Chase Choctawhatchee Bay Redfish With a Retired Marine Captain
Inshore fishing on Captain Rob Hansill's private center console out of Niceville, with the license, tackle and live bait handled.
Rob Hansill runs this as a private charter on the sheltered waters of Choctawhatchee Bay. One booking takes up to four people, and the price covers the whole boat. You fish from his 25-foot center console, "Dress Blues", with the fishing license, Penn tackle, live bait and fish cleaning included.
The listing sits under Destin, but the boat is kept in Niceville, at Bluewater Bay Marina on the mouth of Rocky Bayou. A reviewer in November 2024 admitted they almost passed on it for that reason, then wrote: "So worth the drive from Destin/Fort Walton Beach area."
Three lengths are sold: a two-hour "Memory Maker" for young kids, a three-hour run and a four-hour half day. All three are private, priced per boat for up to four people, and run Monday to Friday only.
Inshore Fishing on the Waters of the Choctawhatchee BayPrivate inshore trip on Choctawhatchee Bay for up to four, in two, three or four hours. License, gear, live bait and fish cleaning included.www.viator.comWhat Four Hours on the Bay Goes After
The four-hour trip leaves at 7:00 AM. The listing names redfish, trout, sheepshead, flounder, black drum, black snapper and jacks as targets, and Rob's own page for the same trip adds pompano. Redfish are his favorite: on live bait and light tackle, he says, they fight harder than any other fish in the bay.
Each trip is shaped around the people on board, from first-timers to experienced anglers. Reviewers describe moving between several spots in a morning. One who took the four-hour run in August 2026 noted that the live bait had already been caught before they boarded and the whole slot went to fishing. Fish you keep are cleaned and packed for you.
A Two-Hour Trip Built for Small Kids
The "Memory Maker" is the short run: two hours, leaving at noon or 2:30 PM, fishing spots within minutes of the dock for quick catches. The listing's reasoning: first-time anglers and young ones may not be up for a full day on the water.
Children of every age are welcome, and each child wears a Coast Guard approved life jacket for the whole trip. Infants sit on an adult's lap. Family reviews back up the format: a six-year-old who caught 18 fish in 2021, an eight-year-old who lost count past 30 in August 2026, a toddler's first time fishing that same month.
The three-hour trip, at 7:00 or 11:00 AM, goes a little farther for different fish. Rob's page pitches it at kids around 7 to 12.
Who Is at the Helm
Rob Hansill is a Florida native and a retired U.S. Marine who holds a Masters endorsement on his Merchant Mariner Credential, according to both the listing and his own site. "Dress Blues" is a Dorado center console that his site says he built himself. She launched on March 1, 2024, with a Mercury 300 outboard, comfortable seating, shade and a private toilet aboard.
He frames the charter around helping people find their joy and manage grief. Families touched by tragedy, cancer survivors and combat veterans get priority, and the listing says Purple Heart recipients and Wounded Warriors fish free when they call ahead.
Reviews return again and again to his patience with children and first-timers.
Weekdays, Water and What to Leave Ashore
The calendar runs Monday to Friday only, in line with the 6 AM to 5 PM weekday hours on Rob's site. Bookings close 23 hours before the start time and confirm instantly.
Bring water and snacks in a small soft-sided cooler. The listing asks for both. Rob's booking page says bottled water is provided; count any water on board as a spare. Alcohol, illegal drugs and smoking are not allowed, and everyone has to board completely sober.
The listing recommends at least a moderate level of fitness and advises against the trip for anyone with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. If you get seasick, take precautions before boarding. The listing also ticks its wheelchair-accessible boxes, while Rob's own pages say nothing about boarding or mobility. Raise any access need with him before you book.
Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund. Weather is one of the listed reasons a trip can be called off, and the listing says directions are worked out by phone before the day.
Rob's booking page says every trip departs from Bluewater Bay Marina, 290 Yacht Club Drive, Niceville, even though the listing also mentions access from Fort Walton Beach and Destin. If you are staying in Destin, build the drive around the bay into your morning.