Our family of five wanted a day on the water and to catch some fish. We caught 12-15 Mackerel (I stopped counting after awhile) then Captain Richie changed out the tackle for some shark fishing. Fifteen minutes later it got real. First my son battled for 20 minutes and then passed it off to me. I only lasted 15 minutes, maybe, and had to give it back to him. When the fight was over, 45 minutes later, we had the greatest, up close view of a 13’, 800 pound tiger shark. My arms are still shaking 4 hours later. Captain Richie delivered on some great memories for our family. We will see him again on our next trip to Gulf Shores.

We had an amazing time fishing with Russell’s Coastal Fishing and Captain Ritchie! Our group—Grandpa, two sons-in-law, and two boys—went out for a 6-hour inshore trip and caught Spanish mackerel and even two sharks within minutes of trying. Captain Ritchie definitely earns the nickname “Shark Whisperer!”

He was incredibly personable, fun to be around, and clearly knows his stuff. The boat was clean and well-maintained, and all the gear and bait were provided, which made everything easy and smooth. What stood out most was how great he was with the kids—patient, engaging, and always willing to share his thought process on fishing, which made the experience both exciting and educational.

We’d 100% recommend this trip to anyone looking to get out on the water and have a great time. If you go, just relax and enjoy it—Captain Ritchie will take care of the rest!

What a great captain, he went above and beyond to make sure we caught a shark! He explained everything very well in the beginning, which was very helpful. He was definitely a family man and you could tell he enjoys doing what he does! We caught a huge nurse shark and black-tip shark with him! As well as we caught mackerel, bluefish, and ladyfish! He gave us an unforgettable experience and we will forever cherish the memories he brought to us! We definitely recommend fishing with Richie.

Caught a variety of species before gearing up for some shark fishing. Took a while before they started to bite. All of the sudden we had two sharks hooked at the same time. Great experience. My sons aged 9 & 11 were super excited to see the fight up close. Would definitely recommend if you’re looking for some exciting fishing a little closer into the shoreline.

Russell was fantastic!  Shared a wealth of knowledge of the area, type of fish, etc. trip exceeded expectations. He is without doubt the shark whisperer as we caught 2 big ones on our trip. First experience catching a shark and won’t be my last next time I vacation in Orange beach.