This weekend went out on 12-hour trip.
It was a sort of last minute thing because the normal place I got out of had a boat out at dry dock and the other had a private charter. Then my two backup boats were sold out as well. A friend of mine told me give them a call.
I went out on the Two Georges twice many years ago and had not been back since. Now I remember why! The experience was sub-par, to say the least.
When I called no answered the phone and left a message received a call from the same guy three times and told him, the two times after the original call, I would give him a call back shortly as I was at work. When I called back he told me the price I agreed and told me to be there early to get a good spot if I one. He said someone would be at the dock no later than 4 AM to open the boat up and let people start loading. I get there and some guy asks me, "what spot are you on?" Said I don't have a spot I thought it was first come first serve. He said nope it is assigned so I grabbed my cooler and other item and put them in the main cabin. When I came out of the main cabin, he told me I would be on spot 32. Could not find the spot and had to ask as the spots were written in faded sharpie and you could barely read it. I then headed to my truck to hang out as I waited.
When I went back to the boat about 15 minutes prior to leaving I paid, as the person I had to pay finally arrived. Then I was told I was not in spot 32 and they moved my stuff. Said okay a little miffed as someone moved my stuff, Paid and asked who I needed to see about bait. The gentleman told me to see the shorter younger first mate. When I found him, he told me he was out of bait and didn't have any live pinfish to sell, but would check traps on the way out and could pay then if they had pinfish in the traps. There was bait in the traps but let's just say the pinfish was limited and everything else was weird, like eels, mudfish, grunts/pigfish, sea bass, crabs, and it was dumbed into a big 50-gallon drum. Then some regulars I would call them were allowed picked through the drum and took their choice of baits and put into their own private bait well; after I was told that was not possible for me to bring my own bait well when I asked when I booked.
Then when we hit the fishing grounds, at a minimum it was a ten-minutes plus wait to position and anchor before you could drop a line, one spot it almost took 15 minutes plus, to anchor and position. spent more time dealing with others around getting tangled and being packed in like sardines. Even had the wife of the captain tell me I could not try to position my self with the current to try to free line a sardine for kingfish. In a 12 hour trip was literally hit 5 spots and waited even if the fish weren't bitting.
The number of caught fish was limited and we left the fishing grounds early but stopped on our way in so people could watch the sunset.
I have been on other trips on other boats for less time and have caught more fish and had a better time. Now I remember why I had not been to the Two Georges in almost 5 years, as the experience jogged my memory. This is a boat for tourist and unless your a regular, that is there every weekend or more, your just a paid fare and nothing. Customer service was horrible. I will be the last time I venture out on the Two George's or their Sister Boat the Miss Virginia!
Take your chances! read more