“Tournament captain, 42-foot air-conditioned sportfisher, and the only boat in the Keys that will sell you one seat instead of the whole boat.”
DirtyBoat Charters runs Islamorada Fishing Charters out of Robbie's Marina at mile marker 77.5. Captain Kit Carson has been on the boat since 2015, first as mate under the original owner Joe Saba, then as owner. The boat is the DirtyBoat 2.0, a 42-foot Liberty Express with 900 horsepower of twin turbo Cummins diesel, an air-conditioned salon, an enclosed head, and tournament-grade Shimano, Penn, and Lindgren-Pitman electric tackle. The Gulf Stream sits 4 to 7 miles off the Islamorada reef line, so lines are usually in the water about 20 minutes after leaving the dock.
The name is a philosophy, not a description of the boat. Captain Kit's line is "if the boat's clean, we didn't fish hard enough." The boat itself is spotless at the dock.
Most Keys charter boats are all or nothing: you rent the whole boat or you stay on the dock. DirtyBoat built its reputation on the Islamorada split charter, where two to four anglers who did not arrive together share the boat and the cost. It is the same 42-foot boat, the same captain, and the same offshore trip. You just pay for your seat.
Prices below are current as of 2026 and include the fuel surcharge. Rates move with season, so check live pricing before you book.
| Trip | Length | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half day | 4 hours | $1,200 + $200 fuel ($1,400) | Families and first-timers, reef and wrecks |
| 3/4 day | 6 hours | $1,800 + $200 fuel ($2,000) | Most popular, reef plus a shot at the edge |
| Full day offshore | 8 hours | $2,200 + $200 fuel ($2,400) | Mahi, tuna, wahoo, and sailfish in season |
| Swordfish hunt | 10 hours | $2,700 + $500 fuel ($3,200) | Daytime deep-drop swordfishing, 20 to 30+ miles out |
Every trip includes fishing licenses for everyone aboard, bait and tackle, ice and bottled water, and cleaning and bagging of your catch. You bring food, polarized sunglasses, a hat, non-slip shoes, and lotion sunscreen. Two house rules: no spray sunscreen (it stains the deck) and no hard liquor.
Reef and wreck trips run 3 to 10 miles out for snapper, grouper, kingfish, and cobia. Offshore trips run 10 to 25 miles for mahi, blackfin tuna off the humps, and wahoo around floating debris in summer. Sailfish are a fall, winter, and spring fish here, roughly November through April, with the best action on winter cold fronts. Do not expect sails on a July trip no matter what a booking site tells you. Daytime swordfish trips are a separate 10-hour run into 1,500-plus feet of water with electric reels.
One thing to know: an offshore trip stays offshore. Once the boat runs out to the blue water, it does not come back in to bottom fish the reef on the same day. Pick the trip that matches what you want to catch.
Kit Carson is a Fort Lauderdale native and Full Sail graduate who spent his first career in digital media, including building the first Ultra Music Festival website and running digital for the Tribune newspapers. He took a buyout, got his captain's license, and signed on as mate on the original DirtyBoat in August 2015. Three years later he bought the boat and the business.
He fishes the Gold Cup, the Islamorada Sailfish Tournament, the Cheeca Presidential, and the Islamorada Fishing Club Tournament, plus charity events like Fish for Holly. He likes to teach, so first-timers get coached instead of handed a rod and ignored.
Local Tip
If you are one or two people, book the split. Same boat, same captain, same fish, about a quarter of the price of chartering the whole thing.
Address
77522 Overseas Hwy, Robbie's Marina, Islamorada, FL 33036
Phone
(305) 209-5594Website
Visit WebsiteHours
6:00 AM to 6:00 PM daily. Online booking and text 24/7.
Mile Marker
MM 77.5
Best For
Split charters for solo anglers and couples, private offshore trips for families and groups, daytime swordfish for the serious crowd.
“Sombrero Reef snorkel trips and sunset eco history tours from Marathon.”
“Luxury private boat charters, sandbar days, snorkeling, island hopping, sunset cruises, and custom Key West water adventures.”
