Five days, four kinds of water, real charter boats. Drop off at the dock at 7:30, pick up a kid who caught something at 3:00.
A day at day camp
This is a typical Tuesday. The water changes every day; the rhythm doesn't.
7:30Drop-off at Beach Marine and check-in aboard the Kokomo, our 55-foot head boat. Sunscreen, life jacket fit, and the morning's plan: which water, which captain, what we're after.
Coast Guard life jacket rules on every boat.
Sometimes we buy it, sometimes we cast-net it, sometimes we catch it on rod and reel. Either way the campers learn what the fish are eating and why.
Unit 5 · Angling skills
Four campers, a licensed charter captain and a counselor per boat. The captain reads the tide and picks the water — creek, river, jetties or beach.
Unit 4 · Navigation & tides
Three hours of real fishing on real boats. Redfish, trout, flounder, sheepshead inshore; kingfish, barracuda, cobia and so much more on the offshore days. Everyone gets rod time.
The part they'll talk about at dinner.
Boats in, catch on the table. Species ID, slot limits, how to clean a fish — here Capt. Roland walks the campers through a triggerfish. Packed lunches aboard the Kokomo while the captains reset.
Unit 3 · Fish biology & conservation
Knot practice, rigging your own rod, casting drills, and dock fishing while we run through the day's log. Rainy afternoon? This is where we go.
Unit 1 · Seamanship & safe boating
Pick-up at the dock. The recap and the day's photos land in your parent account that evening. Late pick-up available to 6 PM.
Friday: awards and the Fish Fry at noon.
The week
That's the reason for a week instead of a single charter. By Friday most campers have fished the creeks, the river and the jetties — and on calm days, offshore — and know which one they love.
Monday
Skinny water and marsh grass. Redfish tailing on the flood, trout on the edges. The gentlest boat ride of the week — where we learn the routine.
Tuesday
Docks, pilings and bridge structure. Sheepshead, croaker and reds off the pilings, and the first lesson in reading current.
Wednesday
Where the river meets the ocean. Bull reds along the channels, sheepshead on the rocks, and the biggest fish most campers have ever seen.
Thursday
Out the inlet on the calm days, 5 to 10 miles. Kingfish, cobia, barracuda, sharks — the biggest water of the week. Weather decides; the captains make the call that morning.
Friday
A last morning on the water, then families arrive at noon. Awards for every camper, the week's catch on the table, and a fish fry on the dock. Campers eat free.
Order changes with wind and tide — the captains make the call each morning. We try to get every camper on every kind of water; some weeks the weather has other plans.
Who's on the boat
Our standard boat: a U.S. Coast Guard licensed charter captain and a CPR-certified counselor, with up to four campers.
Every boat carries the life jackets the Coast Guard requires, and we follow every Coast Guard life jacket rule.
Lightning within 10 miles, wind or seas over the limit — we don't go, and you get a text. All-day downpour? Early pickup is fine. Charter days lost to weather get a prorated refund.
Most of our captains have run camp boats for years. Campers fish with different captains during the week — every one has spots and tricks worth learning. meet them →
What happens to the fish
Campers learn Florida slot and bag limits, how to handle a fish for release, and why the big breeders go back in. It's taught, not just done.
Friday at noon the week's keepers hit the fryer on the dock, families invited. Campers eat free; there's a donation jar.
The details
Late pick-up: $30/day until 6 PM (Mon–Thu) · $60 Friday (noon–6). Add it in your parent account any time.
2027 weeks
$250 deposit holds a spot; the balance is due 30 days before camp. Full refund up to 30 days out — inside that, a refund if your spot fills, otherwise a credit good for any available camp in the next 12 months.
Your side of the week
Day camp questions
No. Most first-week campers have fished off a dock or a pier, some never. The counselors and captains teach from the cast net up. What matters more is that they're comfortable on a boat for a few hours.
Rain alone doesn't stop us. Lightning, high wind or rough seas do — the captains make the call by 7 AM and you get a text. Those days run at the dock: rigging, knots, casting, dock fishing. If it's going to pour all day and we'd be stuck inside, you're welcome to pick up early. Any charter day we lose to weather gets a prorated refund.
Yes — on the calm days we run out the inlet, usually 5 to 10 miles: kingfish, cobia, barracuda, sharks. Not the long runs Advanced Camp makes; we don't have the hours in a day. If you're not sure how your camper handles open water, day camp is where to find out.
We keep enough for Friday's Fish Fry and release the rest, and we teach why. Campers keep their fish at Advanced Camp.
It happens, and we work around it. If a camper gets seasick, the boat can come back in, and for the rest of the week we can keep them on the inshore boats in calmer water.
Yes — tell us at registration and we group them. Boats are set by age and experience otherwise.
Full refund up to 30 days before camp. Inside 30 days, a refund if your spot fills; otherwise your payment becomes a credit for any available camp in the next 12 months, transferable to a sibling.
Not sure which camp?
You're here
Ages 7–15 · Mon–Fri 7:30–3:00 · $1,099
Inshore, and offshore on the calm days. Home every night. The place to start.
Sleep-away
Ages 9–15 · Sun–Fri · $2,499
Dorms at Jacksonville University, the 55-foot head boat, a dedicated offshore day.
Explore overnight →Big water
Ages 9–16 · Mon–Thu · $1,599
Two 6-hour and two 8-hour charters. Campers keep their fish.
Explore advanced →Summer 2027
Registration is open. Every week has filled the last few summers — grab yours early.
See the weeks