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Ger Hardin
Captain

Ger Hardin

Wrightsville Beach, United States
Angler's choice
25+ reviews
I first started fishing in Wrightsville Beach when my Dad used to take me to Johnnie Mercer's pier when I was about seven years old. Back then it was made out of wood, and I still remember the feeling of walking down that pier and looking at the waves below through the gaps in the boards. I started fishing offshore as I got older on boats that belonged to good friends, and after a lot of growing up and figuring out what I wanted to do with my life, I finally got a boat of my own back in 2002. I got my license shortly thereafter and have been making my living on the water ever since. The most rewarding thing about being a charter captain is taking people offshore for their first time and seeing how excited they get when they reel in their first fish, and then reel in another one, and another one.

Charter

Rating

5.0
35 reviews
4.9
Boat & Equipment
5.0
Captain & Crew
5.0
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

100%
Recommend this charter
100%
Caught fish

All reviews (35)

Showing 1 – 5 of 35 reviews
  • Bill Edwards
    Bill Edwards
    us
    Virginia, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Another Amazing Trip with Captain Ger!

    4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice • 3 adults

    We had another fantastic trip today with Captain Ger on the Deep Sea Express! We caught 21 fish and had an incredible time from start to finish. This was our fourth trip with him, and he continues to deliver a fun, safe, and memorable experience every time. He is great with the whole family, knows exactly where to find the fish, and makes sure everyone has a good time. This is exactly the kind of fishing trip I was looking for to enjoy with my family and create lasting memories together. We will definitely be back!

    Response from Captain

    Thank you so much for the kind review, I look forward to fishing with yall again

  • Jeffry Glenn
    Jeffry Glenn
    us
    Virginia, US
    Member since 2026
    4.7
    Verified

    Great Day at Sea

    4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice • 5 adults • 1 child

    Had a great day with Captain Ger Hardin with my wife, son and his fiancé, and grandson on The Hard Way. Captain Hardin is extremely knowledgeable about recreational and commercial fishing and conservation efforts in the area to include oyster replenishment. We only caught one Spanish Mackerel but not for a lack of effort on the Captain’s part. Other boats that morning were also struggling to find fish. Very enjoyable day and will book another trip with him.

    Response from Captain

    Thank you for the nice review and I appreciate your patience on a tough day

  • Chris Dutton
    Chris Dutton
    us
    Arizona, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Great experience!

    4 Hour Trip – Captain's Choice • 2 adults

    My son (never fished the ocean on a boat) and I thoroughly enjoyed our time on The Hard Way. Access to the boat was super easy and free. Captain Ger worked hard to find the bite. He has a wealth of knowledge about the area. Great conversations were had. We are looking forward to our next trip. It will be a full day to target the larger species. Thanks again, Captain!!

    Response from Captain

    Thanks for taking the time to write such a nice review, I’m giving your review 5 stars, I look forward to fishing with you again!

  • Steven Ogle
    Steven Ogle
    Repeat angler
    us
    North Carolina, US
    Member since 2024
    2 trips
    5.0
    Verified

    Boys Weekend Away!

    8 Hour Trip – All Day Offshore • 3 adults • 1 child

    Captain Ger was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and patient with my 8-year-old grandson. We caught both King and Spanish Mackrell and Amber Jack. Weather was perfect to celebrate G-Pops birthday with an 8-hour deep sea fishing outing.

    Reported catch:
    King Mackerel (Kingfish)
    Response from Captain

    Thanks so much for the nice review! I look forward to fishing with yall again in the future

  • Penny Grinnell
    Penny Grinnell
    us
    Wisconsin, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Awsome first time experience

    6 Hour Trip – Intermediate Offshore • 4 adults

    This was our first excursion like this. We didnt know what to expect but were so happy with all of it. Captain Gerr was an absolute great guy and very helpful. Did everything he could to find us fish. we fid catch Mackeral. I recommend this trip.

    Response from Captain

    Thank you for the nice review, I had fun fishing with yall

Real catches shared by our community

  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A family poses proudly on the boat 'The Hard Way' with their catch of Spanish Mackerel after a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Sam S.
    Sam S.
    Captain Ger was great! very flexible and easy to work with. he was great at showing us how to work the gear and wven fileted the catch for us. I would highly recommend him.
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    Group posing behind a neatly arranged catch of multiple mackerel on the charter boat The Happy Way in Wilmington, North Carolina.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Spanish Mackerel
    Peter M.
    Peter M.
    Capt. Ger did a great job with getting us hooked up to fish and bringing in 10 keepers. We had a fun morning on the water with him.
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A cooler filled with freshly caught fish, likely Spanish Mackerel, resting on ice after a fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Penny G.
    Penny G.
    This was our first excursion like this. We didnt know what to expect but were so happy with all of it. Captain Gerr was an absolute great guy and very helpful. Did everything he could to find us fish. we fid catch Mackeral. I recommend this trip.
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A family poses on the boat 'The Hard Way' with a successful catch of Spanish Mackerel displayed on the side after a day of fishing in Wilmington.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Bill E.
    Bill E.
    We had another fantastic trip today with Captain Ger on the Deep Sea Express! We caught 21 fish and had an incredible time from start to finish. This was our fourth trip with him, and he continues to deliver a fun, safe, and memorable experience every time. He is great with the whole family, knows exactly where to find the fish, and makes sure everyone has a good time. This is exactly the kind of fishing trip I was looking for to enjoy with my family and create lasting memories together. We will definitely be back!
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A proud father and his two children display their catch of Spanish Mackerel on the boat after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington, NC.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    It started out slow this morning but we ended up finding a good school of Spanish Mackerel in the end.
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A family poses together on the boat 'The Hard Way' with their catch of Spanish Mackerel displayed on the side after a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Matthew R.
    Matthew R.
    we had a really good time out fishing with Captain Ger. he was very helpful and knowledgeable. We were out four hours and caught 20 Spanish Mackerel. Thanks Captain Ger.
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A family poses on the boat 'The Hard Way' with their catch of Spanish Mackerel displayed on the side after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    We found a school of fish right outside the inlet that provided plenty of action for the morning.
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    Two anglers proudly posing on their boat, showcasing a neat arrangement of several fish caught during their fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Chris D.
    Chris D.
    My son (never fished the ocean on a boat) and I thoroughly enjoyed our time on The Hard Way. Access to the boat was super easy and free. Captain Ger worked hard to find the bite. He has a wealth of knowledge about the area. Great conversations were had. We are looking forward to our next trip. It will be a full day to target the larger species. Thanks again, Captain!!
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A family poses proudly on the boat 'The Hard Way' with their catch of several Spanish Mackerel after a successful fishing trip.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Glen C.
    Glen C.
    We had a wonderful time with Captain Ger. He explained everything very well. We caught some Spanish Mackerels. We will sign up for him again. I would definitely recommend!
  • Deep Sea Express Charters
    Deep Sea Express ChartersWrightsville Beach, NC
    A group of young anglers proudly displaying their catch of Spanish Mackerel on the back of 'The Hard Way' boat after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington.
    Fish 1
    Spanish Mackerel
    Spanish Mackerels were biting on a tideline about a mile outside of the inlet.

What's biting with Deep Sea Express Charters in Wrightsville Beach

The Flat Bottom Girls Flounder Tournament raises money and awareness for aquatic conservation in November, while the North Carolina Holiday Flotilla makes for a memorable Thanksgiving on the water.

Top catches for November

Fishing reports

A proud father and his two children display their catch of Spanish Mackerel on the boat after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington, NC.

4 Hours of Fun

Jul 15, 2026 • Wrightsville Beach
It started out slow this morning but we ended up finding a good school of Spanish Mackerel in the end.
Show more
A family poses on the boat 'The Hard Way' with their catch of Spanish Mackerel displayed on the side after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington.

Half day Spanish Mackerel trip

Jun 10, 2026 • Wrightsville Beach
We found a school of fish right outside the inlet that provided plenty of action for the morning.
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A group of young anglers proudly displaying their catch of Spanish Mackerel on the back of 'The Hard Way' boat after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington.

Fun morning

May 8, 2025 • Wrightsville Beach
Spanish Mackerels were biting on a tideline about a mile outside of the inlet.
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A family poses proudly on the boat 'The Hard Way' with their catch of several fish, showcasing a successful day of fishing in Wilmington.

Half day trip this morning

Oct 23, 2024 • Wrightsville Beach
The birds showed us where the bluefish were biting this morning.
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Four anglers posing on a fishing boat with a catch of Spanish Mackerel displayed on the deck after a successful day on the water.

Morning half day trip

Jul 6, 2024 • Wrightsville Beach
A few King Mackerels have been showing up with the Spanish
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A family proudly displaying their catch of Spanish Mackerel on the deck of 'The Hard Way' boat after a successful fishing trip in Wilmington.

Captain’s Choice half day trip

Jun 26, 2024 • Wrightsville Beach
The Spanish Mackerels bit early this morning, slowed down as the morning went on and the wind picked up.
Show more