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Down East Guide Service. Go With Someone You Know. North Carolina | Costa Rica | Argentina | Belize
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Captain's Message:
I am working as hard as I have ever worked, just not as much time on the water.
Not all of you realize that Down East Guide Service has evolved into a booking company, booking the best guides and boats in North Carolina, Costa Rica as well as other fishing and hunting destinations. Remember that we also have contracts with lodging options in Oriental, River Dunes and all over Costa Rica. I appreciate your continued support and letting us get you out on the water. Call or e mail anytime if you have questions, want to check last minute openings or just talk fishing.
We don't want to turn anyone away and will work to get a good guide for you, but remember that after catching the fish of a lifetime, many people immediately book dates for the following year. Please DO NOT TEXT ME! Yes, I broke down and got a dumb phone which is great for e mail, but text messages get stuck in cyberland and do not follow me around the world, so do not bother. I must admit that I like the radar app and the alarm clock, but you can have that facebook and Instagram crap; and I have no clue what a twit or a tweet sounds like.
In this newsletter, check out the reports from the Roanoke, cobia season, the Pamlico Sound and the seamounts of Costa Rica along with some words on some of our other destinations. Breaking News about NC Tarpon
Tight lines, calm seas and God Bless,
Capt. George Beckwith Jr.
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Congrats to Capt. Brian and Marty for winning the Big Rock
Many of you know Capt. Brian Harrington, aka Extreme Measures as one of our most requested Down East Guides. He may have a little more time on his hands this season as he has moved on from his job as captain of the Run Off. Capt. Brian and longtime first mate Marty Hiatt led their anglers into landing a 533 pound blue marlin on the first day of the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament. The fish held on through the week as the biggest blue marlin weighed and the first over 500 pounds, winning almost $1.2 million.
Capt. Joe Ward Retires
The first time that I met Joe was back in the way back years of Eastern Bassmasters and fishing on the Trent River. I was thrilled for him when he got his captain's license and started running guided fishing trips and he did a heck of a job for the customers we put on Joe's boat. We all hope the best for Joe with his retirement and look forward to seeing him on the water.
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North Carolina Peak Seasons and Summer
Forecast
Pamlico Mixed Bag really bright forecasts are coming true.
Fall and early winter are not the only times for good speckled trout fishing. The trout also gather up in the summer to spawn in the lower Neuse River and the Pamlico Sound. Early mornings can produce good bites on the flats, but hot summer days will also bunch them up on deeper ledges. With a little wind, several year classes of pups are working the shoreline and there are almost always a few flounder around. If you really need some action for the kids, we know where the bluefish live and can make things happen.
¾ days are $600, full days $700, ideally 3, up to 4 anglers.
Roanoke Recap: High water great guides
I am really proud of the Down East Guides and how they put customers on fish despite tough, changing conditions and the highest water in more than 15 years. For the first time in more than a decade water was so high that the flood gates were open and many stripers went all the way to the Roanoke Rapids Dam. A bad day on the Roanoke is better than what most other rivers can offer on a good day. Consistent half days with 30-50 stripers were enough to make folks happy and send them home with keepers and memories that last a lot longer.
Cobia Carnage...Not this year, for me anyway.
Although they kept trickling by Hatteras, it seems that the bulk of the cobia migration either passed us by early or they came ashore to the north of the Crystal Coast. The Down East Guides got their licks on some of them, but the best of the cobia bite was by those who were fishing with live bait on the bottom. Sight casting was very slow and inconsistent. Here are pics from a couple of Greg's big days.
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| Big Day with Capt. Greg Voliva |
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Giant Red Drum
We still have a few openings in August and September, but I would recommend contacting us as soon as possible. ¾ days are $700, full days are $800, split/extended full days are $900. Morning corking trips are $550. Whether you are fishing with one of the Down East Guides or not, remember that we can make your hotel/condo/vacation home reservations in Oriental or River Dunes.
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| Almost a year old. By the end of the summer this guy will grow almost a foot! |
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| First big drum of the year on the corks back in June with Capt. Greg. |
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Pamlico Sound Tarpon...NOT a myth.
For the last decade tarpon have been so rare in the Pamlico Sound that we have not actively marketed or targeted the few fish that were around. Looks like this year will be different. I have been receiving reports of a "good sign" of tarpon from all over the Neuse River and Pamlico Sound. Last week I poked my head into the river under less than ideal conditions and was surprised to see several groups of fish. Yesterday I had a chance to ride along with Capt. Greg Voliva and Brynn "Tom Cat" who always has a rabbit's foot in his pocket.
If you want to catch a tarpon...I mean if you REALLY want to catch a tarpon, then you better be prepared to put your time in and plan on booking a full day TARPON trip. Bring plenty of water and we will bring plenty of bait. We will NOT have any "little rods" on the boat to go and catch something else on "plan B". Do not expect to get a bite, but expect best efforts and if you keep your eye out, you might even see a fish or two.
Yes, we can book you with a good guide who can "fish" for tarpon if conditions are right, then go looking for something else if it doesn't happen, but if you want a realistic shot at catching a NC tarpon, then you need to say you want a TARPON trip...and ask Tom Cat to borrow that rabbit's foot.
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Argentina NOW and NOW:
Sixty ducks per day is your limit, hunting 4 days, that's more than most people shoot in several seasons of NC duck hunting. Due to a last minute cancellation, I have room for singles or a group of up to 4 hunters this July 22-28.
These openings are very rare and reservations for the May, June and July Argentina duck season should be made a year in advance.
Whether you want to go NOW or if you want to go in 2018, you need to contact me NOW to confirm some dates.
Dove hunts available year round.
During this trip to Argentina I will be checking out some golden dorado fishing operated from a mothership.
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Dragin Fly Fishing Charters TripAdvisor Page
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Thanks so much for keeping us at the top of TripAdvisor which has been a huge marketing tool for our Costa Rica trips. If Down East Guide Service has helped you have a fantastic trip to Costa Rica, even if we helped you get on another good boat, tell folks about it by posting at our
Dragin Fly Fishing Charters TripAdvisor page.
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Because Down East Guide Service is based out of North Carolina folks planning a Costa Rica trip are not easily running into our vacation planning service. Those great Costa Rica posts will be viewed by more potential customers from our Dragin Fly Fishing Charters Page based out of Los Suenos. If you have posted with us about your Costa Rica experience on our Down East Guide Service page and would be willing to repost your comments we would greatly appreciate it! Tell them about the Dragin Fly and tell them about George and Anna of Down East Guide Service and all the aspects of your vacation or corporate event we helped you plan. We love hearing about the good things, but we also want to learn how we can improve! If we could have done something better please e mail us in detail or call anytime to chat about the good, the bad and even the ugly. We care and we care to make it right every time!
Costa Rica Seamount Season Firing OFF
Congrats to Capt. Bubba Carter on the Tijereta Too for his recent record setting trip to the seamounts, landing over 50 blue marlin in four days, including more than 25 in one day! As Bubba was heading out on this trip, Capt. James on the Dragin Fly was returning from the seamounts where they landed more than a dozen in one day. We recently had customers on the Scatterbrain, catching 15 blue marlin in a day. People need to remember that although it happens more in Costa Rica than anywhere else in the world, these kind of numbers are "sick" and should not be expected.
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| Capt Jake Jordan enjoying Los Suenos |
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What you should expect on a seamount trip booked through Down East Guide Service is that from the time you arrive in the airport in Costa Rica, you will have VIP service, a very nice condo and all the details covered. On the water, you will have good food and plenty of it, a comfortable and safe boat (life raft, sat phone, epirb) and a crew experienced in overnight trips.
Although there is no better place in the world than Costa Rica for an opportunity at multiple blue marlin bites in a single day, remember that catching just one blue marlin is a big deal. Period.
We have openings on the Dragin Fly and other great boats for July through November
Costa Rica 2018 Season
Despite limited openings on the Dragin Fly through April 2018, we will work hard to get you on a good boat. Every year there are changes with boats, crews and quality of equipment. We have our finger on the pulse of the boats that are doing it right and will be glad to help with as much or as little as you need in Costa Rica, including Los Suenos accommodations, tours and transfers.
Silver King Lodge
The secret is out, there is no better place in the world for multiple daily hook ups on tarpon year round.
Coupled with the new management at Silver King, giving the guides the tools they need and the customers a luxurious lodge to enjoy, booking at Silver King Lodge are steadily increasing and openings are harder to find. Contact us to book your custom tarpon trip or maximize your vacation by fishing both coasts of Costa Rica also for billfish.
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NC Accommodation Highlight and Destination Corporate Groups
Pamlico Sound/Oriental Hotels, Condos and Homes:
Inquire with us on complete packages that include fishing and a variety of accommodation options. In this Newsletter we highlight the River Neuse Suites in Oriental.
River Neuse Suites
This is one of our favorite spots. Located on the Neuse River in Oriental, NC, this quiet, quaint and clean hotel offers rooms with everything you need and plenty of parking for boats and trailers. Drop us a line if we can make reservations for you.
Corporate Fishing and Vacation Retreats:
Our corporate customers have learned the value of team building and developing personal relationships with their customers. We can assist on and off the water, not only with the fishing, but also with lodging, catering, transportation, tours and special event organization. Whether a group of 4 or 44, whether in Costa Rica or North Carolina, every group we organize has different needs and we will build a custom itinerary/budget for your review. Great group opportunities available for Argentina dove hunts also.
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Australia 2017 Here We Come!
We have been telling you about this trip for many months now and it is finally around the corner. We are going in October and will be sharing with you all the details via the blog and within our next Newsletter in November. We fully expect to return for a repeat performance in 2019 but if there is any advance interest in 2018 let us know?
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Some of the Down East Guides. Go With Someone You Know.
| Capt. George Beckwith Jr. Capt. Greg Voliva Capt. Lee Parsons Capt Jennings Rose Capt. Daniel Roberts Capt. Stewart Merritt |
(Down East)
(Four Seasons)
(Gottafly)
(North State)
(Tag Alone)
(Salt Water Venture)
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Capt. Brian Harrington Capt. Ray Massengill Capt. James Smith Capt. Chris Kimery Capt. Justin Haddock Roy Zapata |
(Extreme Measures) (No Doubt) (Dragin Fly) (Mountmaker) (Haddock) (Pink Panga) |
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