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.
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