Class Act Charters

Class Act Charters runs two fishing boats out of Zeke’s Marina in Orange Beach, and the company describes itself simply as a small family owned business that makes customer satisfaction a top priority. Captains Dale Woodruff and Bryan Hopkins operate the fleet, splitting duties between a large group boat and a smaller vessel built for tighter charters, which lets the company handle everything from a big family reunion to a handful of friends looking for a half day on the water.

The Class Act itself is a 52 foot vessel that can carry up to 20 passengers, making it one of the larger charter options based at Zeke’s Marina. The boat is outfitted with a fully air conditioned cabin, satellite television with local channels, and a Green Egg grill, amenities aimed at groups that want the trip to feel like an event rather than just a fishing run. For smaller parties, the company also runs Daddy’s Baby, a 38 foot boat capped at six passengers and equipped with its own air conditioned cabin, radio, and MP3 player, offering a more intimate option for families or small groups of anglers.

Trip lengths range from 4 hours up to extended 18 to 24 hour offshore excursions, giving Class Act Charters one of the widest ranges of trip durations among the operations based at Zeke’s Marina. Four hour trips typically target Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, and redfish, while 6 hour trips add triggerfish, vermilion snapper, white snapper, and red snapper to the mix. Eight to ten hour trips reach further for scamp, grouper, amberjack, wahoo, and dolphin, and the longest 12 to 14 hour and overnight trips extend the target list to tuna. A fishing license is not required for guests, and the company provides all necessary equipment and bait as part of the charter.

Fish cleaning is handled as part of the trip at no extra charge for charters under six hours, while longer trips carry a modest thirty cent per pound cleaning fee, a detail the company lists openly on its site rather than folding into the overall charter price. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and drinks, aside from glass containers, along with sun protection and coolers for the catch, and the deck crew assists throughout the trip. The boats depart from Boat Slip B-4 at Zeke’s Marina, 26619 Perdido Beach Boulevard, placing Class Act Charters in the same busy marina district that has anchored much of Orange Beach’s charter fishing fleet for decades.

Customer reviews highlighted on the company’s own site describe strong results on typical trips, with one guest writing that the crew “put us on the meat” and recommending the boat strongly, and another noting how awesome the overall experience was. That kind of repeat, word of mouth business is common among the smaller family owned charters clustered around Zeke’s Marina, where reputation built over years of trips matters more than any single marketing campaign. The company does not charge for weather related cancellations, accepts cash, checks, and major credit cards, and also offers online booking through FishingBooker in addition to its two phone lines, including a separate number for next day booking requests.

Beyond standard fishing trips, Class Act Charters also books corporate and business team building charters and accommodates handicap and disabled guests, widening the range of groups it can serve out of Zeke’s Marina. Between its two boats, wide range of trip lengths, and welcoming approach to families and first time anglers, Class Act Charters covers a broad slice of what visitors look for in an Orange Beach fishing trip. The combination of a large group boat for reunions and events alongside a smaller boat for tighter charters is one of the more flexible setups among the independently owned operations working out of Zeke’s Marina.