Our Captains
Captain Rich Harris is the senior captain and is a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain and Maritime Officer.  He has been near the water all his life and has fished all over the world in places like, Caracas Venezuela, Panama Canal, East Coast of Africa, Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. He is retired from the U.S. Air Force where he proudly served for 22 years, most of that time here locally at Charleston AFB, fishing the inshore waterways every chance he had.  He lives off of the Wando River and is an outstanding guide to see all of the wildlife the Low Country has to offer. He has won numerous local inshore saltwater fishing tournaments to include a most recent 1st place/record breaking 14 lb sheepshead on ultra light line in the year-long Charleston Trident Fishing Tournament. He was also named the Trident’s inshore angler of the year and The Reel Deal won for boat of the year.  A 1st and 3rd place trout, in the 2004 LLCA tournament and in 2002 a 1st place flounder. Captain Rich is a Christian and a member of Cathedral of Praise church in North Charleston, so you are guaranteed good times in a great atmosphere with him.

Captain Kevin Renno is a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain and Maritime Officer. He grew up on the Chattahoochee River, chasing trout and bass until he left home for college.  After graduating from the University of Georgia, he traveled throughout the southeast as a salesman; stopping to fish every place he could. His vast 15+ years of local fishing knowledge was evident when he was elected to the Board of Directors for the East Cooper Fishing Club (ECFC). Captain Kevin is a very knowledgeable fisherman and brings a unique perspective from being a diver who explores many of our best fishing grounds into the boat.  He brings that knowledge, with the heart of a teacher and a will to show you the tricks of the trade to land a trophy fish.  A true fisherman in every sense of the work, he guarantees a great time of fishing and fun.

Captain Brian Garris is a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain and Maritime Officer. He grew up fishing the waters of the Lowcounty from his fathers dock located in the Wando River. Living on the water as a child afforded him the opportunity to become intimately knowledgeable with the waters of the Charleston Harbor, Cooper River, Intercostal Waterway, and of course the Wando River. He still lives in Mt. Pleasant with his wife and children whom are fishing enthusiasts as well. When not fishing with The Reel Deal Charters he fishes the IFA Redfish Tour and HT Redfish Series  traveling from Florida to North Carolina to compete in these nationally known tournaments. He has won several local tournaments to include the Christian Fishing Association Trout Division in 2008, ECFC Annual Spring and Fall tournaments for 2008/09, with a first place prize winner in the redfish and sheepshead division. He is one of the founders of the East Cooper Fishing Club, an organization founded to help others become better fishermen and to give back to the community. Having been born and raised in Mt. Pleasant his knowledge of the local history is a plus, and he will surely share some stories while making your way to the fishing grounds.

Captain Patrick Crawford is a certified U.S. Coast Guard Captain and Maritime Officer. He grew up in the Bonneau and Moncks Corner area of South Carolina where his whole family was avid largemouth and catfish enthusiasts. He grew up learning the fly fishing and fly tying art from his grandfather. Living so close to the Cooper River, Tail Race Canal and the upper and lower lakes gave him constant exposure to salt, brackish and freshwater and allowed him to fish for variety of species. He now lives in Charleston, SC where he frequents the Wando River, Intercoastal Waterway, Charleston Harbor and Ashley River. When he is not fishing with Reel Deal Charters he fishes the IFA Redfish Tour, HT Redfish Series and Low Country Redfish Cup, traveling from Florida to North Carolina to compete in these nationally recognized tournaments. He has won several local tournaments to include many ECFC titles for redfish and sheepshead, Christian Fishing Association Trout Division in 2008. Patrick served three years on the board of directors for East Cooper Fishing Club and tournament director for one year. Patrick is dedicated to the preservation of our local fisheries and waterways. Having been raised in the Charleston area, Patrick is a wealth of knowledge on our local resources and historical stories. During your trip with him, he will not only put you on the big fish but he will identify various natural wonders that make Charleston a truly special place to be.

Captain Carl Griffin A native of North Carolina he came to Charleston in 1989 after finishing his second tour in the U.S. Navy. He started fishing the local waters off shore onboard the Thunderstar as a mate and worked his way up to Captain. He has fished from North Carolina to Australia for everything from Sea Bass to Marlin. With twenty years of experience on the local waters surrounding Charleston it goes without saying that he can find the fish! Captain Carl specializes in bottom fishing and trolling using only top of the line equipment. He is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain with a good sense humor so you are guaranteed a laugh while catching big fish.

You can be assured that when you choose The Reel Deal Charters for your next trip you will be treated like one of the family.  All the captains are top professionals in the sport and know how to put you on the fish.  We cannot guarantee you will catch fish as everyone’s skill level is different but, we can guarantee that if you listen to the captain you will get the bites.  We also teach fishing basics like casting, proper baiting techniques, setting the hook and much, much more.  There is always loads of fun for the young and old alike.

Any feedback you give us will be greatly appreciated!  Sometimes a new point of view may facilitate change that will not only help the next group but will make your next trip that much better.  Please e-mail us any comments to the1reeldeal@aol.com and we will answer you as soon as possible.