Big Fish Better Boats

"Throughout my early years of traveling, other fishermen invariably asked where I was from and what kind of fishing could be found in my home area. I would tell them about the proximity of North Carolina's Outer Banks to the Gulf Stream and the great variety of migratory fish available. The Outer Banks has now become very well-known, and captains from other fishing locations frequently ask me if I can find them an "Outer Banks mate." They know that a mate from Oregon Inlet or Hatteras will have experience catching a variety of fish, will know how to work hard and show up on time each day, and will socialize well with the charters.

This is why my friend Capt. Fin Gaddy (of the charter boat the Qualifier) and I agreed on the need for a written history about how sportfishing first got started here on the Outer Banks and how it led to the development of the finest boatbuilding industry in the world.

My research for this book included the distinct pleasure of interviewing captains and mates who started the transition to recreational fishing on the Outer Banks. Their shared memories capture this history and how it led to the building of better boats, safer and more comfortable for the charters."