Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a deposit required?
‍Yes. A 50% deposit is required at time of booking.  We accept checks, PayPal, Venmo, and all major credit cards for deposit payments to reserve the dates for your trip. Please note that if you pay any portion of your payment via credit card, a 5% service fee will be added to that amount due to increasing transaction fees from the credit card companies. Any remaining balances should be paid in full ONLY by cash or Venmo day of arrival. You are welcome to pay for your trip in full. If you prefer to pay your remaining balance day of arrival, we only accept cash or Venmo day of arrival for the remaining balance payment.
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What is your cancellation policy?
‍The 50% deposit is non-refundable. If you cancel your trip at least 21 days prior to your scheduled dates, you can request a refund in full or postpone your fishing dates to a later time. If you need to cancel your trip you must notify us with an official cancellation notice at least 21 days before your scheduled trip to receive a refund. An official cancellation notice can be made through voice mail, e-mail or text message however you must receive a confirmation back from Hook Dat Fishing Charters. If you do not provide an official cancellation notice at least 21 days before your trip, your deposit will not be refunded. If your scheduled trip is canceled due to weather conditions, we will refund your entire deposit or you may change your dates to a future trip. If rescheduling due to weather conditions it must be rescheduled within one year from the date of the original booking. If you do not show up on the day of your scheduled trip, you will be charged the full price of the trip to cover the cost of the bait, mate and captains.
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What should I bring?
‍We recommend that all visitors bring the following items with them:

Sunscreen
Non-slip shoes with a white sole or non-marking sole
Hat
Sunglasses
‍In the summer: rain jackets
In the winter, foul-weather gear such as:
Shoes with non-marking soles
Warm clothes
Gloves
Waterproof bibs and rain jacket
Food, snacks and soda
* No glass bottles allowed on the boat. Please bring your beverages in cans or plastic bottles
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What does Hook Dat Fishing Charters provide?‍
Safety is our #1 concern. We provide all the proper safety equipment, including:

- Life jackets for everyone on board
- Top-of-the-line rod, reels, tackle & equipment
- Ice & water
- Fish-cleaning services
- Fuel

For bowfishing anglers we will provide all necessary bowfishing gear and tackle including bow, reel and arrows.
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What types of permits and licenses do I need?
You WILL need a three-day non-resident saltwater charter passenger license. The price for this license is $20 and can be purchased online at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries website. You will NOT need a Recreational Offshore Landing Permit (ROLP) permit. Our charter captains license covers your ROLP. For more information about the three-day non-resident charter passenger license visit our blog Louisiana Fishing License Info.

‍When is the best time for fishing near Shell Beach, Louisiana?
‍That depends on what you would like to catch. Inshore fishing is spectacular year-round in southeast Louisiana.  This will give you an idea of what species are most prominent during certain times of the year.

- Speckled Trout (April to November)
- Flounder (March to November)
- Redfish (year-round)
- Black Drum (year-round)
- Sheepshead (year-round)
- Red Snapper (May 22 to August) *subject to season dates
- Mangrove Snapper (May to August)
- Tripletail (March to November)
- Grouper (April to August) *certain Grouper species subject to season dates
- Mahi-Mahi (April to August)
- Alligator Gar (year-round)
- Cobia (May to November)
- Amberjack (May to June) & (August to November) *subject to season dates
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Can I bring my own gear?
Yes, you are welcome to bring your favorite fishing rod and tackle. Although we will have all the equipment you will need, we understand that anglers have a personal favorite rod & reel so you are welcome to bring your own gear if you want.

Do you offer any corporate packages?
‍Yes, we do offer corporate and small business packages.  Please call or email us to discuss your corporate package needs and to customize your fishing trip.
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What is the maximum # of anglers I can have in my group?
‍We have multiple boats and experienced captains.  Typically on inshore fishing trips we like to keep our group size to 4-5 anglers per boat.  So, if you have 4 anglers in your group then we would use 1 boat and 1 captain, if you have 20 anglers in your group we would use 4 boats and 4 captains.