Charter Captain Q&A: Caroline Scotti, Jax Charters

Charter Captain Caroline Scotti runs Jax Charters from her 2015 Regulator 28 center console boat in and around the waters of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

According to Scotti, "there’s no boat like it. The 28 is a beast that handles everything we throw at her.”  

At 26 years old, Caroline is entering her fifth season as a captain, fishing for everything from fluke and striped bass to bluefin tuna - and occasionally giving her guests a glimpse of whales in Cape Cod Bay and the Atlantic. She says the boat is always up to the task, and she plans on putting another 500 hours on her Regulator 28 this season alone.

We caught up with Scotti as she prepares for another busy charter season aboard her Regulator 28. 

 

What’s your favorite thing about the Regulator 28?

The ride. When the wind picks up, the waters around Cape Cod can get really rough. We regularly deal with 3 to 5-foot seas and even 6 to 8-foot choppy waters, but the boat handles it all with ease. And on the rare calm days, it's a huge plus to be able to push a boat this sturdy and heavy up to about 50 knots.

What features are most helpful for fishing?  

Space and dryness are definitely some favorite features of my Regulator 28. The seating comfortably fits up to six clients and me, and the 28 is by far the smoothest riding boat in its class. The bow flare keeps my clients and me nice and dry even in rough seas. 

 

We understand you “broke from the tradition of Grady and Whaler.” Was fishing a family tradition? Are you the first to own a Regulator?

Yes, my dad has been a boat guy as long as I can remember, starting with Boston Whalers and moving through the entire Grady-White lineup up to the 37 Canyon. When I needed a reliable boat for chartering, I’d heard great things about Regulator, but my experience was mostly with Grady-Whites, Pursuits, and Boston Whalers. After seeing the Regulator in Connecticut, I knew I’d found a whole new class of boat and couldn’t go back. It’s been proving itself since I got it in 2021.

Inshore vs. Offshore - where do you spend most of your time?        

We do an equal amount of inshore and offshore fishing on our 28. Most striped bass trips are within a few miles offshore. For fluke fishing, we typically make 80-100 nautical mile round trips, and from July through October, we chase bluefin tuna, sometimes running up to 200 nautical miles per trip. 

How many hours are you running each season?

We have been chartering our Regulator 28 for four seasons and each season we put about 500 hours on the boat - that’s five 100-hour services on our twin Yamaha 300s!

The Regulator powers through it all, thanks to its solid weight and bow flare. Even in the biggest seas, while other boats struggle, this one glides smoothly. We cruise comfortably at 30 to 32 knots, making a solid 1.7 miles per gallon.

Are you a charter captain running a Regulator? We would love to hear from you at [email protected].

Read more about Caroline in Anglers Journal:

THE ONE SPECIES THAT REALLY GOT ME INTO FISHING, and eventually chartering, is the giant bluefin tuna. My first one weighed 840 pounds dressed, and at the risk of sounding cheesy, I was hooked. I was in my late teens when I caught my first giant, and I decided that I wanted to figure out a way to fish for a living. 

I grew up in Connecticut, and I’ve fished with my dad ever since I can remember. We’d go to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, every summer. I always loved it there and decided that’s where I want to be. I started working at a tackle shop in Chatham and moved to the Cape full time in 2021. Then I got my captain’s license and started chartering. I’m 26, and fishing is my life. 

I run a 2015 Regulator 28 with twin 300-hp Yamahas. I’m on my third season with this boat, and I don’t see her going anywhere in the future. She’s not the fastest boat out there, but the ride is fantastic. We fish for everything from fluke to striped bass to bluefin, and the boat is always up to the challenge. I’m completely in love with her. 

On the Cape, we deal with 3-foot chop pretty much on the regular — some days it’s more like 6- to 8-footers — and this boat has the weight and bow flare to push right through the waves. It throws water like no other boat this size. We added a new Isinglass windshield and wings, so the customers and I stay dry. Even in big seas, when other boats are flying out of the water, the weight of this boat keeps her riding nice and soft. We cruise comfortably at 30 to 32 knots, getting 1.7 mpg. 

Slips are a hot commodity on the Cape, and I don’t have a spot for the boat, so I trailer it. She’s big enough to take six people out but small enough to trailer. I’m pushing it a tiny bit, but it’s OK. I don’t fit at all the gas stations, but I’ve found a few where I do.

I haven’t had to do much to the boat. We updated the electronics and installed an autopilot. We run 40 miles to get to the tuna grounds, and being able to set a waypoint and sit back is a real game-changer. We fish for giants out of the gunwales, so I installed some swivel rod holders. The gunwales on the Regulator don’t flex at all, and they didn’t need to be reinforced like some other boats. The rod holders can handle the power of an 800- or 900-pound fish no problem. 

The livewell works great; I haven’t even had to swap out the pump, which is kind of amazing. The fold-down aft bench is perfect for guys to sit on during the ride out, and when it’s time to fish, it stows out of the way. There’s a big fishbox forward that I load with ice, and it can fit three or four recreational-size tuna. 

There is a good-size anchor locker and windlass for the days when we drop the hook. The seating in the bow is also nice for clients. There’s a table on the bow that I use when I have fly anglers on board. It makes a great casting platform.

I named the boat Lil’ Jax, which was what we called my younger brother who passed away. He loved the boat, and I like having him around somehow. If I could change one thing it’d probably be the hull color. The dark blue shows everything. But the truck we use to tow the boat is also dark blue, and they make a handsome pair. It’s a little more upkeep, but I love the way it looks.