Fishtale Sales and Service Review

I would like to give praise where praise is due.
I purchased 4 boats from fish tale boats in fort myers.The last one was a 2020 grady white 285 freedom with 2 yamaha engines with helm master. The boat is outstanding.
I am especially pleased with the sales and service department. Ray Jahn and David Russo are truly professional, any question And I ask plenty are always answered.
If you are thinking about purchasing a boat. I would visit them first.

I cannot say enough good things about Fish Tale Boats, Bruce Campbell (my sales expert) and Ray Jon the Sales Manager!!!

Just purchased my 2nd 2018 Chaparral 230 Suncoast from Bruce and it was fantastic! Bought the first one in March. My husband and I hit it off with Bruce right away! He is a very knowledgeable, friendly and very helpful navigating you through the sales process.

The dealership is heavy on service which is very important to us.

After buying the first one in March we decided to expand our Dolphin Tour business "Beach Buddy Tours" by adding a 2nd to the fleet!

Thank you Bruce and Ray Jon you guys are the best! Please feel free to give out my number for a verbal reference anytime!

Carolyn Simoneau
Beach Buddy Tours

Purchased a GW Freedom 335 from Fish Tale Boats and absolutely love it. Our sales person David Russo knows his Grady White boats. He answered every question I had and added a ton of details that I would not have thought of while looking at the boat. When it s time to purchase another GW I ll be looking for David. Thanks again.

Very rude older lady at front desk. I will buy from Bonita boats.

Let me start explain how happy im.
David Russo the salesperson made it happens for me.
Thank you David!!!!
I was shopping for boat for 6 months And fish tale is the right place!
Real professional place. One of a kind!
I highly recommend!
Great prices. Great service!

Best dealer in the area for sure - especially for Robalo.

Buying a boat from David Russo has been a great experience. I have purchased many boats over the years, but nothing has compared to the exceptional service I have gotten buying and AFTER buying the boat from David. David has always been ready to answer any questions or help with any issues that may come up. Boat dealers tell you that you become part of the family when you buy their boats only to find your on your own when issues arise, NOT TRUE with David, he will be there when you need him!!!!

Wasn t exactly sure in what I was looking for in a boat until I stopped in at fishtale... my salesman (David Russo) quickly pointed me in the right direction and got me and my family in the perfect boat at the perfect price point for us! Can t thank David and fishtale enough for the stress free experience and awesome new toy!!

Was thinking about buying a Robalo in Naples, but ended up purchasing in my home state of Michigan this winter. However, during the process Joe Davis was extremely helpful. Need a boat? Joe knows boats.

Had a great experience working with Joe D. The boat was exactly as described and was a real pleasure to deal with!

David Russo has been a great salesman to deal with in our quest to buy our first Robalo ! He was as excited about the boat as we were! David was able to answer all of our questions and is very punctual with any correspondence. We can t wait to take delivery on our new 246 Cayman!

I purchased a slightly used Grady White 307 Freedom from Fish Tail. My entire experience was exceptional as was Ben my salesperson and Ray the manager. Both treated us well and we had a fun time buying the boat. The entire team at Fish is knowledgeable and professional. We went to many dealers from St Petersburg to Naples and although we were treated well by all, Fish Tail made us feel like we were part of the family It was truly a fun experience and we love the boat. Our boat was delivered on time and clean and we got a great orientation from Ben

If Fish Tail has the boat you are looking for buy it if they don t have THE boat you are looking for, buy one they have!!!!

Great experience

Eddiebp

I have had an excellent experience and highly recommend Fish Tale. The sales rep (Mark) was knowledgeable and very helpful, getting me get the right boat in the right configuration, and steering me away from the unneeded things. The after sales support has been really excellent. Working with Blake, I have found the team to be responsive, timely, and professional. They have been particularly accommodating to my challenging schedule for doing maintenance - they are a real pleasure to work with.

I bought a new Robalo 246 Cayman from them and it was delivered a couple of weeks ago. Dave Russo was the salesman. He was great! He went over everything with me and took his time and answered all of my dumb questions. He texted me several times to see if I was happy and if I had any problems and questions. I upgraded the boat with a trolling motor, powerpole, full cover and chartplotter that David recommended, and I am very pleased with them all. They took my old Hurricane in trade and I think they gave me a fair price. I could not be more happy with my purchase and the people at Fish Tale Boats!!!

This is an awesome cruise. Captain Justin is entertaining, knowledgeable and has a keen eye for wildlife. This trip, especially at sunset, will not disappoint! Great for tourists and locals alike. Could not be happier than after taking this excursion.

Bought a new Grady Freedom at Fish Tale from David Russo and was made promises that i was looking forward to taking them up on as i have dealt with other boat dealers in the area that delivered on nothing after the sale, so far i am very pleased with all dealings at Fish Tale with sales and service i would highly recommend going there and checking them out before you buy else where

Great dealership, awesome staff. David Russo was my salesman. Helpful,knowledgeable,honest. Absolute pleasure to deal with. Great experience!

I bought a brand new 2020 Robalo 246 Cayman decked out from David Russo. He was very helpful and made the experience very easy. Will definitely be purchasing from him in the future!

Purchased a used R265 Robalo in March 2019. David Melvin did an excellent job completing the sale. He got answers to all my numerous questions, handled communications with seller, coordinated sea trial and survey, and ordered my trailer. Also very happy with service and parts dept. Definitely a five star experience.

Joe Davis from Fish Tale Boats is very personable, knowledgeable and friendly. I had a super pleasant experience dealing with Joe. I even called him on a Sunday afternoon on a whim because my Chaparral H2O just cut off on me and Joe Davis took the time to walk me through a lot of things to get the motor running again. Keep in mind I purchased my Chaparral from another dealer in the Pensacola region. Come to find out it was a loose wire that wasn t screwed down tight and didn t have contact to the ground.

He didn t have to waste 30 minutes of his time walking us through some trouble shooting. Just tells you what kind of person he is. Totally can trust him and be confident when making a purchase at Fish Tale Boats in Ft. Myers. Thanks for bailing us out Joe Davis. In return we had a lifetime memorable day with family we will never forget.

Service consultant Dave is great, really good at translating customer issues into useful information to the tech. Chad is the tech who has always worked on my boat for some reason, which I really like. His work is second to none for both electrical and motor diagnostics and repair. They were always very upfront with findings, quotes and never tried to "sell" me on anything that wasn't necessary; I trust this place completely with my sled.

Bought my robalo 24' Cayman here from David Melvin. Great sales people very knowledgeable, friendly and professional.

We started shopping for a boat almost a year ago. We were encouraged by friends to check out Fish Tale Boats. We gave them a visit and liked the Robalo. But as we shopped different brands and dealers, we kept coming back to the same conclusion. The people at Fish Tale are just different. So professional, so knowledgeable, and so friendly. From the sales guy to the detailer everyone is great. You can talk to anyone and ask questions. And if you visit the Fort Myers store, make sure you ask for David Russo. A young guy who is very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. And even almost 60 days after the we took delivery, we still ask questions, even not related to the boat, of folks at the store and they are more then willing to help out! Guarantee you won't be disappointed in how David and the other folks treat you at Fish Tales. Five stars isn't enough!

We had a great experience working with Fish Tale Boats. David Melvin was excellent, having a great relationship with our marina and kept us updated on every step along the way. Highly recommend!

The sales and service are top notch. No pressure to buy, honest and trustworthy people.

Worked with David Russo to purchase the perfect Robalo boat I was lucky to find at our local Fish Tale dealer. David was great during the entire transaction and even worked on some details while he was on vacation. Service after the sale has been outstanding. Everyone at the shop goes out of their way to keep the customer happy.

Recently purchased a used boat from here and I couldn't be happier. The sales guy David was easy to work with and made sure everything went smoothly. They cleaned and made sure the boat was running smoothly without making me pay extra for any parts. Also after getting the boat some of the gauges weren't reading properly. So I called them and they came out, and fixed the problem with no questions asked!
If you want to buy a boat I highly recommend this place!!!!

David Melvin was my sales associate. From the very start he went above and beyond. I purchased a Cayman 226 with a 250 Yamaha SHO and I'm very pleased with the purchase and pleased with the customer service that David and the rest of the staff provided and continue to provide. David is very knowledgeable about the products that he sells and will make sure that you're buying exactly what you want/need. I also like the fact that he's a straight shooter and no BS when it comes to answering any/all of my questions. I look forward to the relationship that's developing between Fish Tale and myself...they've treated me like family!
Don't hesitate to stop on in and speak to David if you're interested in a Robalo!

Just purchased a Robalo 242 working with David Melvin. From sea trials through delivery Dave was very professional and punctual. Always kept me abreast of all details, whether it be financing or insuring. At no time was there any sales pressure. Very professional dealership. Cannot say enough about Dave. I highly recommend this dealership if looking for a boat in SW Florida.

Very friendly staff and very clean environment. You can also get mechanics and body work done there

This is a great boat sales place. Have been in a few time for service (100 hour) and am pleased. If you are looking for a great sales guy, ask for Joe! For service check in with Eric. Solid team of pros at Fishtale.... Hauled it to Keuka Lake in NY for summer. Great fun!!! Thanks FT!

Going on three years with my robalo 226. They have been great every step of the way and have stood behind the boat. Service has been great, Dave G always goes the extra mile to take care of the customer. Hard to find great service in SW Florida but fish tale has figured it out!

I 100% recommend Fish Tale boats, and it has been an absolute pleasure working with their organization! David Russo was my sales rep, who's extremely professional, understands the needs of his clients, and is patient through the process. We've also had our boat serviced three times by their service department, and they're fantastic as well!

I began my relationship with this dealership in January, 2019 (ordered a 2019 246 Cayman). While there have been a few 'hiccups' over the past 8 months, (some caused by me, some caused by the dealership, most caused by Robalo QA/QC failures), the consistent trend characterizing this dealership is customer service focused and an outstanding level of support after the sale.

I am hyper-focused on details, and the entire service team worked hard in order meet my expectations. In two cases, the service personnel took the initiative to identify and addressed issues I didn't even notice until after they pointed them out. I served 21-years in the Marine Corps as an infantry small unit leader, believe me when I say it's unusual for me not to identify a discrepancy.

The entire service team were professional, patient, and informative. Although they had a high volume of boats being serviced along with mine, I never felt rushed or slighted in any way. There were multiple occasions wherein a service representative would pleasantly address any questions I had, or would explore additional talking points with me. While each interaction may not have been sunshine and rainbows, I do feel as if my business is truly appreciated. The entire team at Fish Tale Boats, from the sales personnel to the service staff, are genuinely interested in providing the customer with a positive experience; a trait lacking in most American businesses these days.

Representatives from this dealership with whom I have worked, and would recommend include:

David Melvin (Sales Representative)
Eric Riley (Service Advisor)
Dave Gaddis (Service Advisor)
Lauren Dunning (Service Advisor)
Sydnee Munson (Service Representative)
Tim Brewer (Service Foreman)
Lucas Richmond (Service Technician)
Danny (Service Technician)
Bill (Service Technician)
Joe (Service Technician)

Large selection of outboard boats of the brands they carry

David Russo is a great saleman. Very knowledgeable on the Robalo boats. He was able to answer all my questions and helped me choose the right boat for my lifestyle.

David Russo and the team at Fishtale made buying my new boat a great experience. They were great to deal with and addressed all my questions.
Great customer service. I would buy another boat from them in the future.

David Russo has been awesome to deal with and even after the sale provides great support and friendship. He was very pleasant in all aspects of the sale and I would highly recommend him for anyone looking for a new or used boat in the Ft Myers area

We purchased our Chaparral H2O here in November., after looking for a couple of months. They made us an offer we couldn t refuse!!! Dave Melvin was our salesman and made the whole experience quite enjoyable! We know he will still help us if we were to have any issues! He is just great! I highly recommend Dave if you want an honest salesman!

When my wife & I bought our Robalo R-230 in June, we couldn't have asked for a better salesman. David Russo accommodated us every step of the way. He was always very friendly & responsive to my calls & texts and made sure that our boat was outfitted exactly the way we wanted it. He also had our boat ready for delivery in advance of our projected delivery date and at a time when they couldn't keep boats on the lot. David puts people first and thus the reason he's enjoying his success in selling boats. There's no doubt that I'll call David again when/if the comes time to upgrade. I love our Robalo R-230, so I doubt that'll be anytime soon.

Fantastic sales process. David Russo was great and made the purchase easy and extremely quick. We had the boat in a day. I highly recommend Fish Tales.

Fantastic experience with Dave Russo as my salesman. Got a great boat and Dave was right there to answer any questions and make sure everything went smoothly. I would highly recommend Dave and Fishtale to anyone buying a boat.
Bill & Carole

Service department is great. Talk with Frank the service manager or Blake.

I use the parts department for oem parts for my Yamaha outboards. They always have the parts for them.

Extremely satisfied with the purchase of my 2020 Robalo 230. Dave Melvin was wonderful, very knowledgeable without ever being pushy. He was fair and upfront and made the process seamless. Highly recommend!

We bought a new boat at Fish Tale in Fort Myers. Whole experience was excellent. Our sales person, David Russo, went above and beyond expectations. I can t say enough good things about him. Would definitely buy a boat from him again.

After months disappointing trips looking for the perfect used boat I saw a listing at Fish Tale Boats. My salesperson David Melvin was hands down the best. He was honest in answering all my questions, accepted my offer with no price haggling, made sure the boat was detailed and mechanically ready for the sea trial, picked me up at the airport and just overall made this the best boat purchase I have ever had, and I've had a few. A big thank you to David Melvin and Fish Tale Boats!

Much appreciated,
Garry in S.W. Michigan.

David Russo at Fish Tale Boats was so great to work with! He was very knowledgeable and helped us pick a boat that best fit our needs and budget. His customer service was amazing. He was easy to get a hold of and answered all of our many questions (we are first time boat owners). Even after we got our boat, David was still willing to answer our questions and help any way he could. We are due for our 20 hour service and the service department has also been wonderful to work with. I highly recommend David and Fish Tale Boats.

Recently moved to Florida and was looking for a boat. Stopped at Fish Tale Boats and met David Melvin. He was a tremendous asset with his knowledge and professionalism. He listened to what we wanted in our boating experience and activity. He walked us through the process of building a boat to fit our family's wishes. David made it easy and painless throughout the entire process. We LOVE our new boat!! Today, we are out enjoying the boating lifestyle in SW Florida that we moved here to enjoy. We are very grateful that we stopped in and met David. If you are looking for someone to help you find your perfect boat, go see David at Fish Tale Boats in Fort Myers.

I've never bought a boat at fish tale, but I've been to many of their locally sponsored events and had a great time. People there are friendly and knowledgeable I highly recommend them. Plus they have a gorgeous office and location.

Nice place to do business. Went for a nice test drive.

These guys are double dealers. We went to look at a boat and sent an email expressing interest and to set up a meeting. Joe Davis, salesman, did not return my email and at the end of the day he finally called me . I said I wanted to secure the boat
and we made arrangements for a 10:00 a.m. meeting to do he paper work. When I was on the way he called me and said someone else bought the boat. I think he sold the boat to someone else. I wouldn't advise working with him or this dealership. If I could rate them a 0, I would.

We purchased our first ocean boat this year - it was a very big deal for us since we are close to retirement and wanted to do this once and do it right. We purchased our Robalo from David Russo at Fish Tale and we could not be happier with our new boat and the excellent service from David Russo. We had many questions about everything and David was beyond helpful. We appreciated his no pressure approach and some options we where on the fence about he encouraged us if not sure we can always add later. One of my favorite things about David is his love and total excitement about boats and boating - it made the whole experience that much more fun! The boat and the options we choose have exceeded our expectations - just as David did! Thanks David Russo!!!

The team went above and beyond to get us the perfect set up. Thanks Fish Tale Boats