Top-Quality, Meticulously Maintained Equipment
A great fishing trip requires great equipment. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the most expensive money can buy, but it must be meticulously cared for and in top working order. At 2 Lagoon Charters, we run a high-end custom skiff that floats and runs in skinny water and also handles heavy chop extremely well. We also provide guests of every skill level with top-shelf gear.
Man-O-War Flats Skiff
For fishing the shallow waters of the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons, boat design, construction and rigging are especially important. The best skiffs for this kind of work float in very shallow water — 8” or less — yet still provide a reasonably smooth ride in chop. They are light enough to propel by hand with a push pole, and their hulls shapes are gently rounded near the waterline to minimize “hull slap” — the noise made by small waves hitting the boat. Effective shallow water skiffs also incorporate expansive, unobstructed forward and aft decks for fishing, while at the same time providing small but comfortable seating areas.
Our meticulously maintained 18-foot Man-O-War skiff ticks all of those boxes and more. She is stable, quiet, fast, and efficient, with ample storage and lots of fishing room. Originally built in 2005, she underwent an extensive refit in 2017 and was rigged with a quiet, clean-running new four-stroke engine that gives her a cruising speed around 35 mph. She can accommodate up to 3 anglers in addition to the captain.
Fishing features include:
Clean, quiet, reliable Suzuki four-stroke 90 hp engine
State-of-the-art, GPS-assisted, remote-control Rhodan trolling motor for silent power
New Raymarine sonar with side-scan to accurately locate fish in deeper water, under docks, and around structure to either side of the boat
Power-Pole shallow water anchor to quickly and silently stop the boat and hold it in position
Elevated casting platform on the bow to provide better visibility for anglers
Poling platform and push pole for ultimate stealth on the flats
Top-Shelf Tackle
We provide all rods, reels, bait and artificial lures. Like our skiff, all our tackle is meticulously maintained and selected based on decades of experience fishing the Indian River and Mosquito Lagoons.
Penn and Alvey spinning reels
Falcon, Star, Shimano and Fenwick rods
Spiderwire braided line
Capt. Fred Pharis
Throughout a 35-year career in information technology, Fred Pharis dreamed of taking people fishing for a living. As soon as he retired, he made that dream a reality with 2 Lagoon Charters, putting his extensive knowledge of the Indian River Lagoon and Mosquito Lagoon to work as a guide.
Ten years later, Capt. Fred is still as avid an angler as ever. When he’s not guiding, he’s usually on the water anyway, scouting for the next trip or simply honing his skills and deepening his knowledge.
Capt. Fred’s top priority is making sure guests have a fun, memorable experience. If that means chasing fish hard all day, great. If it involves introducing kids to the sport or talking about the area’s wildlife and ecology, that’s good too.
Some guides focus so intently on catching fish that they get frustrated and bark at anglers who make mistakes. That will never happen on a 2 Lagoon trip. Your enjoyment comes first.