What would you recommend to anglers fishing in Wanchese, North Carolina for the first time?

We didn’t get the usual first mate and maybe our experience would have been better if we did. Our first mate was obviously knowledgeable but not super interactive with us. We got the sense that maybe we would have had a better time with someone who was used to hosting people.

By listening to the radio and some people the captain talked to on the phone, it seemed like many of the target fish weren’t biting for lots of charters at the time of our trip. It was extremely hot the week before and that likely affected the fishing. It seemed that the biggest fish caught the day of our trip were caught within an hour after sunrise, so being on the water and booking a trip that departs as early as possible seemed to be the key for our day.

If you are staying in Duck or Corolla plan on at least 55-75 minutes commute in the morning as it is a long way to Wanchese and speed limits are typically 35-45mph. The marina in Wanchese is pretty small but has a restaurant that is open early for coffee or breakfast sandwiches before you go - also has a full menu and beer when you return (or you can buy beer to bring on the boat if you have an afternoon trip). The same building has a public restroom in it. The first mate won't clean the fish for you like in other places I have been but there is a little shop on the grounds that does it for you when you return. For inshore trips cost was $0.50 of caught weight (ie. total weight of the fish, not just the fillets), this drops to $0.45 per pound for offshore trips. Everyone is super friendly and helpful.

Your targeted species might not be hitting on a given day so be prepared for the Captains to change to different species. We were going for Blues and Black Drum but ended up having to switch to Spanish Makerel.

I've done a couple of inshore trips and they've always been productive. Keep in mind that your captain can't control the fishing, some days are better than others. Also the weather plays a factor on what is bitting.

Really important to check out conditions to make decisions on weather and wind which can change the movement of the fish. A good Captain like the one we had will find an alternative option. With bad weather it's hit or miss.

Due to its location, Wanchese is a great harbor to start the fishing charter. It's about as close to the Oregon inlet as possible and the Stolat Captain Paul and Mate Paul are first class. They will make you an expert in no time. Expect to be put in a position to do some catching as well as fishing.

Have the right expectations. Sometimes fish are hitting quick, sometimes it takes a while. The Captain will do his best to get you to the right spot but understand it's an educated guess. Bring a camera, the wildlife and landscape are stunning. You'll see animals in the natural environment that are sometimes impossible to see otherwise. Bring a coat or light jacket. It can be cool in the morning and when moving across the water. Use the bathroom before leaving. Listen to the captain and move quickly. You'll catch more fish. Tip your Captain well.

Even though we had just had one hurricane go through the week before and had another coming towards us, we had a beautiful day with clear skies. The storms did affect the fish biting but Captain Randy made sure we kept moving until we all caught fish. We all had a wonderful time and the fish were delicious.

We actually went fishing in Kitty Hawk Bay due to the weather/wind the days preceding our trip. Fishing was not good in Wanchese and the Captain's friends/other guides told him the fish were biting at Kitty Hawk Bay. You don't need to bring anything but what you'd like to drink, sunscreen, maybe a hand towel and if it is really windy a hoodie or poncho to keep the spray from wetting you. You may also want to bring binoculars as we saw a lot of wildlife, like: egrets, pelicans, an eagle and dolphins. It was a beautiful trip AND we brought home fish!

Contact the Captain you are booked with and get as much info as you can from him. Capt. Vinny knew what was coming with a late weather forecast change, and let us know the night before our trip what we were to expect. So we made a change of plans and set out on schedule to a different destination. May weather in North Carolina is somewhat unpredictable and changes fast. So keep in touch up to departure and they will put you on the fish!

We had some younger children with us and weren't sure how they would handle being on a boat for the first time so we decided on a near-shore, 4-hour trip. If it was just my buddy and I without kids we could have went out further for something a little bigger. The only species in-shore hitting were these ribbon fish which are slow trolled for. The kids caught fish and had a blast so our goal was accomplished. Maybe next year we can go out further for some tuna or mahi mahi, etc. But the boat, the captain and the mate were top notch and very friendly. Great 4-hour trip!

It was good in the early morning but as the day get to noon time it will get hot and there is no relief while fishing. The earlier you can get out the better it will be heat wise. The inshore fishing is for Mackeral and King fish. I thought the fish might taste strong but it cooked up great with some seasoning and EVOO. The King fish was given a big thumbs up from Grandma as this was our first time eating it.

Determine the type of fish you would like to fish for and plan accordingly. We went inshore or near shore fishing when we should have been deep sea fishing because our intended target fish was for mahi-mahi and Cobia but since we went inshore fishing we ended up catching Spanish mackerel and bluefish. Communicate with your captain through this website and you won't run into the same problems we did. It was last-minute excitement that had us booking without doing research. The Captain Crew in boat where everything we expected, the trip itself was great!!

Weather is so fickle on the coast. So people need to be prepared to have things change. Also learned that there is a heavy shark presence which makes it hard to catch the super monster fish that we really want to catch.

We are from Kentucky. Salt water fishing was a very different fishing experience than home. We also weren’t familiar with any of the types of fish we caught or their behavior. My advice would be to let your captain be your guide, share his expertise, and help you navigate through your experience.

Considering that I did a deep sea 2 years ago, and the 54’ boat took us about 2.5 hrs out, in 6-8’ chop, and half the folks were puking even before we got a line in the water, I think the bay worked out great for me. And thinking back to that trip 2 years ago- the booking service shouldn’t have sent us out.

Expect to have a good time. Go in with an open mind and understanding that this is nature and the captain and crew can’t control the weather or the fish. Our crew did a great job in helping us catch fish and finding them. And explain what we were catching, what we were doing and way, and the how to optimize our time and enjoyment.

Be very specific with your prospective captain about general fishing conditions (i.e., not just weather recently). If it's poor pre-season for fishing (i.e., cold waters = few fish), do not go out. It's pointless.

Capt Mike was awesome and very patient with me. Been to many years to remember since I fished and he was very sweet and patient. I recommend people of all ages and fishing levels. He will do his best to get on the fish

The marina in Wanchese has a large selection for fishing guides. The marina has an excellent restaurant that is actually quite reasonable in price for the quality of food served. Our guide was very knowledgeable about the local community and was very instructive in the techniques used to fish artificial baits.

Booked out of Wanchese because we were staying in the area, and wanted a marina that was close to the inlet. The marina is right along the main road, parking right at the boat, and when we got back the fish cleaning service picked up our catch and took care of it for us. Pretty easy overall.

These Captains really try to get you out and on fish. We had great luck and did well. Had never heard or seen ribbon fish before, but I will say they taste good. 6 hours, 34 fish. Money well spent.

I would say to take a charter called the sea hag to get a familiarization of the water and sarounding areas. Because on the way to a great fishing experience with them you get to see a lot of the area to get a better feel for what is around this area.

Spanish Mackerel and a few other species are plentiful near Wanchese and provide fun fishing. As bites from these slow down ribbon fish provide a willing and fun species to target. Overall, an excellent place to fish.

Great location to travel to if you are staying in the OBX area. Also a great little restaurant at the location to grab a bit before or after the fishing trip. Not sure the name of it but right there at the Wanchese marina.

It is a good trip, be adaptive in the species you target and let the captain know what you are looking for, but trust that they will get you on fish. The weather is a big factor and can be hot so be prepared.

Wanchese is a great place to charter out of. Oregon Inlet gets most of the looks because it has a big fleet and they do a great job, but Wanchese and the Captains there are every bit as good if not better.

We were hoping to catch a bit more fish, but the weather was maybe a bit too perfect with no current whatsoever. Still able to bring in speckled trout, gray trout, flounder, red drum and had a couple of blues get away.

Make sure you tell the captain what it is exactly you want to catch and they will get you there. No sense in wasting time angling for something you aren't set out for. They know where all of the hot spots are.