Ocean Eagle V — Local services in New York

I went blackfishing a couple of months ago and, to be fair, I caught some absolute monsters on this charter that day. But in the same breath, I’m giving them 1 star — and here’s why:

This was the first time I’ve ever been on a charter where the deck crew were part of the fishing pool. Not only were they in the pool, but they were also fishing the entire trip, basically hogging the back of the boat. Mind you there were only about 10 people on the boat, and 3 of them seemed like regulars who acted like they ran the place.

When I got there, I was hoping to get my rod rigged. Only one crew member was actually working the rest were busy fishing and hanging out. While we were waiting for the anchor to drop, one of the deckhands asked a regular to help rig because he was the only one working. The regular started cursing, saying it wasn’t his job and that people shouldn’t even get on the boat if they don’t know what they’re doing.

On top of that, the same kid would talk trash if you fished near the spot he was in and even got the crew to join in with head shakes and side comments like you were wrong for moving around on a boat that was basically empty.

Then came the fishing pool. I swear the guy who won (one of the deck crew) had to have put sinkers in his fish. No matter what size fish you put next to his on the scale, his fish’s weight didn’t budge. I’m no expert, but no way his fish was so heavy that others didn’t even move the needle when weighed side-by-side.

Bottom line do not enter the pool on this boat. And honestly, unless you’re super experienced and can deal with that kind of clique behavior, I wouldn’t recommend this trip at all.

Shout out to the one crew member who actually worked he was the only Black crew member on board, and he busted his tail while the rest worried about selling the fish...

I’ve been fishing with Capt. Greg, Glen, Chris and Roger 3x in 2024 and each time has been an incredible and productive experience. The crew are very knowledgeable, communicative, and can identify the best bottom fishing spots in the area. When I was having difficulty picking up the right techniques in tautog fishing, the crew were able to offer helpful feedback regarding my technique, bait, and rig setup so that I was able to improve my hookup dramatically. Further, the galley food is a delicious and welcome touch—I specifically recommend the burgers and fries. If you are looking to spend a day on the water with an experienced crew, I recommend the Ocean Eagle...

Wow, what a trip. We went fluke fishing on a Thursday morning. Brought my 15 year old son for his first ocean fishing experience. First of all, the crew was outstanding. Friendly and willing to assist whenever necessary. We are novices at this type of fishing and they provided all the gear necessary. Throughout the trip, the captain searched for the best spots to catch fish. And he delivered. We caught several fluke each, along with a couple of sand sharks. My son even caught the largest fluke of the day! Highly recommend the Ocean Eagle V. We are already planning our...