Our Captains
Robert "RT" Trosset
Patrick "Sleepy" Cline
Capt. Robert “RT” Trosset
No captain is more synonymous with or renowned in Key West than Trosset, who since 1974 has been guiding anglers to catches that include 238 IGFA world records. Raised in Cocoa Beach, moving to Key West after college, Trosset quickly found an avid following among hardcore, light-tackle anglers in the Miami Beach Rod and Reel Club, as well as other serious world-record chasers.
The first guide to lead anglers to over 100 world records, Capt. Trosset has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Gamefish Association (IGFA) and in 2019 was a recipient of the IGFA's Tommy Gifford Legendary Captains Award. RT delights when kids catch their first tarpon or a 96-year-old lands a permit on fly while fishing with Spindrift Charters. Trust us… Google© him - RT is the real deal.
Captain RT has had the unique opportunity to fish with some of the finest anglers throughout the world and credits many legendary Key West captains with taking him under their wing and teaching him the basics of Florida Keys Fishing.
With a half-century of experience, Capt. Trosset has now developed an experienced, young crew that can Captain your fishing trip or serve as a mate on an offshore adventure. Spindrift’s captains all proclaim “there is no substitute in life for being trained by the best.”
Capt. Patrick "Sleepy" Cline
Raised in Missouri, Capt. Sleepy quickly adapted to the warm, fish-filled waters of Key West. Patrick cast off the coat, gloves and boots in favor of Key West’s requisite shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops.
When Patrick decided to chase his dream of being a fishing guide in the Florida Keys and reached out to Capt. Trosset, RT’s first question was “Can you throw a 12’ cast net?” Cline returned home for two weeks to practice throwing the cast net, day and night. He returned to Key West, an expert in seemingly effortlessly throwing the monster cast net at the start of the day to fill the bait wells. His love of fishing the waters of Key West grows each day.
Over the past four years, Cline has become an accomplished captain for Spindrift Charters and consistently receives rave reviews from our customers. In May of 2018, during a phenomenal sailfish run, Patrick hooked and released 39 sailfish in one day!