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Chris Mcdonald
Captain

Chris Mcdonald

Wanchese, United States
50+ reviews
I grew up on the Outer Banks fishing, surfing, and hunting. Taking advantage of what the ocean or the sound has to offer is a daily endeavor living here! Running a full time fishing charter has always been a dream of mine and I will give 110% to make sure everyone has a great time!

Charter

Rating

4.9
93 reviews
4.9
Boat & Equipment
4.9
Captain & Crew
4.9
Fishing Experience

What anglers say

97%
Good experience
100%
Friendly captain
97%
Recommend this charter
96%
Appropriate for children
100%
Satisfied with the boat
84%
Caught fish

All reviews (93)

Showing 1 – 5 of 93 reviews
  • Karl Kratzer
    Karl Kratzer
    us
    Virginia, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified
    NEW

    Great day for fishing.

    Half Day Trip (PM) • 3 adults

    Beautiful day for fishing. Captain Chris was great and worked hard to put us on fish. Was honest about what fish we would be catching and the size. Absolutely appreciate the setting of expectations. I highly recommend this captain and will be booking more charters with him in the future.

    Reported catch:
    Speckled Trout
    Response from Captain

    Thanks Karl! Appreciate yall and look forward to fishing with you guys again. Id give you 5 stars back as a client if i could. Thank you!

  • Julie Krasa
    Julie Krasa
    us
    Pennsylvania, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome experience per the usual.

    3/4 Day Trip (AM) • 2 adults

    Everytime we visit the OBX I book a trip with Captain Chris of First Light Charters for my husband and son. Were from PA where its all fresh water fishing and they truly enjoy the salt life with Chris aboard the boat. He works his tail off to put you on fish and makes it an all around enjoyable experience. Hes also top notch when it comes to fish cooking advice FYI!

    Reported catch:
    Sheepshead
    Black Drum
    Response from Captain

    Thanks Julie! Always a good time with the boys! Glad the fish was good!

  • Andrew Mathys
    Andrew Mathys
    us
    North Carolina, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Catching citations

    3/4 Day Trip (AM) • 4 adults • 1 child

    My father in law and I went out with Chris and had a great time! We caught 6 sheepshead and my father in law caught one that got him a citation! The captain said it was the biggest ever caught on his boat. Chris is extremely knowledgeable and the day was perfect out on the water catching fish to bring home for dinner. Thanks Captain Chris!

    Reported catch:
    Sheepshead
    Response from Captain

    Thanks guys! always a pleasure!

  • Frederick Heinlen
    Frederick Heinlen
    us
    Maryland, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified

    Awesome fishing experience!

    Half Day Trip (AM) • 4 adults • 2 children

    Captain Chris wa fantastic! He was patient with three young fishermen. He picked good places to fish and used different methods for the best chance for success. We caught some fish that we had cleaned there and took them to the marina restaurant where the cooked them for lunch. It was a great day.

    Response from Captain

    Thanks very much for taking the time to write a review. Enjoyed fishing and chatting with yall!

  • Janelle Tubbs
    Janelle Tubbs
    us
    Minnesota, US
    Member since 2026
    5.0
    Verified
    NEW

    We had a great time!

    3 Hour Summer Special • 4 adults • 2 children

    The weather was beautiful and Chris made sure we had a good time fishing and we caught a bunch of spotted trout. If we didn’t have luck, Chris would move and find a new spot. My son is still talking about how fun it was and when we can do it again. Thanks!!!

    Reported catch:
    Speckled Trout
    Response from Captain

    Thanks guys! Appreciate the kind words!

Real catches shared by our community

  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    Young angler holding a spotted seatrout aboard a fishing boat on calm coastal waters.
    Fish 1
    Speckled Trout
    Janelle T.
    Janelle T.
    The weather was beautiful and Chris made sure we had a good time fishing and we caught a bunch of spotted trout. If we didn’t have luck, Chris would move and find a new spot. My son is still talking about how fun it was and when we can do it again. Thanks!!!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    Interior view of a charter boat showcasing fishing rods and a clear blue sky, perfect for a day on the water.
    Bonnie L.
    Bonnie L.
    We had a great day with Captain Chris! He took us to some great spots and was patient with the amateur fishers on the boat. We caught some fish and while some weren't big enough to keep, some were, and it was overall a great and exciting trip!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    Angler proudly displaying a large fish while fishing on a boat, showcasing a successful day on the water.
    Logan B.
    Logan B.
    Captain Chris was fantastic and I highly recommend going on his fishing charters! We were able to catch some fish during our 3 hour trip, and the whole experience was perfect for our group.
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    Young angler proudly holding a large Speckled Trout while fishing on a boat.
    Fish 1
    Redfish
    Red drum and some healthy speckled trout are starting to show up more consistently the past week. Looking forward to the next few weeks as its traditionally some great fishing as we transition into red hot fall fishing! Come get in in the action!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    Two young anglers fishing from a boat, casting lines into the water on a calm day.
    Kelli B.
    Kelli B.
    Capt Chris was awesome. Very informative and patient with the kids. I would highly recommend Chris for a great day on the water.
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    A proud father and son duo display their catch of striped bass while enjoying a day of fishing on the water.
    Fish 1
    Sheepshead
    Julie K.
    Julie K.
    Everytime we visit the OBX I book a trip with Captain Chris of First Light Charters for my husband and son. Were from PA where its all fresh water fishing and they truly enjoy the salt life with Chris aboard the boat. He works his tail off to put you on fish and makes it an all around enjoyable experience. Hes also top notch when it comes to fish cooking advice FYI!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    A young angler proudly displaying a large Speckled Trout while fishing on a boat.
    Fish 1
    Fish 2
    Black Drum
    July fishing kept us busy! The weather was hot but we stayed active hitting many different locations depending on the weather and conditions that day. We mainly targeted Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Sheepshead and Bluefish. Lots of big smiles, biggest fish ever and great memories made! Fresh fish for dinner!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    An angler proudly displaying a large striped bass while seated on a fishing boat, enjoying a sunny day on the water.
    Fish 1
    Sheepshead
    Andrew M.
    Andrew M.
    My father in law and I went out with Chris and had a great time! We caught 6 sheepshead and my father in law caught one that got him a citation! The captain said it was the biggest ever caught on his boat. Chris is extremely knowledgeable and the day was perfect out on the water catching fish to bring home for dinner. Thanks Captain Chris!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    A young boy and his father enjoying a fishing trip aboard a boat, with another individual visible in the background.
    Andrew L.
    Andrew L.
    Captain Chris was great! Worked with us to reschedule due to bad weather and was great with my son who continues to ask if we can fish with him again next year!
  • First Light Charters
    First Light ChartersWanchese, NC
    A young angler proudly holding a large Speckled Trout while fishing on a boat, showcasing a successful catch.
    Jeff P.
    Jeff P.
    Local captain, worked hard to make sure my 5 year old got on the fish, overall great experience, happy to support local business from the area, would highly recommend and will be fishing with them again

What's biting with First Light Charters in Wanchese

While many may want to stay close to shore during November to try to fill the boat with Drum, Trout, and Bass, there's still plenty going on offshore, where the Tuna bite is in its prime!

Top catches for November

Fishing reports

Young angler proudly holding a large Speckled Trout while fishing on a boat.

Reeling into Fall fishing

Aug 6, 2026 • Wanchese
Red drum and some healthy speckled trout are starting to show up more consistently the past week. Looking forward to the next few weeks as its traditionally some great fishing as we transition into red hot fall fishing! Come get in in the action!
Show more
A young angler proudly displaying a large Speckled Trout while fishing on a boat.

Making memories in July with some great

Jul 15, 2026 • Wanchese
July fishing kept us busy! The weather was hot but we stayed active hitting many different locations depending on the weather and conditions that day. We mainly targeted Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Sheepshead and Bluefish. Lots of big smiles, biggest fish ever and great memories made! Fresh fish for dinner!
Show more
Two anglers sitting on a boat with a neatly arranged display of several Speckled Trout, showcasing their successful fishing trip.

Best trout fishing in years!

May 27, 2024 • Wanchese
Recap from a stellar past week of fishing. Success was high and the fun factor was through the roof! Still some of the best trout fishing Ive ever experienced! Beginners and avid anglers alike shared in the great light tackle action on tap right now! Biggest fish of the week was a citation 26” speckled trout! The fish are hungry and waiting on you! Come book a trip! Lets go get em!
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An angler proudly displaying a Spanish Mackerel while fishing in open waters, showcasing a successful catch.

Action packed fishing!

May 26, 2024 • Wanchese
Fishing is incredible right now! We caught trout, bluefish and spanish mackerel on both trips yesterday! Action from the first stop to the last! Come get in on some epic fishing!
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A family group poses with their catch of Speckled Trout displayed on a boat's cooler after a successful fishing trip.

As good as it gets trout fishing!

May 12, 2024 • Wanchese
Our speckled trout population is as healthy as its ever been. Both morning and afternoon trips were action packed with impressive fishing! Every size trout from 14” to 26”. Both groups kept what they wanted to eat and we had a great haul. Morning and afternoon trips both landed a citation trout. Excellent time to come and catch some speckled trout, red drum or bluefish! Book a trip!
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Two anglers proudly displaying their catches of Redfish while on a fishing charter in calm waters.

Epic fishing last week!

May 5, 2024 • Wanchese
We started off the day casting topwater poppers to big bluefish. After we had our fill and the sun popped out we went and found some hungry schools of red drum. Casting spoons into multiple schools of over 100 fish. The great variety continues and we are having good success for speckled trout, bluefish and red drum regulary. It should only get better from here! May is one of the best months of the year to fish in the Outer Banks!
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