Recommendations on fishing charters in Outer Banks, NC

[Mistermojo]

Wife and I are headed to The Outer Banks in NC this august, staying in Hatteras. Does anyone have any recommendations on a charter outfit to use? Any tips or things to watch for? Other than a lake superior charter, this is my first time doing a charter trip.

Thanks,

Mojo

[Finns]

Might send a pm to Valv. He moved down to NC awhile back.

[mpester]

My family owns a house in Avon and I go as often as I can but most years I only get down that way in November since I moved here. The fishing is different at that time of year. Fishing off the beach is a lot of fun. With a permit, you can drive a 4X4 right out on the beach. A sand spike and a light rod baited with shrimp will catch you some fish out of the surf.

I love live bait fishing for king mackerel on the Miss Hatteras head boat. They run full and half day trips at the time of year you are going. The full day trips are further offshore and they catch snapper, trigger fish and maybe a king mackerel, cobia or amberjack. If you are lucky, you may get a mahi mahi. You pay per person on a head boat so you will be fishing with people you do not know. I have always loved head boat fishing.

I have gone out with Rick Caton before on a regular charter. He is a bit crusty but he will put you on fish. He runs a great family trip where you pull crab traps and do some inshore fishing if you have young kids. His son, Patrick Caton, also has a charter boat now as well. Both of these boats fish out of Oden's Dock in Hatteras. One of my favorite restaurant is at Oden's Dock - The Breakwater. Risky Business Seafood - also at Oden's Dock - is also a great place to buy seafood to take home and cook. I like the business at Oden's Dock. Teach's Lair also has a good reputation for quality charters.

We have fished down in Ocracoke with Captain Norman Miller on the Rascal. He is also a bit crusty but a very good fisherman. Ocracoke is a one hour free ferry ride from Hatteras and well worth the visit.

Not to be a downer but you are going at the peak of hurricane season. Are you renting from one of the rental companies like Hatteras Realty, Midgett or Surf and Sound? If you are offered trip insurance, I would highly recommend getting it for that time of year. My wife is a hurricane magnet so she is banned from the Outer Banks in July, August, September, October and the first half of November.

[mpester]

My father got this wahoo on the Miss Hatteras two years ago in November.

[traveler]

Wow, thats a heck of a hoo:)

[Mistermojo]

Thanks mpester for the great tips! I am definitely going to do travel insurance, but I appreciate you keeping your wife out of the area in August. On the regular off-shore charter boats, if there are only 2 of us, how would I get paired up with a foursome to have a full boat and keep cost as low as possible?

[mpester]

All of the marinas do make-up charters. They will divide the normal cost of a full charter by how many people they get to fill the make-up charter. Just stop by the marina store - office and tell them you are looking for an offshore make-up charter. They will put you on a list and call you if they have a make-up charter going on the day you want. Wish I were able to get to the OBX area more often. I am drawing a bit of a blank right now but I think there are three marinas in Hatteras Village. Oden's Dock is my favorite. Teach’s Lair is the second marina. The last one I can think of is Hatteras Harbor. Remembered the last one - Hatteras Landing down by the ferry - so there are four marinas that I can think of in Hatteras Village. Good luck.

[STY]

Check out godspeedcharters.com

Was out with them last September and had a great trip.

Check out the OBX fishing report portion of his page, scroll to the bottom and you can see years worth of fishing reports by month. Check out September 16 & 17 of 2012---our 2 days with Dave & Justin. Great guys and they will do their best to get you on a mix of eating fish and billfish.

It's a great area, enjoy!

[Mistermojo]

Looks like you guys nailed the mahi and billfish! Do you remember what the rate was? Only 3 anglers on the boat?

Thanks,

Mojo

[STY]

Sorry it took me so long. Haven't been on the board lately. $1600 per day + a tip for the mate. All the boats seem to be about the same price. We will be going back to Hatteras and we will certainly go out with Dave & Justin again.

Good Luck!