Inshore Guide Acadamy

About the Captain

Master Captain Kevin Duckworth owns and operates Niteline Charters. A retired public school educator from Pennsylvania, Captain Kevin founded Niteline Charters in 2019 with a passion for fishing, the outdoors, and creating meaningful experiences on the water.

As a father of three and a follower of Jesus Christ, Captain Kevin believes that some of life’s most important lessons happen outside the classroom. Throughout his career as an educator, he developed a passion for teaching, mentoring, and helping young people discover their strengths and potential.

Today, he sees the water as the perfect classroom.

Through Niteline Charters, Captain Kevin enjoys sharing his knowledge of boating, fishing, marine life, conservation, and the responsibility that comes with being on the water. His goal goes beyond simply helping someone catch a fish. He wants to create experiences that build confidence, develop life skills, encourage stewardship of our waterways, and provide opportunities for young people to learn from someone who genuinely cares about their future.

That passion for education and mentorship is what led to the development of Niteline Charters Inshore Guide School—a hands-on program designed to introduce students to boating, fishing, conservation, leadership, and the professional skills of becoming an inshore fishing guide.

For Captain Kevin, the boat is more than a vessel, and fishing is more than a sport. It is an opportunity to teach, mentor, connect, and make a lasting impact—one trip and one student at a time.

Our Program 

Becoming an Inshore Fishing Guide is a hands-on, 15-week educational experience designed to introduce students to the skills, knowledge, and responsibilities of becoming an inshore fishing guide. (This is not a USCG OUPV Course)   

Led by experienced educator and professional Captain Kevin Duckworth, students will learn both in the classroom and on the water. The program combines fishing instruction with practical lessons in boat safety, boat operation, navigation, fish identification, conservation, marine science, and responsible angling.

Students will learn how to read the water, understand tides and weather, select fishing locations, rig tackle, use live bait and artificial lures, safely handle fish, and operate a boat in a variety of inshore environments. Just as importantly, students will learn how to communicate with others, solve problems, work as a team, and provide a safe and enjoyable experience for fishing clients.

The program is designed to be more than a fishing class. It is an opportunity for students to develop confidence, leadership, responsibility, outdoor skills, and an appreciation for Florida's coastal environment.

Throughout the 15-week experience, students will progressively take on more responsibility, culminating in a student-led guided fishing experience where they can demonstrate the skills they have developed under the supervision of experienced Master captain.

Whether a student dreams of becoming a professional fishing guide, pursuing a career on the water, or simply wants to develop valuable life skills while spending time outdoors, Niteline Inshore Guide Academy provides a unique opportunity to learn, explore, and grow on the water.

What is Included

Niteline Charters Inshore Guide Academy is a 15-week, hands-on educational experience designed to provide students with meaningful classroom instruction and practical experience on the water.

Program Tuition: $1,395

Tuition includes:

• 15 weeks of instruction and hands-on training

• 1 day a week, 3 hours per day

• Classroom instruction covering boating safety, navigation, fishing techniques, fish identification, conservation, weather, tides, and professional guide responsibilities

• On-the-water training aboard a Niteline Charters vessel

• Instruction in boat operation, navigation, fishing techniques, tackle, knots, rigging, fish handling, and client safety

• Practical experience planning and participating in guided fishing trips

• Certificate of Completion from Niteline Charters Inshore Guide School

• Documented Sea Time recording the student's practical time on the water, signed by Captain Kevin Duckworth

• Final practical evaluation of boating, fishing, safety, conservation, and guide skills

Our goal is to provide students with more than a fishing experience. We want them to leave the program with knowledge, confidence, practical experience, documented time on the water, and a better understanding of what it takes to become a professional inshore fishing guide.

Program completion and documented sea time do not replace any federal, state, or local licenses, certifications, or credentials that may be required for professional charter operations.