FAQ: River Fun? Fishing? Alligators? Boat Rentals? Charter Fishing? and more!
 
Since our vacation rentals sit right on a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico, we get lots of questions about the waterways. I hope this message answers most of yours—but if not, just let me know! I’ll do my best to get you the info and may even add it to this message to help future guests.

MY #1 RECOMMENDATION:
Would be with Captain Ron, 228.860.4308. In a past life he was with one of the local Marine patrols that worked the Back Bay and local rivers, including the Biloxi River. I'm thinking it was the Harrison County Sheriff's Department. He left law enforcement to pursue his true love, Charter Fishing... just as well, he was always having to turn a blind eye to some minor infraction one of us River Folk was committing. 😎

See (#5) link below for his website and to book a charter fishing trip.

Oh! you should tell Captain Ron, Grady of the Great Escape River House on the Biloxi River sent you. He's familiar with that house & associates us with it. Captain Ron used to actually live on the Biloxi River and has multiple Charter fishing boats. I'm not sure mentioning Grady will get you a discount, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't get you some special treatment and maybe a story or two. That said, neither Grady or I have gone on a Charter Fishing Trip (with anyone) and would appreciate, if you do choose to book with Captain Ron, please give us your feedback. In the past, we've had several past guests that have Charter fished with Captain Ron and the feedback has always been 5 stars.

CHARTER FISHING FOR LARGER GROUPS:
I can also recommend: Captain Jay Trochesset. Check out Jay's reviews, website, availability and rates links below (#6 & #7).

My recommendation of Jay Trochesset is based on I've heard he does trips for groups up to 45 people. His # is: 228-388-2209. My very good friend Jimmy Dale Pitts (who has since passed away) recommended that I refer guests to Jay. Jimmy Dale Pitts had an extensive career on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and before retiring was Vice-President of our International Airport. My friend used to host lots of offshore deep sea fishing trips and swears by Jay. Women also love his charters; I hear the Silver Dollar charter boat offers at least one air conditioned room and a private bathroom on board. A true luxury on a fishing trip.

Often when asked about fishing a follow-up question is about Alligators. In anticipation of Gator questions, let me say, we have a healthy river system that abounds with wildlife. I've been on the Biloxi River since 1996 and have seen live alligators all of two times. In both instances, the alligator was less than 5 feet long.

Every once in a while one of my retired neighbors will email that they saw one and by the time they got the camera it was gone. These rare sights are treated more the way folks might treat a unicorn sighting. "Wow, that was cool! Can you believe we saw that?"

Attached is a very detailed country wide report of alligator interaction with humans.

There are a lot of rumors and opinions on how dangerous alligators are. There are over 3 million of them in the United States today. Almost 40,000 in Mississippi.

The Alligator link (#8) will bring you to a report that has become the Go To document for information on Gator vs human encounters in the USA. Over 50% of all Gator attacks happen while someone is trying to capture or harm the Gator. The report breaks down every incident, prior to its publication, giving answers to probably more questions than you'd think to ask. One thing is very clear:

Which is not to say someday there won't be a misbehaving Gator or that If I was swimming and saw one in the water, I'd continue to stay in the water. I'm just the sort who believes "the trend is your friend" and "past performance IS indicative or future performance." Oh and if you see an alligator, please don't feed it. I suspect those swamp tours in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas have led some Gators to associate humans with an easy lunch.

Check out Boat Rental links (#9 & #10) and more Water Attractions on our website (Link #11) below.

I hope you found this helpful & please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions,

Sincerely,
Patricia Dalton
504.669.0548
(Text or calls work best... I'm bad about emails)
https://www.gulfportvacationhomes.com/

KEY LINKS
FISHING / TIDES LINKS:
#  1 Click here to Check out this YouTube video and see from cast to bringing the fish on shore someone catching a Largemouth Striped Bass in less than 4 minutes.

#  2 Click here for local tide information. This link will take you to tidal information on the Back Bay, which the Biloxi River Flows into. Both our River Houses are located on the Biloxi River.

#  3 Click Here For Information on the Tides for The Biloxi River / Back Bay area; also offers clickable areas and is more detailed than the first Tidal link above.

#  4 Click Here for a photo of a large Catfish, caught in the Biloxi River.

DEEP FISH LINKS:
#  5 Click here for Captain Ron's website and to book a charter fishing trip.

#  6 Click here for Jay Trochesset's website and reviews.

#  7 Click here for Jay's availability and rates.

ALLIGATOR LINK:
#  8 Click here for detailed Alligator PDF.

MORE INFORMATION:
#  9 Click Here for a pontoon boat rental option. They’re based in the Bay St. Louis area, so to justify the cost of transporting the boat to Gulfport, they typically require a multi-day rental—or guests should expect to pay a premium for shorter boat rental.

#10 Click Here for information on Rentals (at a great rate) available to Active & Retired Military of all Branches of the armed forces service through Keesler Airforce base.    

#11 Clicking here to be taken to our website's Attraction Page offering even more information about the Mississippi Gulf Coast including information on boat ramps, additional fishing info, and more.

... And if you have any recommendations during your stay, we’d love to hear them! We’re especially looking to add reliable kayak rental services, more deep-sea fishing options, and other trusted providers to help future guests make the most of their visit.

FAQ: River Fun? Fishing? Alligators? Boat Rentals? Charter Fishing? and more!
 
Since our vacation rentals sit right on a river that flows into the Gulf of Mexico, we get lots of questions about the waterways. I hope this message answers most of yours—but if not, just let me know! I’ll do my best to get you the info and may even add it to this message to help future guests.

MY #1 RECOMMENDATION:
Would be with Captain Ron, 228.860.4308. In a past life he was with one of the local Marine patrols that worked the Back Bay and local rivers, including the Biloxi River. I'm thinking it was the Harrison County Sheriff's Department. He left law enforcement to pursue his true love, Charter Fishing... just as well, he was always having to turn a blind eye to some minor infraction one of us River Folk was committing. 😎

See (#5) link below for his website and to book a charter fishing trip.

Oh! you should tell Captain Ron, Grady of the Great Escape River House on the Biloxi River sent you. He's familiar with that house & associates us with it. Captain Ron used to actually live on the Biloxi River and has multiple Charter fishing boats. I'm not sure mentioning Grady will get you a discount, but I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't get you some special treatment and maybe a story or two. That said, neither Grady or I have gone on a Charter Fishing Trip (with anyone) and would appreciate, if you do choose to book with Captain Ron, please give us your feedback. In the past, we've had several past guests that have Charter fished with Captain Ron and the feedback has always been 5 stars.

CHARTER FISHING FOR LARGER GROUPS:
I can also recommend: Captain Jay Trochesset. Check out Jay's reviews, website, availability and rates links below (#6 & #7).

My recommendation of Jay Trochesset is based on I've heard he does trips for groups up to 45 people. His # is: 228-388-2209. My very good friend Jimmy Dale Pitts (who has since passed away) recommended that I refer guests to Jay. Jimmy Dale Pitts had an extensive career on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and before retiring was Vice-President of our International Airport. My friend used to host lots of offshore deep sea fishing trips and swears by Jay. Women also love his charters; I hear the Silver Dollar charter boat offers at least one air conditioned room and a private bathroom on board. A true luxury on a fishing trip.

Often when asked about fishing a follow-up question is about Alligators. In anticipation of Gator questions, let me say, we have a healthy river system that abounds with wildlife. I've been on the Biloxi River since 1996 and have seen live alligators all of two times. In both instances, the alligator was less than 5 feet long.

Every once in a while one of my retired neighbors will email that they saw one and by the time they got the camera it was gone. These rare sights are treated more the way folks might treat a unicorn sighting. "Wow, that was cool! Can you believe we saw that?"

Attached is a very detailed country wide report of alligator interaction with humans.

There are a lot of rumors and opinions on how dangerous alligators are. There are over 3 million of them in the United States today. Almost 40,000 in Mississippi.

The Alligator link (#8) will bring you to a report that has become the Go To document for information on Gator vs human encounters in the USA. Over 50% of all Gator attacks happen while someone is trying to capture or harm the Gator. The report breaks down every incident, prior to its publication, giving answers to probably more questions than you'd think to ask. One thing is very clear:

Which is not to say someday there won't be a misbehaving Gator or that If I was swimming and saw one in the water, I'd continue to stay in the water. I'm just the sort who believes "the trend is your friend" and "past performance IS indicative or future performance." Oh and if you see an alligator, please don't feed it. I suspect those swamp tours in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas have led some Gators to associate humans with an easy lunch.

Check out Boat Rental links (#9 & #10) and more Water Attractions on our website (Link #11) below.

I hope you found this helpful & please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions,

Sincerely,
Patricia Dalton
504.669.0548
(Text or calls work best... I'm bad about emails)
https://www.gulfportvacationhomes.com/

KEY LINKS
FISHING / TIDES LINKS:
#  1 Click here to Check out this YouTube video and see from cast to bringing the fish on shore someone catching a Largemouth Striped Bass in less than 4 minutes.

#  2 Click here for local tide information. This link will take you to tidal information on the Back Bay, which the Biloxi River Flows into. Both our River Houses are located on the Biloxi River.

#  3 Click Here For Information on the Tides for The Biloxi River / Back Bay area; also offers clickable areas and is more detailed than the first Tidal link above.

#  4 Click Here for a photo of a large Catfish, caught in the Biloxi River.

DEEP FISH LINKS:
#  5 Click here for Captain Ron's website and to book a charter fishing trip.

#  6 Click here for Jay Trochesset's website and reviews.

#  7 Click here for Jay's availability and rates.

ALLIGATOR LINK:
#  8 Click here for detailed Alligator PDF.

MORE INFORMATION:
#  9 Click Here for a pontoon boat rental option. They’re based in the Bay St. Louis area, so to justify the cost of transporting the boat to Gulfport, they typically require a multi-day rental—or guests should expect to pay a premium for shorter boat rental.

#10 Click Here for information on Rentals (at a great rate) available to Active & Retired Military of all Branches of the armed forces service through Keesler Airforce base.    

#11 Clicking here to be taken to our website's Attraction Page offering even more information about the Mississippi Gulf Coast including information on boat ramps, additional fishing info, and more.

... And if you have any recommendations during your stay, we’d love to hear them! We’re especially looking to add reliable kayak rental services, more deep-sea fishing options, and other trusted providers to help future guests make the most of their visit.

Maximum Occupancy Policy

Base Rates & Guest Count
Our standard rates for the Great Escape River House include up to 18 guests. Additional guests are welcome with prior approval and will incur a per-person, per-night booked fee.

Booking Platforms & Capacity
For Booking Site platforms, such as Houfy, Airbnb, etc, that allow bookings for only up to 16 guests and will automatically calculate fees for the 15th and 16th person, The rates cap guest count to no more than 16 people on these Booking Sites. The Good news is — our home can accommodate up to 23 overnight guests! However, since some booking platforms do limit guest counts, please let us know your full group size in advance to avoid surprises and ensure accurate pricing, if your people count exceeds the number of people the site lets you enter..

Customized Quotes
We’re happy to provide a personalized quote based on your group size and needs.

Who Counts as a Guest
Guest count includes all overnight guests and visitors—adults and children alike.

Gatherings & Events
We’re glad to host larger gatherings with prior approval. Please share the total number of overnight guests and daytime visitors expected so we can plan accordingly, maintain a high-quality experience for all, and insure your choosen house is suitable for your stay..

Important Note
Exceeding the agreed-upon and paid-for guest count is a violation of our rental terms.

Parking

Parking is limited and must be planned accordingly:

• ~ 1 vehicle per 3–4 registered guests
• ~ No parking on the grass or in the street
• ~ All vehicles must be parked in designated areas on the property.

Pet Policy

We love pets—but have guidelines in place to protect the space and ensure comfort for all guests:

• ~ Dogs under 20 lbs are automatically pre-approved with payment of the standard pet fee.
• ~ Larger dogs, multiple dogs, or non-dog pets require pre-approval.
• ~ For multiple dogs, the first dog is full price, and the per-pet fee decreases for each additional dog.

Maximum Occupancy Policy

Base Rates & Guest Count
Our standard rates for the Hidden Escape include up to 14 guests. Additional guests are welcome with prior approval and will incur a per-person, per-night fee.

Booking Platforms & Capacity
For Booking Site platforms, such as Houfy, Airbnb, etc, that allow bookings for only up to 16 guests and will automatically calculate fees for the 15th and 16th person, The rates cap guest count to no more than 16 people.. The Good news is — our home can accommodate up to 23 overnight guests! However, since some booking platforms do limit guest counts, please let us know your full group size in advance to avoid surprises and ensure accurate pricing, if your people count exceeds the number of people the site lets you enter..

Customized Quotes
We’re happy to provide a personalized quote based on your group size and needs.

Who Counts as a Guest
Guest count includes all overnight guests and visitors—adults and children alike.

Gatherings & Events
We’re glad to host larger gatherings with prior approval. Please share the total number of overnight guests and daytime visitors expected so we can plan accordingly, maintain a high-quality experience for all, and insure your choosen house is suitable for your stay..

Important Note
Exceeding the agreed-upon and paid-for guest count is a violation of our rental terms.

Parking

Parking is limited and must be planned accordingly:

• ~ 1 vehicle per 3–4 registered guests
• ~ No parking on the grass or in the street
• ~ All vehicles must be parked in designated areas on the property.

Pet Policy

We love pets—but have guidelines in place to protect the space and ensure comfort for all guests:

• ~ Dogs under 20 lbs are automatically pre-approved with payment of the standard pet fee.
• ~ Larger dogs, multiple dogs, or non-dog pets require pre-approval.
• ~ For multiple dogs, the first dog is full price, and the per-pet fee decreases for each additional dog.

Can We Bring or Use a Keg at the House?

No, the keg cooler at the bar is not available for guest use, and we do not provide kegs. While the cooler remains part of the bar setup, it is non-functional, and keg service is no longer offered.

Why Isn’t the Keg Cooler Available?

The keg cooler was originally installed as a centerpiece of the wet bar in 2017. For many years, we provided kegs as a convenience, handling delivery, CO₂ refills, and required maintenance. However, over time, this service became increasingly impractical for several reasons:

• Frequent Malfunctions – The keg cooler required costly repairs in 2018 and broke again in 2021. Given the low demand, it was not worth the continued investment.
• Minimal Usage – From 2018 to 2021, only two kegs were sold and delivered, making it unsustainable to maintain the cooler just for occasional use.
• Guest Misuse & CO₂ Issues – Even when the system was operational, guests unfamiliar with keg systems frequently tampered with the taps, releasing CO₂ and rendering the keg useless.
• Easier Alternatives Exist – With the installation of a passenger elevator in 2015, guests can now easily transport beer and beverages without needing a keg. Additionally, purchasing beer in cans or bottles is often more cost-effective than renting a keg.

Why Not Remove the Keg Cooler?

The bar was custom-built around the cooler, and removing it would leave a noticeable gap, impacting the aesthetics of the space. While it remains in place as a design feature, it is non-operational and not available for use.

Final Answer: No Kegs

We kindly ask guests not to bring kegs or assume the keg cooler is functional. If you're planning a gathering, we recommend bringing cans or bottled beverages instead. Thank you for understanding!