The Release is a 53' Bobby Sullivan powered
by a new 60 Series Detroil
diesel while, producing no smoke, provides plenty of speed to give you
more fishing time. Fully equipped with the latest in Penn tackle; 12lb
to 130 lb, stand up or conventional. The Release is air-conditioned,
equipped with electronics and all Coast Guard required safety
equipment. If you or your family and friends are looking for a fun day
of offshore fishing on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, please give
Captain Rom Whitaker and his mate on the Release a try. Corporate,
family and tournament bookings can be accommodated. Excellent year
round fishing: blue marlin, white marlin, sailfish, dolphin, yellowfin
tuna, giant bluefin tuna, blackfin tuna, wahoo, king mackerel, red
drum, striped bass, barracuda, amberjack and other species. Call
(252-986-1031) or email (Contact Us above) for additional information
and pick a season for your favorite species.
Location Docked at Hatteras Harbor Marina, Hwy 12, Hatteras Village.
Hatteras is on the southern end of the Hatteras Island approximately 60
miles from Nags Head
General Directions
from Virginia Take Hwy 168 South to Hwy 158 East
Travel through Nags Head and make a left on Hwy 12 South at Whalebone
Junction.
Approximately 1 hour from Whalebone.
General Directions
from Western NC Take Hwy 64 East at Rocky Mount and travel to Manteo.
Make a right turn on Hwy 12 South at Whalebone Junction.
Approximately 1 hour from Whalebone.
Prices for 2008 Season $1,470.00 per day (credit card customers)
$1,400.00 per day (check and cash customers)
$500.00 deposit required within two weeks of booking the trip.
Balance due on your fishing day.
Refund Policy Trips cancelled only by the Captain due to windy
conditions and rough seas.
No advanced refunds.
All refunds based on Captain's discretion.
Options also include rescheduling.
Tipping the Mate Not required, but customary
15 - 20% of the cost of the trip
(I feel that my mates are excellent but I want to know if you are not
pleased.)
Departure Time Varies according to time of year
Call (252-986-1031) or email (Contact Us above) Captain to confirm
Typical Day 6:00AM - 4:00 PM
Charter Size Number of people - 6. (US Coast Guard Regulation)
Kids are always welcome, but please consider the weather before
bringing small children.
Bait, Tackle, Ice
Fishing License Provided
Fish Cleaning Services Available at the dock.
Price varies but well worth the price.
What to Bring Coolers, of course, to take home your catch.
Eats and drinks.
Sunscreen, sunglasses (polarized is best), hat
Clothing - wear layers to change with the temperature.
Rain gear if seas are rough or forecast calls for rain
Camera
Motion sickness medication
Hi, I'm Captain Rom Whitaker, a native of Kinston, NC. I first started
fishing with my father and grandparents at the age of three. I can
remember my grandmother, Attwood Cameron, taking me fishing from dawn
to dusk on the piers at Atlantic Beach. She loved to catch flounder. I
always told her if I could get out in that ocean, I could really catch
some big fish. My father and grandfather spent many hours teaching me
how to catch bass and speckled robin in Broad Creek on the lower Neuse
River. My first trip to Hatteras was in 1970 in a 19' Thunderbird boat
and quickly I realized there were some big fish out there and I needed
bigger tackle. Over the next few years, I purchased a 23" SeaCraft and
took it to Hatteras fishing just about every weekend. Finally, with my
wife's blessings, I moved to Hatteras in 1986 and started fishing for a
living. I have been blessed with a wonderful wife, Elaine, and two
great boys, Rom IV and Cameron. Fishing has really been good for me. I
owe my success to all my loyal and supportive customers from all over
the US. After 21 years of fishing as a vocation, I am often asked,
"Don't you get tired of fishing?" Fishing is what makes my job so much
fun. I can truly say that every morning when I get up to go, I am
excited and ready to go to work. Fishing is truly unique at Hatteras
because you never know what your next big bite is going to be.
Many people try to gauge their success by the number of fish caught but
there are many things that go into a successful charter experience. How
you are treated, how much you learn, angler participation, attitude of
the crew, catching your specific target species, enjoying and watching
all the other sea life offshore (pelagic birds, turtles, porpoises,
whales, sharks, and other things) all go into making an enjoyable trip.
The Captain and crew of the Release are going to make every effort to
make sure these things happen along with hard fishing. I especially
enjoy family charters with children who love to fish or who are fishing
for the first time. I invite you to come to Hatteras anytime of the
year and enjoy some of this great fishing that I love.
Here is a list of the Billfish Tournaments in which I participate.
Name of the Tournament Date Past History Winnings
Hatteras Village Offshore Open May 14-17 1st, 2nd, 3rd place
Swansboro Rotary Club Bluewater May 24-25 3rd place
Big Rock Tournament June 9-14 Meatfish category
Hatteras Marlin Club June 16-21 1st place
Hatteras Grand Slam July 11-12 2nd place
Tred Barta Boy's Club Tournament July 18-20 5th place
Ducks Unlimited Billfish Tournament July 25-27 3rd place and Meatfish
category
White Marlin Open August 4-8 Alice Kelly August 10 Meatfish category
Pirates Cove Billfish Tlournament August 12-15 3rd place and big fish
category
I like to fish tournaments. Some last two days with $2,500 entry fees
and some are 5 and 6 days with $12,000 entry fees. Of course, your
winnings are based on the entry fees. If you are interested in
participating, please give me a call (252-986-1031) or email me
(Contact Us above) and we can discuss details.
Hello, my name is Lee Cannady. I mate for Captain Rom Whitaker on the
Release. I was born and raised in Franklin County, NC. I have a degree
in Fisheries and Wildlife Management from North Carolina State
University. I have been fishing my entire life. My grandfather
introduced me to fishing when I was a kid. Growing up, I mainly fished
fresh water lakes, rivers, and ponds. Once in college, I made the
transition to offshore fishing.
I fished offshore as a hobby for about 10 years before turning my hobby
into a job. I love fishing! As a mate on the Release, I promise to do
my best each and every day to make sure you have a safe and memorable
experience. I look forward to fishing with you.
January / February / March
Giant bluefin tuna are the prime targets for these three months. They
usually show up in December and leave around the first of April. The
last few years have produced some larger fish in near shore (1-10
miles) feeding on menhadden schools. We have not seen them on wrecks
feeding on bluefish lately but maybe this year. Yellowfin tuna are
always here during winter months and the big kings are usually holding
along the temperature breaks in about 20 to 30 fathoms of water. If the
water stays cold, then stripers ave available around the Diamond Shoals
and the inlets.
February 24 - March 10
I will be in Mexico during this period running the charter boat,
Qualifier, owned by Captain Finn Gaddy. If you want to go somewhere
warm in the winter and get some practice using the new circle hook
techniques, this is the place to be. It is not uncommon to have 20 to
30 sailfish bites per day, sometimes 50, during this time. There is
also some excellent bottom fishing available a little further offshore.
April / May
Water starts to warm this time of year but it normally produces some
excellent fishing. The yellowfin bite is going strong the first of
April and starts to taper off as water temperatures increase but the
size of the fish get much bigger (50 to 60 pounds). It is not uncommon
to hook them in late May Big dolphin start to show around the middle to
late April and contiunue until June. Wahoo are available year round but
they usually have peaked around the middle of May. King mackerel are
also abundant during April, tapering off in May. Blue marlin start
showing up around the end of April and make a good showing in May.
June / July
Great fishing these two months! Blue and white marlin make a good
showing at this time. Blue marlin usually peak in June and white marlin
peak in July. Dolphin fishing is excellent with gaffers (8 - 40 pounds)
early on and bailers (3 - 8 pounds) getting more plentiful in late June
and July. Big yellowfin tuna are around but hard to catch (kites,
spreader bars, etc.) Wahoo and bottom fish are also available.
August / September
In the last few years, these months have produced some impressive
billfish catches. Blue marlin, white marlin and sailfish are an every
day occurance. We had a few sailfish days in September when we had
double digit bites. If you are looking for a trophy, this is a good
time to come. Dolphin remain plentiful, mostly bailers and a few
gaffers. Wahoo usually hits a peak again in September. King mackerel
start to show around the end of September which is also a good time for
bottom fishing. Weather is usually very pretty this time of the year
unless we have a big H (hurricane) brewing.
October / November / December
The water starts to cool back down and the yellowfin, blackfin, and
bluefin tuna make their way back to NC waters. Yellowfin and blackfin
usually start showing up around the middle of October and bite good
right into the next year. Bluefin start showing a little later around
first of December. Live bait king mackerel (20 - 30 lbs) fishing is off
the chart late October until the new year. If you like catching big
fish on light tackle and topwater strikes, you need to try this. There
are still a few dolphin around and wahoo stay consistent all year long.
Giant bluefins and stripers start to show up in December.
Weather and water temperatures certainly affect any forecast and can
make it early or late. So please take this into consideration when
booking a trip.