Flying Fish Charters: From dream to reality

the club members find joy in serving others! “I like making things like cards at the Dare Center for people who don’t get out much, to make them happy. I like making plants and donating to them,” said Christine as she added soil to her marigold plant.

Gina shared what kind of plants she enjoys: “I like tulips and lilies and roses and violets,” she said. “And marigolds!” She was sure show off her completed project and smiled proudly as her photograph was taken.

For many gardeners, Steve’s statement rings true: “I like to see things grow. They’re pretty,” he said with a smile.

As the morning’s program concludes at about 10 a.m., the group members finish their snack and say goodbye until next time.

“They are just the coolest group of people,” Lamo said. “It’s really fun.”

For information on how to participate or volunteer with the therapeutic horticulture program, contact Tanya Lamo at telamo@ ncsu.edu. 

Summer Stevens photo

Left: Christine says her favorite part of gardening is giving to others. Right EJ waters his newly potted marigold plant at the Extension o ce in Manteo.

Courtesy Flying Fish Charters Mike Mathis from Mechanicsville, Va. with a cobia.

by Summer Stevens

Courtesy Flying Fish Charters

Captain Hank Heerman with a nice king mackerel caught with live bait o Hatteras.

Hank Heerman was just a kid when his dad took him out to the Outer Banks for his first fishing trip in Rodanthe, igniting a lifelong desire to one day captain a boat. one day captain a boat. “When we arrived, the wind was howling and the howling and the rain was coming rain was coming down. We were trydown. We were trying to set up one ing to set up one of those old canvas tents. We finally of those old canvas tents. We finally managed, but I think we spent that managed, but I think we spent that first night in the car, it was a little too much,” he chuckled. “But I remember the group next to us had a little Boston Whaler, and they had gone out and caught all these little bluefish. And I was like, ‘wow, I want to do that so bad.’”

Fast forward 50 years, and Captain Hank Heerman is living the dream, though it was a journey to get there.

His father served in the Air Force, so growing up, the Heerman family moved around frequently. “My dad did not like to fish, but he did everything he could to get me out. And he would go. He always encouraged me,” he recalled.

As a young adult, Heerman always managed to find his way back to the Outer Banks, even proposing to his wife Pam during one Ocracoke fishing trip.

“We would come down every year. We didn’t have any money, so we would camp. We had a little tent and we stayed in an $8 camping spot. Pam would put up with me hauling my surf rods over to the beach… we’d see those charters when they came over the bridge and I was always in awe of that.”

Heerman worked in construction for 15 years before moving on to do IT for Bank of America. Fishing remained a hobby, though he was a shore-bound angler until purchasing his boat Sea Hunt, a 23’ long single outboard fishing vessel with a tower.

He has shared his love of fishing with family and friends for many years, but after taking an early retirement, he and his wife decided to move to the Outer Banks full time and turn his lifelong interest into a charter fishing business.

“I love putting people on the fish. I love that,” he said. “Being out on the water, sharing that with other people, there’s nothing better.”

He earned his Coast Guard captain’s license and launched Flying Fish Charters. He meets customers at the lighthouse in Manteo and tailors charters according to their level of experience and desires, and what’s in season. Common catches include red drum, cobia, mackerel, bluefish, and dolphin (mahi mahi).

He offers 4-hour and 6-hour inshore and near shore charters. Flying Fish Charters provides all the bait and tackle needed, and coolers packed with ice. Customers supply their own food and drinks (no alcohol,