The boats that made it happen and the crews that ran them.

"This book is about how sportfishing first got started on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and how it led to the development of the finest boatbuilding industry in the world. Of all my travels in the sportfishing world, I have never seen another place that surpasses our year-round quality fishing and superb boatbuilding.

My research included the distinct pleasure of interviewing captains and mates who started the transition to recreational fishing on the Outer Banks. Their shared memories capture this history and how it led to the building of better boats, safer and more comfortable for the charters.

It is a tribute to the watermen who came before me, those who mentored me and fished with me, and the younger generations who continue to search for bigger fish on better boats."

Charles Perry