Blackwater Canoe Trips
If you are looking for a quiet trip, where time slows down, and you feel like you are the first person to explore a hidden gem of a waterway, this might be the trip for you.
Paddling a canoe in the backwaters was an important part of my youth, and fortunately, has found its way into my life again. The more time I've spent around crazy boat ramps, and busy waterways, the more I've found myself longing for quiet paddles down black water creeks, dotted with lily pads, and surrounded by Cypress Tree shorelines. These hidden waterways are too special to keep them to myself, so I've decided to incorporate it into my guiding business. I don't need or want to run a bunch of canoe charters every year, but I am excited to add this as an offering to any of my anglers that would like to experience something different... something special. These will be one-on-one trips. I'll be at the stern of my Merrimack Tennessean, handling all of the paddling and I'll host one angler on the bow with either a 3 to 5wt fly rod, or an ultralight spinning rod. We will spend 3 or 4 hours exploring the dark tannin-stained waters, of a slow flowing river in Eastern NC, while fishing for multiple species of panfish and bass along cypress knees and fallen logs. Plan to see little to no other boats/people, and plan to be surrounded by beautiful backdrops as you cast to hungry fish. These are going to be very minimalistic trips, keeping gear to a minimum and taking our time working the shorelines for fish, while taking in the gorgeous surroundings.
This fishery will start each April as the creeks warm up and will be offered all summer into early fall when the water begins to cool off again. I'll supply all the gear, from rods and lures/flies to lifejackets and refreshments. All you have to do is show up and let me chauffeur you around some of my favorite backwater haunts. Some of the fish we may catch can include Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Largemouth Bass and more.
I've always built my business around experiences more than numbers. I want every person who steps foot on my boat, to feel like they are going on an adventure, and exploring beautiful, amazing areas. We want to catch fish too, but I want them to leave with memories of an overall "experience". That's why I'm so excited to offer these canoe trips as a way for my anglers to experience the outdoors that I love so much.
Paddling a canoe in the backwaters was an important part of my youth, and fortunately, has found its way into my life again. The more time I've spent around crazy boat ramps, and busy waterways, the more I've found myself longing for quiet paddles down black water creeks, dotted with lily pads, and surrounded by Cypress Tree shorelines. These hidden waterways are too special to keep them to myself, so I've decided to incorporate it into my guiding business. I don't need or want to run a bunch of canoe charters every year, but I am excited to add this as an offering to any of my anglers that would like to experience something different... something special. These will be one-on-one trips. I'll be at the stern of my Merrimack Tennessean, handling all of the paddling and I'll host one angler on the bow with either a 3 to 5wt fly rod, or an ultralight spinning rod. We will spend 3 or 4 hours exploring the dark tannin-stained waters, of a slow flowing river in Eastern NC, while fishing for multiple species of panfish and bass along cypress knees and fallen logs. Plan to see little to no other boats/people, and plan to be surrounded by beautiful backdrops as you cast to hungry fish. These are going to be very minimalistic trips, keeping gear to a minimum and taking our time working the shorelines for fish, while taking in the gorgeous surroundings.
This fishery will start each April as the creeks warm up and will be offered all summer into early fall when the water begins to cool off again. I'll supply all the gear, from rods and lures/flies to lifejackets and refreshments. All you have to do is show up and let me chauffeur you around some of my favorite backwater haunts. Some of the fish we may catch can include Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, Redear Sunfish, Largemouth Bass and more.
I've always built my business around experiences more than numbers. I want every person who steps foot on my boat, to feel like they are going on an adventure, and exploring beautiful, amazing areas. We want to catch fish too, but I want them to leave with memories of an overall "experience". That's why I'm so excited to offer these canoe trips as a way for my anglers to experience the outdoors that I love so much.
Newport River and White Oak River - April through September
The upper reaches of both the Newport River and the White Oak River are narrow waterways that experience little boat traffic and pressure. Both rivers are slow flowing and tidally controlled since they eventually flow out into the marsh several miles downriver. Although these are coastal river systems, the stretches we fish are almost completely fresh water. Some of the inhabitants are Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Crappie, Longnose Gar and Bowfin, among many other species. Both rivers can range from a few inches deep to more than 10 ft deep. They are called Black Water Rivers due to the extremely dark tea-colored waters, caused by the tannins that leach out from the trees and dead leaves. The fishing can be great on these river systems, but the surrounding shorelines are beautiful, and they add to the experience. Along with the fish, there are possibilities of seeing alligators, turtles, snakes, otters, muskrats, and many species of birds including ospreys, woodpeckers, owls and warblers.
*We plan to offer other paddling destinations in the coming years.
*We plan to offer other paddling destinations in the coming years.
Blackwater Canoe Trips
4hr Trip ..... $300
6hr Trip ..... $400
*1 Angler per Trip
6hr Trip ..... $400
*1 Angler per Trip