Captain Joaquin is the real deal. He’s been fishing Laguna Madre forever, and started guiding out of an abundance of passion for the sport. We had 4 anglers on the charter, one with lots of fishing experience, and three with moderate to no experience. He quickly figured out everyone’s skill and comfort levels and set us to work with appropriate tackle. Our day on the water was a tough one - the fish didn’t want to bite and other boats had called the day much earlier. Captain Joaquin kept working until he got us into some great fish. Our travel group of 12 enjoyed a very big fish dinner the following night at our rental home. When you get back to the dock, Captain Joaquin has a guy who will clean your fish any way that you desire, and even make recommendations. Tip him well, he does great work.

Book with Drift Water Charters. You will not be disappointed.

Captain Pena made all the difference in our group not only catching fish but more importantly learning new techniques while having a fun experience, which ultimately made for a great trip. We originally booked the trip for 3 but changed it to 4 the night before, and captain Pena accommodated with no complaints. Captain Pena was very mindful about safety, yet he had a light playful attitude that made the trip very fun. Thanks Captain Pena, we can’t wait to fish with you again. Next year we will book two days instead of one.

Captain Joaquin was amazing! If you want a knowledgeable Captain, he is it! He was so friendly, patient, and passionate about what he does.  We have done many fishing charters over the years and this was one of THE BEST. He was great with my 13 yr old daughter. He taught her the best way to cast, reel in the big one, and hold the fish. He made sure not only us adults, but the kids had a great trip.  We will definitely be booking again for our next trip down to SPI!

This was my first time fishing in South Padre and after reviewing a lot of the potential charters, I decided to book with Captain Joaquin. His communication prior to the trip was perfect and he was ready and waiting when I showed up for my charter. When we got to the boat, he gave me guidance about how we would board the vessel and helped me onto the boat. He asked all the right questions about my fishing experience and as we headed out to fish he gave me a lot of really great background and history related to the area we were in. He managed my expectations about what we could hope to catch and some of the constraints related to the weather and time of year. I really liked that he had great relationships with the other captains and that there was a sense of teamwork between them—they all supported the success of the others. Once he found the fish, he gave me clear guidance about what I should be doing to perfect my casting and stepped me through reeling in my catch. He was meticulous about making sure we stayed within regulations for the catch and once we got the catch on ice, he was ready to get me going for my next fish. The way he managed the process made it effortless and in no time, we’d reached our limit for Black Drum. From there, he steered us to an area we could shift our focus to Red Drum and once the lines were in the water, he offered me refreshments he’d brought in his cooler. While we were finishing our drinks and waiting for a bite, he offered some guidance about the way I was reeling in my fish. I wasn’t doing it right, and it was making it much harder than it needed to be, so my arms were like jello in no time. He told me how to properly reel them in and when one of the lines got a bite, I tried reeling in the way he’d taught me, and it was sooooo much better and didn’t tire me out at all. Once we were done, and heading back to the dock, I asked about the possibility of donating some of my fish, because there was no way I could’ve eaten it all and it would have been a hassle trying to manage it for the duration of my trip. He had a charity organization that he was set up with to donate the fish and recommended that I keep some to eat for dinner. He set me up with a guy at the dock that took care of cleaning and filleting my fish. Captain Joaquin recommended I keep at least two filets and that I take the filets from the smallest fish, because the smaller ones would taste better. Once that was sorted out, he recommended a place I could take the fish to have it for dinner—and even told me the best way to order it up. He was absolutely right about both… the restaurant and the way he told me to have them prepare the fish were AMAZING! I participated in other fun experiences during my stay on the island, but this charter was the ABSOLUTE BEST part of my trip and I owe it all to Captain Joaquin… he made it so fun and his expertise guided me to having the best possible experience. When I plan my next trip to South Padre, the first thing I’ll be booking is my fishing charter with Captain Joaquin!

Today was my wife’s birthday. We flew in from New Jersey and could not wait to go fishing. The wind was substantial and made it difficult to catch fish. Captain Joaquin would not give up. We were relentless to find a bite. Our preserverence and determination paid off. We ended up limiting out on trout. Thank you sir for the experience. Whatever the max is on stars, add 10. Highly recommend.