Queen Fleet Deep Sea Fishing has served Clearwater, Florida with high-quality open party and private fishing trips for more than 50 years, a genuinely multi-generational family business tracing back to Capt. Gene Spaulding, who started running fishing boats out of Clearwater Marina in the mid-1950s. His son, Capt. Dave Spaulding, bought his first charter boat by age 21 while working as a Clearwater firefighter, purchasing his first party-fishing boat in the early 1970s to found the Queen Fleet. Today, third-generation Clearwater fisherman Capt. Eric Spaulding runs many of the trips.
The fleet features two distinctive boats: the Super Queen, a 90-foot vessel licensed for up to 150 passengers, described as the largest headboat around, with a sun deck and plenty of lounge space for half-day fishing trips; and the Gulf Queen, a 75-foot, 75-passenger boat known for its agility and speed, delivering more actual fishing time on all-day trips.
The crew includes genuinely long-tenured members: Capt. Stan Czaplicki, the manager with more than 40 years at Queen Fleet; Capt. Bob “Brillo” Kirn, captaining all-day Gulf Queen trips for more than 5 years with a real gift for helping beginners land their first big grouper; Capt. Todd Legath, with more than 10 years split between deckhand and Super Queen captain duties; and Craig Cunningham, the Gulf Queen’s expert onboard chef.
Options include half-day and all-day open party trips, private charters, and gift certificates, all bookable online.
For anglers and families near Clearwater Beach, Florida looking for a genuinely historic, more than 50-year, three-generation family deep sea fishing operation, Queen Fleet Deep Sea Fishing offers an exceptional operation with the Spaulding family.
