about us
Our Mission
We love being on the water.
Our captains have been featured on ESPN, ABC, Bravo and Discovery Channel several times. RedFin Charters is dedicated to providing the best offshore fishing experience possible in the Lowcountry. We provide an amazing experience for all levels of anglers and customize each charter to the desired level of the angler.
RedFin Charters has been voted "Best Fishing Charter" in Charleston for 6 years in a row. We currently have over 800 five star reviews and provide the ultimate offshore adventure. Our captains are certified by the US Coast Guard and have over 200 years of combined experience.
Meet your crew
OWNER
Capt. Joel LeVine
Capt. Joel LeVine has watched the tides come in and out on the Charleston coast for decades. He has in many ways grown up with the water– living on boats in the harbors, scheduling college classes around fishing and, of course, chasing after the many species the water holds. He has a special bond to this area, from a long running family history to his current conservation efforts to ensure his kids get the same– if not better– fishery that he has. Capt. Joel built RedFin Charters to not only put people on fish, but also to give people an experience they’d never forget while instilling a sense of appreciation and respect for the ecosystem. He is an inshore light tackle master and a gracious guide and teacher. Capt. Joel also not only practices catch and release at RedFin, but one of his goals is to put more fish in the water each year. Years ago a coldsnap ripped through the area, leaving in its wake scores of dead fish. The spotted seatrout were the main victims. Capt. Joel knew something needed to be done to help the fishery, so he founded Project ReSpeck. They were able to raise tens of thousands of dollars to donate to the Waddell Mariculture Center for a new specialized spawning tank that could produce 700,000 speckled trout a year. No matter your experience level or background, fishing with Capt. Joel– or any of the outstanding guides he has hired– guarantees you will walk away with much more than you came with. Be it a new skill set, refined existing skills, a new outlook on conservation, a new passion, or cherished memories.
SENIOR GUIDE
Capt. Justin Carter
When Captain Justin Carter was young he asked his mom, “Do people get to live on vacation?” He was referring to the Outer Banks, where his family was vacationing. She replied, that yes people do get to live and work where other people take vacations. The idea of living a life that most people dream of stuck with him. A few years and a couple hundred fish later, Capt. Justin found himself at the College of Charleston. The decision wasn’t necessarily based entirely on academics– the fishing around Charleston was just too good.
Capt. Justin made the waters around Charleston his home. He fell in love with the fishery, the laid back lifestyle, the great people, and the incredible nature that surrounds Charleston. He first fished the area by kayak which forced him to slow down and really be in the moment more. He would work all day through areas that most anglers from motorized boats would only fish for half an hour. He was able to observe the ecosystem better this way as well and learned the subtleties of the ecosystem. He eventually started competing in kayak tournaments and worked his way to becoming one of the best kayak anglers in the country.
He started guiding charters as a way to share his passion and knowledge with others. He loves taking people out and providing safe and fun charters full of memories that they will cherish forever. His commitments to the fishery and to the sport are contagious– you’ll no doubt leave feeling like you just took a master class in ecology and saltwater fishing.
GUIDE
Capt. Austin Daniel
Austin Daniel Hailing from the small Georgia town of Waynesboro, Austin Daniel first held a fishing rod when he was two years old. His parents spared no time getting young Austin out on the boat to fish local ponds. When he was in middle school he started tournament fishing with his dad, which helped him quickly hone in on his skills. Striped bass were his species of choice, but it did not take him long to fall in love with redfish. He attended Charleston South University and started a fishing charter company with his dad after college. If you ask him what his favorite part of fishing in Charleston is, he will tell you all about chasing big bull red fish in the grass or the variety of species you can catch in the local waters. His teaching background helps him relay technique to his clients. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced angler, being on Captain Austin’s boat you know you will walk away with new knowledge and experiences to take home. Captain Austin understands the importance of sustainability and what it means to maintain a healthy fishery. As he sums it up as, “a hell of a fishery” and he does his part to ensure that it stays that way. He encourages his guests to take the catch and release principles, as well as a sustainability mindset, with them to their homewaters.
LEAD FLY GUIDE
Capt. Pat Person
Ask Capt. Pat Person what his favorite fish is, and with a big smile he will say, “Tarpon. They control me.” Tarpon haunt many angler’s dreams and many may not realize that the silver kings make their way all the way up to the Charleston area. For Capt. Pat, the estuaries and rivers around Charleston are paradise. The ever changing conditions of the fishery keep him on toes– there are hardly any other places where you can catch a hundred pound tarpon in the same water you usually fish for reds in. Capt. Pat was five or six when his dad first put a fly rod in his hand. Young Pat would accompany his dad on fishing trips on his native Pennsylvania trout streams. Growing up, he was lucky enough to travel around the country and fish in different destinations, exposing him to different species, techniques, and guides. Having so much exposure to great guides across the US, Pat decided that he wanted to become one. On top of his six years guiding saltwater, he also guided a few years in Colorado. After his westward spell he came back to the east coast in search of a fishy home. Having vacationed in Charleston as a kid and having family friends in the area, he decided on Charleston. Charleston has proved to be a perfect home for Capt. Pat and his family– the fishing season never ends and the area has an abundance of hungry fish. If the conditions aren’t right for fishing (which is rare) you can find him spending time with his family, golfing, or grabbing a bite at the Seewee.