Cowboy Cowgirl SportFishing Charters

Cowboy Cowgirl SportFishing Charters traces its roots back to 1965, when Hans Baumgarten founded the operation that his family still runs today from Charter Boat Row at the Key West City Marina on Garrison Bight. Three generations of the Baumgarten family have now taken anglers out onto essentially the same waters the family has fished for six decades, a rare continuity in an industry where boats and operators change hands frequently.

The fleet covers a broad range of fishing styles, with offshore trips targeting mahi mahi, tuna, wahoo, and sailfish out in deeper water, along with dedicated shark fishing charters, reef and wreck fishing closer to the island, and light tackle fishing for anglers who prefer a more finesse-oriented approach over heavy offshore trolling gear. Specialty trips out to the Marquesas Keys, an uninhabited atoll west of Key West known for flats and backcountry fishing, round out the range of options available depending on what an angler is after.

Every charter includes fishing gear, bait, tackle, and the required state fishing licenses as part of the booking, along with ice for the catch, fish cleaning service, and a professional crew, removing most of the logistical friction that can come with arranging an independent fishing trip. The business operates its own fleet of sportfishing boats rather than a single vessel, giving it the flexibility to run multiple charters simultaneously during busy periods without turning away bookings.

For anglers researching options along Charter Boat Row, a business with sixty years of family ownership behind it carries a certain weight that newer operations cannot match, both in terms of institutional knowledge of local fish patterns and in the kind of repeat clientele that builds up over multiple generations of the same family running the boats. The range of trip types, from heavy offshore trolling to light tackle finesse fishing to specialty shark charters, also means the operation can serve a fairly wide spread of angler experience levels and interests without needing to send guests elsewhere for a style of fishing outside its usual specialty.

Because the operation runs its own small fleet rather than a single boat, group size and boat selection can typically be matched to the trip booked, whether that is a larger family charter or a more focused offshore run for serious anglers. The Marquesas Keys trips in particular require calm weather and a longer run time, so they are typically scheduled with some flexibility built in around conditions. With three generations of the same family behind the wheel, the crew’s familiarity with how local fish patterns shift through the seasons tends to show up in trip planning, especially for visitors unsure which style of fishing best matches the time of year they are visiting.