Quick Answer: A half-day family charter near New Orleans runs about four to five hours on calm, protected marsh water, with a rod in every hand and all gear provided.
Booking a first fishing trip for your kids comes with questions. Will they get bored? Is the water safe? What actually happens on the boat?
Here’s a walk-through of a family charter near New Orleans, from showing up to getting back to the dock.
Before the Trip
Captain Jimmy launches out of Shell Beach, about 35 minutes from downtown New Orleans. Rods, tackle, bait, ice, and drinks are provided. Kids should bring sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and clothes they don’t mind getting wet or a little fishy.
There’s no strict minimum age. Younger kids do well if they’re comfortable on a boat and interested in fishing, and the trip can be adjusted to the group. If you’re unsure whether your child is ready, ask when you book.
Getting on the Water
The marsh around Delacroix, Hopedale, and Shell Beach is protected inshore water — shallow ponds, bayous, and calm interior lakes. No open Gulf, no rolling swells.
The water is flat, so kids can focus on fishing instead of holding on. For families with young children or anyone prone to motion sickness, this is about as easy as boat fishing gets.
What Kids Actually Do
This isn’t a trip where kids watch an adult fish. Captain Jimmy puts a rod in every hand and makes sure everyone is actively fishing.
Speckled trout are a great first fish. They bite aggressively, fight hard for their size, and aren’t so big that a young angler needs help landing one. Doing it themselves is what turns a fun morning into a request to go again.
Sheepshead are a hit too. They hit hard, fight harder than their size suggests, and sit around structure, so the bites come fast.
Staying Engaged
The biggest risk on any kid’s first trip is boredom. Captain Jimmy moves if a spot goes quiet rather than waiting.
Redfish, trout, flounder, and sheepshead share the same water, so there’s almost always something biting. Dolphins working near the rocks and nearshore areas are one more thing kids talk about on the ride home.
After the Trip
Captain Jimmy cleans and bags the catch at the dock. Bring a cooler and take dinner home. Redfish and speckled trout are both excellent table fare.
Half-day trips run roughly four to five hours — a full experience without testing a young attention span. You can be back in New Orleans in time for lunch.
You Came for New Orleans. Now Get Into the Marsh.
Most people come to New Orleans for the food, the music, and the culture. And they should — there’s nowhere else like it.
But if you’re already making the trip, you’re 35 minutes from one of the best inshore fisheries in the country. Getting out on the water isn’t leaving New Orleans behind — it’s seeing the rest of it.
The same coast that produces the shrimp, the crawfish, and the oysters on every menu in the French Quarter is alive out here in the marsh. Louisiana didn’t earn the name “Sportsman’s Paradise” by accident. You just don’t see that part from Bourbon Street.
Spend your evening eating and listening to live music. Spend your morning watching your kids catch their first fish in the marsh. Not many places in the world let you do both in the same 24 hours.
Captain Jimmy Corley runs guided trips out of Shell Beach year-round. Call (504) 258-4431 or book your trip online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What should we expect on our kids’ first fishing trip near New Orleans?
A: Calm, protected marsh water, a rod in every hand, frequent action across several species, and a captain who moves to find biting fish. Most first-timers, kids included, catch fish.
Q: Is the water rough for kids on a New Orleans charter?
A: No. The marsh is shallow, protected inshore water with no open Gulf swells.
Q: What should kids bring on a fishing charter?
A: Sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, and clothes they don’t mind getting wet. Captain Jimmy provides rods, tackle, bait, ice, and drinks.
Q: Can we keep the fish our kids catch?
A: Yes. Captain Jimmy cleans and bags the catch at the dock. Bring a cooler for the ride home.
Q: How long is a family-friendly charter out of Shell Beach?
A: Half-day trips run roughly four to five hours.
Ready to Fish?
Call Captain Jimmy at (504) 258-4431 or book online at waterfowlspecialist.com
Shell Beach, St. Bernard Parish — 35 minutes from downtown New Orleans