# Tuna charters off the Outer Banks



## TheOpportunist (Oct 18, 2014)

I know this isn't pier or surf but I can't think of a better place to ask. I'm usually surf fishing for Striper this time of year but this year I want to change things up and offshore for Tuna. I've never done this before and would like to know if you guys have any "insider" tips for Tuna fishing off the OBX and if you have any private charter recommendations.


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## dialout (Feb 5, 2011)

Most recently I've been on the "West Wind "out of Oregon Inlet ...Capt Olan West. Limited out on tuna and caught a bunch of nice Mahi. Nice boat, Captain kept us on fish and mate busted his tail.


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## TheOpportunist (Oct 18, 2014)

dialout said:


> Most recently I've been on the "West Wind "out of Oregon Inlet ...Capt Olan West. Limited out on tuna and caught a bunch of nice Mahi. Nice boat, Captain kept us on fish and mate busted his tail.


Sounds like a nice haul! What Tuna species did you guys target? From my reading, it seems Spring is mostly Yellowfin, I wonder if larger Bluefins can still be found. Thanks for the charter tip, will give them a ring.


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

I would think of it in terms of travel time and fuel that you are paying for. You can go from Oregon at this time of year. What is it to the Gulf stream, 60 or 80 miles?
Or travel South to Hatteras or Ocracoke and run 30-35 miles. Good skippers to the South as well. SouthEast ledge can be a field day if you hit it just right


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

You get the big yellowfin and bigeye tuna out of Oregon inlet and mostly smaller black fins out of hatteras. Also the Dolphins start showing up this month.....usually the bigger ones will be caught early in the season. The problem with planning a trip in the spring is the risk of getting blown out due to high winds. Keep an eye on Oregon inlets website and teaches lair in hatteras. They update their fishing reports frequently. Good luck.


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## TheOpportunist (Oct 18, 2014)

Peixaria said:


> I would think of it in terms of travel time and fuel that you are paying for. You can go from Oregon at this time of year. What is it to the Gulf stream, 60 or 80 miles?
> Or travel South to Hatteras or Ocracoke and run 30-35 miles. Good skippers to the South as well. SouthEast ledge can be a field day if you hit it just right


Thanks! The cost seems to be uniform among most charters (~$1900 for a full day trip). There also seems to be a consensus that Oregon Inlet is the spot.



ncdead said:


> You get the big yellowfin and bigeye tuna out of Oregon inlet and mostly smaller black fins out of hatteras. Also the Dolphins start showing up this month.....usually the bigger ones will be caught early in the season. The problem with planning a trip in the spring is the risk of getting blown out due to high winds. Keep an eye on Oregon inlets website and teaches lair in hatteras. They update their fishing reports frequently. Good luck.


Great tips! I rung up "West Wind" and spoke with the captain, he also mentioned that the bigger Yellowfins are caught early in the season but they're relatively scarce whereas later in the season they're bigger in numbers but smaller in size. I'll keep watching the reports.

Assuming we limit out, are there places around willing to buy the extra catch? I can't imagine bringing back a few hundred pounds of fish with us.


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## MrWiskers (Feb 25, 2006)

Just got back from hatteras island. We managed to get out on wendsday and did well out of Hatteras Harbor. Blackfin and yellowfin tuna, wahoo, Mahi and jigged for some tackle busting Amber jacks. We where On the Tuna Duck great mate and captain.


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## Don Gruentzel (Apr 4, 2016)

Assuming we limit out, are there places around willing to buy the extra catch? I can't imagine bringing back a few hundred pounds of fish with us.[/QUOTE]

I would be glad to get any "Extra Catch"... you don't want to take back home with you

I will be in Nags Head for the next two weeks working. I will not have the time or the money to go offshore fishing.
Have a house in the MP 16 area and I would love to put an amazing, fresh caught meal together for all my guys.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

If you decide to go out of hatteras give capt. Willie a call. He runs the boat Twin Bills out of teaches lair marina and is a great guy. He doesn't have a mate so its much more of a hands on experience, you may not load the boat like you might from Oregon inlet, but he will work hard to put you on fish and the cost is either 950 or a 1000....not doubt you can find someone to take any extra fish off your hands but you got to catch em first!! We have been out before when the previous day was off the chain good only to come back to the dock with only a few fish. Nothing is a guarantee. Hope you have fun and catch a bunch of fish!


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## beagle (Jun 9, 2009)

_ Nothing is a guarantee._
That is the one thing to always keep in mind. Having skippered and mated years ago, that is the one thing I couldn't stress more for any folks coming out.
NO ONE on the boat wants to put fish in the box more than the Captain and mate..no one. But if you hit one of those days and those 2 are "good ones" and never give up, appreciate how hard they try to put fish in that box. 
It's not as easy as looks sometimes. And if you get a "slammer" trip, thank your lucky stars....it's a big ocean.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

beagle said:


> _ Nothing is a guarantee._
> That is the one thing to always keep in mind. Having skippered and mated years ago, that is the one thing I couldn't stress more for any folks coming out.
> NO ONE on the boat wants to put fish in the box more than the Captain and mate..no one. But if you hit one of those days and those 2 are "good ones" and never give up, appreciate how hard they try to put fish in that box.
> It's not as easy as looks sometimes. And if you get a "slammer" trip, thank your lucky stars....it's a big ocean.


 amen to that, the captains and mates are some of the hardest working people you will ever encounter. Putting in fourteen hour days, dealing with people who don't have a clue what they are doing, getting up at four am. For weeks on end without a break in some cases. I have nothing but respect for the guys who do it. They aren't getting rich, just trying to provide. They have their reputations at stake every time they take customers out......they want to put fish on the dock maybe more than their customers want the fish. They are all at the mercy of the weather, fuel prices, boat repairs, slip fees, every thing imaginable.....God love them all. We can all go back home to our nine to five after a weekend at the beach but these guys have no guarantees from day to day. Oh, yeah....and TIP YOuR MATE WELL!!!!!! That's what he relies on!!


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## Peixaria (Dec 31, 2008)

Gecko Fishing from Ocracoke 1400.00 All day Gulf Stream. His big boat is very fast as well. Ferris Oneal on Drumstick nothing listed. You"d have to research it. His boat acquired from former skipper Dave Nagle, a venerable Gulf and drum charter skipper.


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## Aristokles (Mar 5, 2013)

Only comment I can make is that in years past Sam Stokes on his Fight-N-Lady out of Oregon Inlet always put us on tuna first week of June. 

I only wish my retirement budget would allow me to splurge again.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

*



*


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## Digger54 (Sep 11, 2012)

@ez2cdave I bet their backs were shot by the end of the day.


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

Digger54 said:


> @ez2cdave I bet their backs were shot by the end of the day.


Got that right !

I'm still wondering how those fish come off the hooks so easily . . . Barbless, for sure.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

ez2cdave said:


> Got that right !
> 
> I'm still wondering how those fish come off the hooks so easily . . . Barbless, for sure.


Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.....saw some footage years ago of guys fishing the same technique and snatching bluefins onto the deck, big fish, back when they sold em for two cents a pound to put into dog food....crazy stuff. Tough guys.


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## French (Jun 18, 2005)

I have had amazing tuna (both bluefin and yellowfin) on Rigged Up, Fintastic, and The Legacy all out of Oregon Inlet. The Pelican is also an outstanding boat but he has been booked up every time I have had a chance to go.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

French said:


> I have had amazing tuna (both bluefin and yellowfin) on Rigged Up, Fintastic, and The Legacy all out of Oregon Inlet. The Pelican is also an outstanding boat but he has been booked up every time I have had a chance to go.


 It's tough to get a booking with Arch.. Especially during white marlin or tuna time...


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## ez2cdave (Oct 13, 2008)

ncdead said:


> Yeah, I was wondering the same thing.....saw some footage years ago of guys fishing the same technique and snatching bluefins onto the deck, big fish, back when they sold em for two cents a pound to put into dog food....crazy stuff. Tough guys.


I found some pics of the jigs they use . . . I think they only weigh a couple of oz.


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## ncdead (Jun 16, 2015)

Pretty cool looking jigs....easy to see how the fish would come unbuttoned.


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## TheOpportunist (Oct 18, 2014)

MrWiskers said:


> Just got back from hatteras island. We managed to get out on wendsday and did well out of Hatteras Harbor. Blackfin and yellowfin tuna, wahoo, Mahi and jigged for some tackle busting Amber jacks. We where On the Tuna Duck great mate and captain.





ncdead said:


> If you decide to go out of hatteras give capt. Willie a call. He runs the boat Twin Bills out of teaches lair marina and is a great guy. He doesn't have a mate so its much more of a hands on experience, you may not load the boat like you might from Oregon inlet, but he will work hard to put you on fish and the cost is either 950 or a 1000....not doubt you can find someone to take any extra fish off your hands but you got to catch em first!! We have been out before when the previous day was off the chain good only to come back to the dock with only a few fish. Nothing is a guarantee. Hope you have fun and catch a bunch of fish!





Peixaria said:


> Gecko Fishing from Ocracoke 1400.00 All day Gulf Stream. His big boat is very fast as well. Ferris Oneal on Drumstick nothing listed. You"d have to research it. His boat acquired from former skipper Dave Nagle, a venerable Gulf and drum charter skipper.





Aristokles said:


> Only comment I can make is that in years past Sam Stokes on his Fight-N-Lady out of Oregon Inlet always put us on tuna first week of June.
> 
> I only wish my retirement budget would allow me to splurge again.





French said:


> I have had amazing tuna (both bluefin and yellowfin) on Rigged Up, Fintastic, and The Legacy all out of Oregon Inlet. The Pelican is also an outstanding boat but he has been booked up every time I have had a chance to go.


Thanks for all the great Tips! A few days after I made the original post, my buddy bought a brand new 2016 Seahunt center console so we called off the charter search. We needed to invest into equipping the boat and getting it ocean ready. We did several practice runs on the Chesapeake Bay targeting Striper with some success. This week we decided to do the ultimate trip, fish for Tuna. Here's the report:

http://www.pierandsurf.com/fishing-forum/showthread.php?121441-Tuna-Fishing-Report-OC-7-27-2016


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

the two marinas if fish out of for blue water are Oregon and Pirates Cove. I have not been on a tuna boat out of PC, but the Pelican with Cap. Arch has always done us right and Cap. Charles on Rigged Up is known as the tuna guy in the marina (as told to me by other caps and mates). You are not going to go wrong with any of the boats in OI or PC. Those guys don't keep their slips if they are not booking trips and they don't get booked up if they are not catching fish.


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

French said:


> I have had amazing tuna (both bluefin and yellowfin) on Rigged Up, Fintastic, and The Legacy all out of Oregon Inlet. The Pelican is also an outstanding boat but he has been booked up every time I have had a chance to go.


You gotta look to book Arch 6mo -1yr in advance. Thank god he's not on Wicked Tuna or you would never get to fish with him. LOL!!!


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