to predators.

One knock on party boats is that they can get crowded, but Hubbard’s Marina boats, which are licensed to carry 110 people, stop at 70. That’s one reason there are days with both morning and afternoon half-day trips. Hubbard is keen on the afternoon trip.

The slogan at Hubbard’s Marina reflects a vacation vibe: “If you’re too busy to go fishing, you’re just too busy.” Image by Tom Adkinson

“Everybody and his brother thinks you should go fishing in the morning, but out in deep water, that’s not true,” he said, noting that half-day trips can be a gateway to longer trips for different and bigger fish – trips that last 10 or 12 hours and some that are overnight excursions.

A young angler watches for dolphins while his party boat motors from 9 to 12 miles into the Gulf of Mexico. Image by Tom Adkinson

A bonus to a Hubbard’s Marina trip is that the crew will fillet your fish. You then can take your fresh fillets to your vacation condo or immediately to the marina’s Friendly Fisherman Restaurant, where the cooks will deep-fry, grill or blacken your rewards from the deep.

And what about the rule about no bananas on board? They are bad luck. Hubbard’s Marina devotes significant space to the banana prohibition and other nautical superstitions on its website.

Trip-planning resources:
HubbardsMarina.com and VisitStPeteClearwater.com

(Travel writer Tom Adkinson’s book, 100 Things To Do in Nashville Before You Die, is available at Amazon.com.