The Cowboy is a 36-foot Hatteras sportfisher and the most affordable private charter in our Key West fleet. Starting at $850 for a half-day trip, this boat gives your group of up to six the entire vessel — no strangers, no sharing, just your crew and the open water.

Price matters when you are planning a Key West vacation. The Cowboy lets you book a private offshore fishing charter without paying flagship rates. At $850 for four hours, it is hundreds less than comparable private boats in Key West. You still get a professional captain, a dedicated mate, tournament-quality tackle, and access to the same productive fishing grounds as our larger vessels. The difference is the price tag, not the fishing.

Hatteras has been building sportfishing boats in North Carolina since the 1960s — the same decade our family started running charters. The Cowboy's deep-V hull cuts through offshore chop and delivers a stable platform even when seas build to three or four feet. Twin diesel engines provide the power and reliability to reach productive offshore grounds 10 to 20 miles out and bring you home safely. The wide beam gives six anglers room to fish without crowding, and shaded bench seating lets everyone rest between hookups without baking in the sun.

Offshore trolling produces mahi-mahi, blackfin tuna, wahoo, and sailfish depending on the season. The crew deploys a spread of live baits and artificial lures behind the boat, covering the water column from surface to mid-depth. When a school of mahi moves in, it is common to hook multiple fish at once. Reef and wreck drops target yellowtail snapper, mutton snapper, grouper, and amberjack — all excellent table fare. Shark fishing is available on request, adding heavy-tackle action with blacktip and bull sharks that patrol the channels near Key West.

The Cowboy's captain and mate have introduced hundreds of first-time anglers to saltwater fishing. They rig every rod, bait every hook, and walk you through the mechanics of setting the drag, fighting the fish, and bringing it boatside. Kids as young as five have landed snapper and small mahi on this boat. Experienced anglers appreciate the crew's willingness to adjust tactics — if you want to pitch live baits to a weed line or drop jigs on a deep wreck, just say the word.

Half-day charters are the most popular option, but the Cowboy runs trips from 4 to 12 hours. A 6-hour trip adds time to fish both the reef and offshore waters. Full-day 8-hour charters let your captain push further out to reach deep-water structure and temperature breaks where trophy fish hold. Extended 10- and 12-hour trips open up the possibility of reaching the Marquesas Keys or running to remote wrecks that see less fishing pressure.