What To
Expect.
Never booked a guided catfish trip before? Here's exactly what happens from the moment you book through driving home with your catch. All you do is show up and fish.
From Booking
to Driving Home.
Eight steps. Roughly half before you arrive, half on the water.
Book Your Trip
Pick a date and trip type through our online scheduler. A $100 deposit reserves your date. With more than 15 days' notice, your deposit can move to another date in the same calendar year. You'll get a confirmation email with the liability waiver attached.
Sign the Liability Waiver
Every angler on the trip needs to sign the liability waiver before fishing. It's emailed with your booking confirmation — fill it out ahead of time so we can launch without delay.
Day-Before Confirmation
We'll confirm exact meeting time and launch location the day before. Times vary by season — spring and summer start at first light; winter trips a little later.
Meet at the Lake
Most trips meet at Lakeview Marina on Eagle Mountain Lake — 6600 Peden Road, Fort Worth. Show up 10–15 minutes early. Park, grab your cooler, and walk down to the boat.
On the Water
We provide everything: rods, reels, bait, tackle, life jackets. We bait the hooks, cast for you, take fish off, and re-bait. All you do is reel them in.
Catch Some Fish
We do our absolute best to put you on fish. Some days are great, some are good, some are slow — but our 525+ five-star reviews say we know what we're doing.
Cleaning & Packing
At the end of the trip we fillet and bag your catch (under 5 lb keepers). Trophy fish over 5 lb get photographed and released. You drive home with a cooler of fresh fish.
Settle Up & Tip
Trip balance is due day-of in cash. Paying by card adds a 5% processing fee. Tips are appreciated but never expected — they go directly to your guide.
A Typical Day on a Guided Catfish Trip
Most trips start at Lakeview Marina on Eagle Mountain Lake in Fort Worth. When you arrive, park in the upper part of the parking lot, leave a dash note that says "Fishing with Chad" and wait at the green picnic table in front of the marina store. Chad will meet you there, go over the plan for the day and walk you down to the boat.
Once everyone is on board, we run to the first spot. Chad scouts and tracks the fish every day, so we head straight to where they've been biting. When we're set up, Chad baits the hooks, gets the rods out and shows you exactly what to watch for. When a rod bends, you grab it and reel. We'll net the fish, take it off the hook and get it ready for photos.
If the bite slows, we move. Over the course of the trip we may fish several spots to stay on active fish. At the end of the day we head back to the marina, where your keeper fish are filleted and bagged so they're ready for the cooler.
Choosing the Right Trip
Half-day trips are the most popular choice for families, kids and first-timers. They run year-round, last about 4 hours and focus on steady action with blue and channel catfish. Five-hour trips run September through April and give you a little more time on the water.
Trophy blue catfish trips run mid-November through February and target big blues in the 20–50+ lb range. They're slower, with fewer bites and bigger fish, and they're capped at 4 anglers. Not sure which fits your group? Text Chad your dates and goals, and he'll give you an honest recommendation. See all trip options on our rates page.
Weather, Timing and Rescheduling
Start times change with the seasons to match the best fishing. You'll get a confirmation text the evening before with your final start time and meeting details. If you haven't heard from us by 7:00 PM, send a text. We leave right on time, and trips aren't extended for late arrivals, so plan to arrive a few minutes early.
If conditions are safe, we fish, including cold, wind, rough water and light rain. Trips are canceled only for unsafe conditions like lightning or severe storms, and weather calls are usually made the evening before. Read the full deposit and cancellation policy and our trip instructions before your trip.
Rules on the Boat
To keep every trip safe and running smoothly, personal rods and tackle, glass containers, alcohol, illegal substances, sunflower seeds and bananas aren't allowed on the boat. Please keep rods in their holders unless you're fighting a fish. Every guest must sign the liability waiver before boarding, so send the link to your whole group ahead of time.
- Food & non-alcoholic drinks (no alcohol at any time) in a small cooler
- Texas fishing license (every angler)
- Sunscreen and a hat — even in winter
- Cooler for your catch (with ice)
- Camera or phone for the trophy photos
- A properly fitting life jacket for each child if you have one (we have kids' sizes too)
- Layers — mornings can be cold even in summer
- Tip in cash if you want to (never expected)
- 26' SeaArk Pro Guide boat — rigged + fueled
- All rods, reels, tackle, terminal gear
- Fresh-caught shad and cut bait
- Garmin sonar + side imaging electronics
- Minn Kota trolling motor with spot-lock
- USCG-approved adult life jackets
- Fish cleaning and bagging (under 5 lb keepers)
- 29 years of know-how and 525+ five-star reviews
What if...?
The questions we get most from first-time clients.
No. Most of our clients are first-timers. We handle everything — baiting, casting, taking fish off the hook. You reel them in.
That's fine. The SeaArk Pro Guide is a wide, stable platform — easy to board, easy to walk around. We'll get you comfortable in 5 minutes.
We fish in light rain, cold, and wind — the fish bite better in worse weather. If conditions are genuinely unsafe we cancel and reschedule. The call is at our discretion the day before.
Our lakes don't get rough enough to cause seasickness. The hull cuts chop well and we move slowly when fishing.
We do everything in our power to put you on fish, but no guide guarantees a catch. Some days are slow. We've earned 525+ five-star reviews by working hard regardless of conditions.
Personal rods and tackle aren't permitted. We provide professionally maintained rods, reels and tackle suited to the species we're targeting.
Yes. Kids 5 and older are welcome, and half-day trips are a great fit for families. Every person on the boat counts toward the angler total.
Yes. Legal catfish under 5 lbs can be kept, and we fillet and bag them for you. Catfish over 5 lbs are photographed and released.
No. Alcohol, glass containers, illegal substances, sunflower seeds and bananas aren't permitted on the boat.
Got a different question? Check the full FAQ → or just text us.
Text a Question525+ Five-Star
Reviews.
Real reviews from real clients, straight from Google.
"One of the best days I have had fishing in my life! Chad had us catching fish within the first 5 minutes on the water, and it did not stop until our time was up. Chad clearly knows his stuff and he knows the lake like the back of his hand. DO NOT hesitate to book a trip — you will not regret it."
"His boat is awesome — top of the line and comfortable. I do a lot of fishing, and Chad's knowledge of the lake and where the fish would be was unmatched. He was a professional and went above and beyond. We slayed them. My buddy even caught about a 27-pound blue cat on light tackle."
"Best fishing guide service. Never disappointing trip. We have done like 6 trips. Will continue. If you are looking for a fun fishing trip, Chad F is the person to call."
Ready to wet a line?
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