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Pamlico Pirate Fishing Charters Customer Reviews

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4.98/5

From 58
verified reviews

jackAiIconJack AI Customer Experience Snapshot

Captain Dave Hegel consistently delivers exceptional fishing results on the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound, targeting red drum, speckled trout, flounder, and bluefish with both live bait and artificial lures. Customers regularly land trophy-sized catches, including massive red drum and monster blues, with Dave's extensive knowledge of tide patterns, wind conditions, and prime fishing spots. His 2021 23-foot Boca Bay boat features top-notch equipment including Star rods, 12-inch Garmin depth finder, and remote-controlled Minnkota trolling motor for accessing shallow waters. Dave's tireless work ethic and never-quit attitude shine through even on challenging weather days, often trying multiple spots until finding active fish. Families especially appreciate his patience with children and beginners, while experienced anglers value his willingness to share techniques and local knowledge. His professional yet friendly approach creates lasting memories, with many customers booking repeat trips and bringing friends along for future adventures.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Red Drum
Never Quit Attitude
Knowledgeable
Family Friendly
Trophy Fish
Professional Equipment
Repeat Customers
Challenging Conditions

Photos from Real Customers

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Fishing at an unknown locationScenic fishing location with no visible fishPerson fishing in unknown locationNice Little Tunny on light tackle today!Nice Little Tunny on light tackle! Great day on the water near Finz Grill.A person fishing for a striped bass in an unknown locationNice striped bass on light tackle in Oriental today!Light tackle fishing produced this exciting catch with a yellow lure - what an adventure on the water!Nice striped bass caught on light tackle in clear conditions.Nice striped bass on light tackle with that yellow lure doing the trick!Nice speckled trout on light tackle today! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure on the water.Nice wiper on light tackle! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure on the water.Great catch using light tackle on calm waters today!Nice striped bass on light tackle in perfect conditions!Nice striped bass on light tackle! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure.Nice Yellow Bass on light tackle today! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure.Light tackle adventure paying off with this exciting catch in Oriental!Nice striped bass on light tackle today!Nice striped bass on light tackle! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure.Nice striped bass on light tackle in Oriental NC! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure.Nice speckled trout on light tackle today! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure.Nice catch on light tackle! Clear conditions made for an exciting adventure.Person fishing in unknown locationRedfish caught while fishingReeling in a big Spotted Weakfish with finesse!Light tackle magic lands a sleek Spotted Weakfish in Oriental!Light tackle triumph: A bluefish reeled in from Oriental's waters!Summer Flounder, a 15-inch fish, caught while fishingSummer Flounder fishingTwo people fishing at an unknown locationFishing at an unknown locationAwesome Redfish snagged on a light tackle adventure!A thrilling catch of a spotted weakfish on a light tackle adventure in Minnesott Beach!Landed a feisty spotted weakfish with light tackle under a partly cloudy sky.Spotted weakfish landed at Minnesott Beach with a light tackle technique on a partly cloudy day.A mighty bluefish landed with light tackle amid the partly cloudy skiesHooked a feisty redfish with light tackle on a partly cloudy day in Minnesott Beach.A mighty redfish hooked on the Light Tackle under partly cloudy skies with late afternoon rain!Reeling in a big redfish on a partly cloudy day with late afternoon rain.Reeled in a feisty redfish at 301 Midyette St despite the rainy afternoon weather!Hooked a feisty bluefish in the afternoon sun!One Spotted Weakfish caught in partly cloudy weather with late afternoon rain.Battling the elements with light tackle on a partly cloudy day.Mastering the art of light tackle fishing on a partly cloudy dayA mighty Redfish reeled in by a skilled angler on a partly cloudy day.Reeling in a fiery red catch on a partly cloudy day with a chance of late rainAngler with a 20-inch fish caught while fishingEnjoying a partly cloudy day with some light tackle angling in Oriental.Reeling in a hefty black drum on a lightweight tackle setupHooked a feisty redfish with Light Tackle in Oriental, NC!A big redfish caught with expert light tackle skills!Catching the big one with a clever light tackle technique in Oriental NC.A spotty weakfish snagged with some light tackle - what a catch!Angler reeled in a massive redfish on a perfect day!Tackling the day with a light touch in Oriental, NC.That redfish sure put up a fight! Beautiful catch in Oriental, NC.Hooked this spotted weakfish while light tackle fishing on a partly cloudy day.Tackling the day with a light touch in Oriental, NC.Reeled in a big redfish with light tackle in Oriental, NC.Big redfish caught on light tackle on a perfect day!Angler reeled in a massive redfish on a perfect day!review imagesA spotty weakfish snagged with some light tackle - what a catch!Mastering the art of light tackle fishing in the picturesque town of Oriental, NC.Big redfish caught on light tackle on a perfect day!Huge redfish reeled in on a brilliant day!That redfish sure put up a fight! Beautiful catch in Oriental, NC.A prized Redfish snatched from the waters using Lightweight Tackle on a partly cloudy day!Big redfish caught on a partly cloudy day with light tackle!Hooked a feisty redfish with Light Tackle in Oriental, NC!Hooked the fish of a lifetime at 301 Midyette St under partly cloudy skies!Reeled in a good one today!review imagesreview imagesSpending a peaceful day on the water, reeling in a catch or two.review imagesreview imagesreview imagesreview imagesreview imagesRedfish caught while fishingreview imagesreview imagesreview imagesRedfish caught while fishingRedfish caught fishing in unknown locationFour redfish caught while fishingStriped bass fishing at unknown locationStriped bass fishing in unknown location4 spotted weakfish and bluefish caught during fishing outing4 redfish caught while fishingRedfish caught while fishing in an unknown locationImpressive haul of 6 bluefish, spotted weakfish, and redfish caught while fishingRedfish caught fishing in unknown locationFour redfish caught while fishingStriped bass fishing at unknown locationStriped bass fishing in unknown location4 spotted weakfish and bluefish caught during fishing outing4 redfish caught while fishingRedfish caught while fishing in an unknown locationImpressive haul of 6 bluefish, spotted weakfish, and redfish caught while fishingreview imagesThree redfish caught in an unknown location

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All Reviews

CC

Chad Coughlin

November 28, 2025
Trip - on November 28, 2025

Myself and two other family members took a charter with Captain Dave earlier today. It was a brisk morning but Captain Dave was there ready to go with a warm welcome. We got out to the first spot and instantly started getting hits. Captain Dave was ready with all the gear you could imagine. He was a great guy to talk to and even if we got skunked I’d tell anybody looking for a charter to go straight to Captain Dave. We caught more fish than we could count and had a blast. I would recommend Pamlico Pirate Fishing Charters to anybody looking for a great captain with endless knowledge of the area. Thank you Captain Dave.

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Tom ONeil

November 28, 2025
Trip - on November 28, 2025

Just finished our trout fishing charter. Captain Dave was awesome. Put us on lots of fish. He was very well versed on the area and a very interesting person. The fishing was a bonus. We really enjoyed our time with Dave and we can’t wait to redfish with him this summer. Thanks for a wonderful day.

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Ethan Brock

November 2, 2025
Trip - Cape Lookout False Albacore Fishing Charter on November 2, 2025
Clock Icon 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Person IconMax 4 guests

Catches : 1

  • Little TunnyLittle Tunny

    Catches: 1

We were able to go out with Capt Dave for false Albies and man did we have a good time! He is a great captain that communicated throughout the whole process and was able to put us on some great fish. We will definitely be booking with him again.

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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on November 3, 2025
Ethan Brock, Thank you! You guys where a great crew & I enjoyed the trip! Great Anglers! ☠️🏴‍☠️🎣
TC

Thomas Cozart

November 1, 2025
Trip - Professional Inshore Fishing Charter North Carolina for Trophy Redfish (Old Drum/Bull Drum) and Tarpon (July- August) on November 1, 2025
Clock Icon 1:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Person IconMax 2 guests

Catches : 2

  • Yellow BassYellow Bass

    Catches: 1

  • Striped BassStriped Bass

    Catches: 1

My buddy and I had a great trip with Dave! It was my fourth time fishing with him and he really put us on the trout and striper today.

A person fishing for a striped bass in an unknown location
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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on November 1, 2025
Thomas Cozart, Thank you! Really fun day! 🏴‍☠️☠️🎣
PE

Paul Engelholm

September 19, 2025
Trip - on September 19, 2025

Let me start by saying I have used over a dozen captains in my 50 years of fishing and there is absolutely no one that I can honestly say works as hard and puts you on more fish than you could ask for then Captain Dave, since fishing with Dave I have not only caught fish every trip over 15 trips I have caught over a dozen trophy Red Drum the last 2 seasons with one trip landing us 13 monsters between two anglers his knowledge of the Neuse River is one of the best for sure If you would like to enjoy a day out fishing then look no further because Captain Dave is you guide. Not only will he put fish in the boat, but he will have you smiling all day with his awesome personality Captain Dave Hegel is one of a kind. Customer for LIFE

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Angelo Baio

September 5, 2025
Trip - Professional Inshore Fishing Charter North Carolina for Trophy Redfish (Old Drum/Bull Drum) and Tarpon (July- August) on September 5, 2025
Clock Icon 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Person IconMax 1 guest

Today was our fishing club's second yearly trip with Dave and as usual he gave us a great time and we knocked those BlueFish dead on a feeding frenzy as wide as a football field right out of the gate.

Person fishing in unknown location
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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on September 5, 2025
Angelo Baio, Thank you! You folks were awesome as always. Looking forward to our next trip. I think it’s becoming a yearly thing my friend!
DR

Doug Reynolds

August 29, 2025
Trip - Professional Inshore Fishing Charter North Carolina for Trophy Redfish (Old Drum/Bull Drum) and Tarpon (July- August) on August 29, 2025
Clock Icon 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Person IconMax 1 guest

Tough day fishing however Captain Dave absolutely busted his butt trying to get us on a big fish. He was great with my little man on the boat as well. Professional in all he does. Tough day but I looking forward to fish with Dave again in the near future.

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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on September 5, 2025
Doug Reynolds , Thank you! I enjoyed both of you immensely!  Looking forward to our next trip.
review image

Ben Snotherly

August 20, 2025
Trip - on August 20, 2025

5 stars is not nearly enough to give to Captain Dave Hegel. I took some buddies from my church group and we had an absolute BLAST. I will be back with more friends soon! Captain Dave made sure there were always lines in the water and that we were in a good spot for action. I was so impressed by how hard he worked during our trip. It was truly an AMAZING time and can not wait to book again!

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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on September 5, 2025
Ben Snotherly, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Looking forward to our next trip.
TC

Thomas Cozart

August 16, 2025
Trip - Afternoon Bull/"OLD" Drum Excursion (3 Guest) on August 16, 2025
Clock Icon 3:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Person IconMax 2 guests

Today was my third fishing trip with Dave and it didn’t disappoint. We had several big drum hookups on artificial and also caught some monster blues. It was an exciting morning with blowups all around the boat. I’ve got another trip booked with Dave next month and can’t wait.

Redfish caught while fishing
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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on August 16, 2025
Thomas Cozart, Thank you! Love fishing with you!

Looking forward to our next trip. Next trip one of us will be "digging" a W in Football! 🤘☠️🏴‍☠️ 
KA

Kip Anderson

August 6, 2025
Trip - Professional Inshore Fishing Charter North Carolina for Trophy Redfish (Old Drum/Bull Drum) and Tarpon (July- August) on August 6, 2025
Clock Icon 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Person IconMax 1 guest

Catches : 2

  • BluefishBluefish

    Catches: 1

  • Spotted WeakfishSpotted Weakfish

    Catches: 1

Hard working Knowledgeable Very friendly

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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on August 6, 2025
Kip Anderson, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Hope yo see you again!  Capt Dave
TC

Tac Cozart

August 3, 2025
Trip - NC Charter Multi-Species Fishing Adventure (Red Fish, Bluefish, Speckled Trout, Flounder & Striped Bass.) on August 3, 2025
Clock Icon 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Person IconMax 1 guest

My son and I fished two days with Dave and we had a great time! The weather wasn’t ideal the first day and the fishing was a little slow but Dave worked his butt off and put us on fish both days. We caught some nice drum, along with a flounder and a bunch of blues. I’ll be fishing with Dave again in a few weeks and I’m already looking forward to the trip! Thanks Capt!

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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on August 3, 2025
Tac, you & Braxton are true anglers. No matter the conditions; you were game. It was an absolute pleasure! Thank You! 🏴‍☠️☠️🎣
MH

Marc Hollingsworth

July 17, 2025
Trip - NC Charter Multi-Species Fishing Adventure (Red Fish, Bluefish, Speckled Trout, Flounder & Striped Bass.) on July 17, 2025
Clock Icon 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Person IconMax 1 guest

Capt Dave kept us entertained and did all the heavy lifting. What a tremendous boat. Even in rough weather conditions, we had a blast and are definitely coming back.

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Dave Hegel
Captain DavidReplied on July 17, 2025
Marc Hollingsworth, Thank you! You folks were awesome. Looking forward to our next trip. I might call you Hollywood from
now on! Thanks for a great crew! 

Home of 18 of 24 IGFA World record Redfish. Capt. Dave Hegel has 40 years of experience on the Neuse River, Pamlico River and Pamlico Sound fishing for Old Drum, Tarpon, Sea Trout, Striper & Flounder ( We Cover Your Fishing License)

What Guests Are Saying About Pamlico Pirate Fishing Charters in Pamlico Sound and the Outer Banks

Our fishing charter reviews highlight why anglers return year after year to fish with Captain Dave and Pamlico Pirate Fishing Charters. Guests consistently praise the quality of each trip, from family-friendly outings to trophy Old Drum adventures. Many reviews mention landing big Redfish, Tarpon, and Speckled Trout in the Pamlico Sound, along with the excitement of nearshore action in the Outer Banks. With over 40 years of guiding experience, Captain Dave’s expertise and local knowledge ensure every guest leaves with lasting memories and a cooler full of stories to share.


Customer testimonials often point out how fun, educational, and stress-free the trips are—whether it’s a first-time angler learning the ropes or a seasoned fisherman chasing a bucket-list catch. Repeat customers value the personalized guidance, top-notch gear, and the chance to fish some of the most productive waters on the East Coast. These reviews prove why Pamlico Pirate Fishing Charters is trusted for unforgettable North Carolina fishing experiences. See what others are saying and book your trip today!

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Home of 18 World Record Redfish!

Make your next fishing adventure unforgettable with Pamlico Pirate Fishing Charters in Pamlico Sound, NC—where local expertise meets world-class action on the water. Book your trip today and let Captain Dave turn your day into a story you’ll be telling for years to come!

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