About Captain James

Captain James McCanless is a Gulf Coast native of Mississippi. He is also a six-tour Army veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. Born and raised in Gulfport, Captain James has fished all his life and you can say that he is a top Mississippi Gulf Coast fishing charter service operator with the level that he is in now. 

He got exposed to fishing and started young which is why he developed a deep passion for the sport at an early age. As a kid, he spent his summers charter fishing in Biloxi at the old Broadwater Marina during its glory days. He fished there almost every day, and with countless hours spent, he took this opportunity to improve his angling skills and perfect the fishing techniques he wanted to pursue. Each day, he watched as the charter boats would come and return to the dock with their varying catches. He has always been amazed at how experienced anglers manage to come back with a boat full of fish and with satisfied customers on board wanting to repeat the trip. It sparked more of his curiosity and interest to learn more and discover other relevant things about fishing. He put the effort into taking notes when speaking with the captains From the meaningful conversations, he gets tips, tricks, and new ideas that he believes he can later use if he goes out for a run. He enjoys all these simple and takes all these simple things seriously. 

One day he woke up and realized that his greatest dream is to become a professional Biloxi charter captain someday! With his hard work, for the past several years, that dream is slowly turning into a reality. After getting his captain’s license, he began by running Biloxi fishing charters for local companies as a part-time relief captain. 

Later on, he also shifted to take on Biloxi charters for many of the top-rated companies in the coastal area—this is where he earned his reputation as a reliable captain who could put his customers on the fish. Now, with a brand-new boat, his own company called Aquiline Charters, and an absolute love for mentoring and taking people to fun-filled Biloxi fishing trips, he can say that he has completed and fulfilled his dream of becoming an experienced charter captain.

Specialties

Capt James specializes in unparalleled inshore and offshore fishing experience. With a selection of Sunset Cruise Non-fishing, Dolphin Watching, and Island Tours available to choose from, the charter at Gulfport takes pride in providing the best possible adventure for all guests. Capt James can teach you the basics of deep sea fishing, trolling fishing, and jigging as well as heavy tackle and light tackle techniques with ease.

Most Suitable Guests:

We provide families with the perfect opportunity to explore and appreciate the world of angling. Our experienced crew will show you how to catch fish, regardless if you're a beginner or a seasoned fisherman. Your kids will be thrilled with their first open-water fishing experience, sharing this exciting family adventure of casting lines into the vast blue sea.

Fish Species You Can Expect:

We target red drum, speckled trout, sheepshead, and flounder inshore. Offshore our targets are cobia, triple tail, red snapper, mangrove snapper, and sharks.

The Boat:

Hop on a 2023 Bluewave 2800 Makaira boat. It is equipped with the latest and greatest technology. Some of the features are joystick control with sensation and autopilot, side scan & down scan sonar, Ipilot trolling motor, radar, and a flushable head. This vessel is fast, and fuel-efficient with its twin-stepped hull design. Impressively, it is capable of running up to 74 mph, wherein the typical cruising speed is 45mph. That means you can run 50% faster and get 50% better fuel economy than other competition. This fishing machine offers a safe and reliable ride as well during island tours, dolphin watching, sunset cruise trips, and many other non-fishing trips offered by Captain James.

Don’t hesitate and seize the opportunity to enjoy everything that Captain James McCanless has to offer today. This one is a vacation to remember!