Full day offshore charters (approx. 12 hours) begin very early in the morning at different times depending on the daylight at that time of year. Your captain will tell you ahead what his departure time will be. Please plan to have your entire group at the boat at least 15 minutes early so that you can board, get settled and leave the dock on time. Summer charters usually leave the dock at 5am and arrive back at 5pm. Many times if the group has had a very successful trip or maybe a rough weather trip the captain will ask the group if they want to head back to the dock early. Traditionally, offshore fishing on the Outer Banks is done at or near the Gulf Stream and consists of trolling six to eight lines with baited lures behind the boat. When a fish strikes one of the lures, the mate will advise an angler to jump in the fighting chair while he grabs the rod and puts it into a gimble in the fighting chair so the angler can begin to bring in the fish. The mate will discuss the entire process ahead so that the group will know what to do and can pre-determine the order of which anglers will take the chair. Offshore charters target species like tuna, wahoo, mahi, sailfish, white marlin and blue marlin.

3/4 day intermediate charters (approx. 8 hours) are similar to offshore charters but sometimes consist of a combination of trolling and bottom jigging. During most of this type of charter the boat does not run all the way to the Gulf Stream but instead stops mid way in an intermediate zone and fishes around structures like wrecks and reefs. Intermediate charters target a wide variety of fish including mahi, wahoo, king mackerel, amberjack, snappers and grouper just to name a few of the many possibilities.

Near shore charters (approx. 4 hours) are fished around the inlet itself. They tend to be more family friendly because they don't get out of sight of land and they are done with lighter more manageable tackle. Most are done by trolling light line with small spoons or jigs for species like Spanish mackerel or bluefish. Depending on the season and the willingness of the charter group occassionally larger species like cobia, red drum and striped bass will be active around the beaches and the boat can be positioned so the anglers can sight cast to the fish. If this is something you would like to try you can discuss this with the captain while making your reservation.

Inshore (soundside) charters (flexible times) are done inside the inlet usually by smaller more maneuverable center console type boats. These are not recommended for large groups of more than three anglers mostly for safety reasons. Guides employ different methods depending on the species targeted and the customers desires. You might be trolling, casting or feeding a bottom rig into the current. Your captain knows the best most successful methods and he will be rigged up accordingly.

A. All of our charter boats pre-pay for a seasonal blanket license which covers all of our charter guests that are fishing on our boats.

A. Most boats have a six pack USCG license which means they are allowed to have six guests onboard. Note, even non-fishing guests and non-fishing children count as a guest. The price of the charter includes all in your group (not per angler). Some larger boats are licensed to accept more anglers in the group and they price the trips per angler.

A. It is up to the charter group to decide if a guest is capable of attending a charter trip. A fishing charter can be an exhilarating and sometimes physically demanding event. Please explain this to all potential guests. If a guest realizes this isn't for them once they get out several miles offshore everyone in the group suffers for it. Please understand, there are no refunds for terminating a charter before it is completed. Think hard about the potential consequences for anyone you take on a charter trip before you invite them!

A. Normally your charter includes everything needed for a successful and fun experience. The charter price includes an experienced captain and mate, quality well maintained boat, all licenses and insurance, USCG safety equipment, high quality marine electronics, fuel, rods, reels, lures, bait, ice and more. The charter price does not include any food or drinks.

A. Offshore fishing charter prices vary from one Outer Banks inlet to another. Fuel is a major contributing factor in determining the price because some inlets are closer to the Gulf Stream than others. Currently the price of a 12 hour offshore charter trip runs between $1400 and $2600.

A. Surprisingly no. Of course all the big charter yachts have a private bathroom (head) but many smaller center console boats do not have a head. Please remember this when you are price shopping a charter trip for your family. Other online booking services do not make this clear before you schedule a charter with one of their listings!

A. Please layer your clothing. Often times the boats will leave the dock first thing in chilly weather but when they get to the warm Gulf Stream waters guests will need to begin removing clothes. The sun seems to be much stronger in the Gulf Stream so wearing long sleeves, baklavas, masks etc can be a good idea. Bring along lotion sunscreen, hats, sneakers or boat shoes, box lunch, water and drinks. Bring you lunch in small coolers but if you plan to take home fish also bring a large cooler and leave it in your car whilc out fishing. Even big boats don't have enough extra room to handle large coolers in the way. Please try to be early enough that you will have plenty of time to get your items onboard and stored.

A. Each boat is its own business and has their own set of rules dealing with reservation cancellations. Please discuss this with the captain before you schedule. Most boats allow a grace period for a full refund as long as another trip gets scheduled to replace the cancelled trip. After that grace period no refunds are given for a customer cancelled trip. Only the captain can cancel a trip either because of inclement weather or boat issues. If you haven't heard from the captain always assume that the trip is not cancelled. If you don't show up at the appointed time whether the trip is run or not you can not get a refund. If a trip has been cancelled by the captain you will be given the choice of a refund or an opportunity to reschedule.

A. Fishing results are never guaranteed. Weather, water temperatures, falling or rising barometer and several other uncontrollable conditions all affect a day's fishing results. Our professional captains are all the very best and most experienced in the business. If anyone could guarantee results they would so rest assured these guys will do everything they have available to them in their bag of tricks to insure a productive Outer Banks fishing experience.

A. Absolutely, all legally caught fish become the property of the charter group. The captain and mate are responsible to keep track of the size and amounts of the fish caught so that you will remain inside the legal limits. Some sportfish like billfish and sharks are not traditionally kept for eating and the captain will want you to photograph and release them. The captain will also advise you if a species doesn't make good tablefare and he suggest releasing. In the case of a fish that an angler wants to have mounted we suggest measuring the fish and releasing it then we will help you contact a taxidermist that can make you a perfect fiberglass replica of your trophy catch. A replica looks more realistic, lasts much longer and is much less expensive than a skin mount anyways! Imagine the exhilaration of getting to release an honest to goodness trophy fish after you fought and caught it!

A. The fish are yours to do with as you please. Each marina has professional processing/packaging onsite for a fee based on the weight. Another option is Fresh Catch Seafood in Wanchese. They will portion, package and flash freeze your catch then store it until you are ready to return home.

A. Yes, to our knowledge all the marinas on the Outer Banks have free parking areas near the charter boats.

A. The captain does not normally get a tip unless you feel he went above and beyond for you. The mate is by far the hardest working member of any trip. Besides the fishing he also has preparation duties before the trip and clean up after the guests are long gone. His salary is his tips so it is customary to tip your mate 15% to 20% of the trip rate if you feel he has done a good job. If you are not satisfied with the job the mate has done for you please tell the captain so he can deal with the issue.

A. Please discuss this with the captain while scheduling your trip. Most boats allow beer when drinking is done in moderation. All captains reserve the right to terminate the charter and return to the dock if guests become drunk or unruly. In extreme cses the US Coast Guard will be waiting at the dock when these issues might get out of hand.

A. We don't want seasickness to ever ruin your charter trip.

• 25% of all people experience seasickness occasionally
• 50% of people are susceptible to seasickness under certain conditions
• 10% of people are highly susceptible to seasickness, experiencing it frequently!

If you aren't sure if someone is going to have an issue it's probably best to go ahead and take preventative measures. Don't drink a lot of coffee before the trip. Do drink water before the trip. Don't eat a heavy fatty meal for breakfast. Try to get a good night's sleep before your trip. Start taking the prescribed amount of over-the-counter Bonine the evening before and morning of your trip. Enclosed hot places like a boat's salon have a tendency to make people seasick so step out into the clean air if you are beginning to feel queasy.