Blue Heron Guide Service 

4.9/5 (88 reviews)
 579 Lewis Road, Hampstead, NC 28443, United States
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Blue Heron Guide Service and Captain Jim Hardy welcome you to Hampstead, North Carolina. Captain Jim is a U.S. Coast Guard certified captain who grew up in Virginia with a fishing pole in his hand. He got the fishing bug when he was five and hasn’t been the same ever since. Captain Jim invites you to join him on the water and hopes to share that obsession with you the moment you step on his boat! As your guide, his goal is to provide you with the best opportunity to catch fish on your trip.

Your adventure takes place on a 23’ KenCraft Bay Rider 239 boat that can take up to 6 guests. It’s powered by a 200 HP Yamaha engine and uses Garmin GPS and fishfinder for efficient navigation, along with a VHF radio. The boat is equipped with a wireless trolling motor, a livewell, and downriggers.

The species you’ll be chasing include Mackerel, Flounder, Bonito, False Albacore, Speckled Trout, and more. To catch them, you can bottom fish, jig, troll, spin, pop, and drift fish. You can use everything from live and cut bait to artificial lures based on your comfort level, experience, and the weather. Captain Jim is a conservation-minded angler, but has no objection to keeping some catch for dinner.

The only things you’ll need for the trip are your favorite snacks and drinks, the captain takes care of everything else.

This is about you and your family. You and Captain Jim are a team! Before every trip, you’ll discuss what you hope to get out of the trip and he’ll do everything possible to cater to those wants, based on your experience and the time of the fishing season. The weather and time of year always play a factor in the game plan, but the captain wants you to have as much input into your trip as possible.

This is your unique experience the captain will do everything he can to make great memories!

Jim Hardy

Captain

Jim Hardy

 responds within an hour

Highlights

 Fishing License
 Live Bait
 You Keep Catch
 Child Friendly
 Rods, reels & tackle

Plan your trip

Trip Date:
Days:
Group Size:
Almost there...
Half Day Trip – Inshore (AM)

 In demand! Last booked: 4 days ago

FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
4 Hour Trip, starts at 8:00 AM
Price for up to 4 people
US $450 
Half Day Trip – Inshore (PM)
FREE Cancellation 7 days notice
4 Hour Trip, starts at 12:30 PM
Price for up to 4 people
US $450 
There are 8 people looking at this charter.

Customer reviews

Rating summary

4.9/5
out of 5 stars from 88 reviews
Boat
4.9/5
Crew
4.9/5
Experience
4.8/5

Photos & videos by reviewers (70)

Captain Jim was great
Captain Jim was great
Great Captain!
+67

Angler rating

81
4
1
1
0

Anglers claimed

Good experience

96%

Appropriate for children

96%

Friendly captain

100%

Satisfied with the boat

98%

Recommend this charter

95%

Caught fish

79%

Showing 1 - 5 of 88 reviews
Matthew G.
Matthew G.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Captain Jim was great

VERIFIED
NEW

Half Day Trip – Inshore (AM) on June 25, 2025

My family and I had a great time. We would definitely fish with Captain Jim again.

My family and I had a great time. We would definitely fish with Captain Jim again.  

 Matthew G. recommends Blue Heron Guide Service
Jim Hardy
Jim Hardy (The Captain)
Replied on June 25, 2025
Thanks Matt!!! You all were great and are always welcome back! Thanks for fishing with me today 👍
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Jonathan M.
Jonathan M.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Great time for all

VERIFIED

Half Day Trip – Inshore (AM) on August 31, 2024

Jim is going to pull out every trick in the book to put you on fish. Knows the ICW well. He was incredibly patient with a brand new angler and still kept the more experienced folks engaged. Makes everyone fell comfortable on the boat and the conversation onboard enhances the trip. Would recommend to anyone looking for some inshore fun.

Jim is going to pull out every trick in the book to put you on fish. Knows the ICW well. He was incredibly patient with a brand new angler and still kept the more experienced folks engaged. Makes everyone fell comfortable on the boat and the conversation onboard enhances the trip. Would recommend to anyone looking for some inshore fun.  

 Jonathan M. recommends Blue Heron Guide Service
Jim Hardy
Jim Hardy (The Captain)
Replied on September 1, 2024
Thanks for the great review Jonathan. I appreciate it. Your thoughtful words are a great compliment. I thoroughly enjoyed talking to you and your family and I hope you all come back out soon. Good times. Thanks again!

Janet R.
Janet R.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Great Captain!

VERIFIED

Half Day Trip – Inshore (PM) on May 29, 2025

Took grandsons out inshore fishing. Captain was great and trip was fruitful!

Took grandsons out inshore fishing. Captain was great and trip was fruitful!  

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Review media 1
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 Janet R. recommends Blue Heron Guide Service
Jim Hardy
Jim Hardy (The Captain)
Replied on May 30, 2025
Thanks Janet, I had a great time fishing with you and your grandsons. You all are welcome back anytime! Thanks again !

Jim H.
Jim H.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

awesome experience

VERIFIED

Half Day Trip – Inshore (AM) on May 8, 2025

captain is friendly and informative. great trip highly recommend

captain is friendly and informative. great trip highly recommend  

 Jim H. recommends Blue Heron Guide Service

Richard P.
Richard P.
5.0/5

Experience:

5.0/5

Boat

5.0/5

Crew

5.0/5

Overall

Great Captain

VERIFIED

Half Day Trip – Inshore (AM) on May 7, 2025

I highly recommend Jim Hardy and blue heron

I highly recommend Jim Hardy and blue heron  

 Richard P. recommends Blue Heron Guide Service
1 person finds this review helpful

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FAQs about Blue Heron Guide Service

What are the trip rates for Blue Heron Guide Service?

Blue Heron Guide Service offers the following trips to customers:

  • US $450 per group, additional US $60 per person after 4 guests - Half Day Trip – Inshore (AM) (4 hours)
  • US $450 per group, additional US $60 per person after 4 guests - Half Day Trip – Inshore (PM) (4 hours)
Which amenities are available onboard with Blue Heron Guide Service?

When you book a trip with Blue Heron Guide Service, you can expect the following amenities onboard:

  • GPS Garmin
  • Fishfinder Garmin Side Scan
  • Live Bait Well
  • Wireless Trolling Motor Minn Kota Terrova with Spot Lock technology
What's included in the trip price with Blue Heron Guide Service?

Trips booked with Blue Heron Guide Service include:

  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Live Bait
  • Lures
  • Fishing License
What types of fishing does Blue Heron Guide Service offer?

Blue Heron Guide Service offers the following types of fishing:

  • Inshore Fishing
  • Flats Fishing
What fishing techniques does Blue Heron Guide Service offer?

Blue Heron Guide Service offers the following fishing techniques:

  • Bottom Fishing
  • Trolling
  • Spinning
  • Jigging
  • Popping
  • Drift Fishing
Which fish species can I catch with Blue Heron Guide Service?

Top targeted fish species with Blue Heron Guide Service include:

  • Black Drum
  • Bluefish
  • Flounder
  • Redfish
  • Sheepshead
  • Speckled Trout

Meet your captain

Jim Hardy

Hampstead, North Carolina, United States

88 Customer reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since July 2022

Captain Jim caught twelve-pound Bluefish on the Chesapeake Bay when he was six years old and has been obsessed ever since. Growing up, his time on the water was split between fishing and fly fishing for Bass and Trout in freshwater and saltwater, fishing for anything whenever he had the chance. Throughout his life, going through school, careers, and raising a family, Captain Jim has always come back to fishing and life on the water as his sanctuary. He now feels lucky enough to call this paradise his home and fishing and boating life his occupation. He has always enjoyed the teaching and coaching aspect of helping an angler catch their first or biggest fish and living vicariously through the eyes of a child when that bobber goes under and they hold their first prized catch. Captain Jim especially wants the younger anglers to experience this same thrill so they can carry on this great tradition of responsible angling and conservation.

Fish you can target

Black Drum
Black Drum
Bluefish
Bluefish
Flounder
Flounder
Redfish
Redfish
Sheepshead
Sheepshead
Speckled Trout
Speckled Trout

Your boat

Boat Image
Boat category
Center console boats
Capacity
5 persons
Boat length
23 ft
Year built
2021
Boat manufacturer
KenCraft
Boat type
Bay boat

Engine model
Yamaha
Powered by
1 x 200HP
Max cruising speed
45 knots

Where you can fish

Inshore Fishing

Flats Fishing

How you can fish

Bottom Fishing

Trolling

Spinning

Jigging

Popping

Drift Fishing

What's on board

GPS

Garmin

Fishfinder

Garmin Side Scan

Live Bait Well

Wireless Trolling Motor

Minn Kota Terrova with Spot Lock technology

Included in the price

Rods, reels & tackle

Live Bait

Lures

Fishing License

How cancellations work

Free cancellation up to 7 days prior to trip

You can cancel or modify your booking up to 7 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.

Listing policies

Pickup not included

Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.

Child Friendly

You Keep Catch

Catch and Release Allowed

How to pay

Pay online in full

Pay online in full through FishingBooker and save on credit card fees at the dock.

No additional fees.

Book with 20% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 20% deposit to guarantee your reservation.

The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:

 Cash

 Bank Transfer

What’s biting in Hampstead right now

Black DrumBlack Drum
BluefishBluefish
RedfishRedfish
8 people are looking at this charter.