By Evan Mugford
NEWBURYPORT — The citizens of the North Shore love to fish, no doubt about it. But what do they do when the monotonous grind of lonely beach fishing brings few bites and fewer catches? Take a charter boat and guarantee themselves a catch.
The Daily News spoke with Capt. George Charos, 65, owner of Captain's Fishing Parties on Plum Island, and a veteran in all things marine.
Here's what he had to say:
1. Tell us about yourself and describe your charter operation?
It's a family business. I have a couple of boys, Chris and Ryan, who are also co-owners. I guess I would have to fall under the management position, but we all have equal say in calling the shots. We have a range of offers that include deep sea fishing, charters, and sightseeing cruises.
2. How many boats do you maintain?
We have four boats. From the smallest to the largest, it's the Captain George, which is 65 feet, the Captain's Lady, which is 78 feet, the Captain's Lady II, which is 90 feet, and then the Captain's Lady III, which is 106 feet.
3. Who drives them?
We all drive them. But at my age I try to avoid it.
4. How long has your family owned this operation and how did it all begin?
Well, me and my dad, Christos, started this in 1973 after we bought two property shares, the first in 1972 and the second in 1977. It was just a hobby of ours that we had carried through the fifties. We just enjoyed fishing and dealing with people.
5. What was your father like?
He was a gentlemen's gentleman. An upscale type of guy that was always handy and very helpful to people. Aside from being just an all around good guy, he was a better fisherman than I was.
6. What does the Captain's Fishing offer that other charters may not?
Just great recreational fishing. We do a lot of cruises and I think our operation has some of the finest equipment on the east coast. We take pride in how well we maintain our boats and all of their facilities. I believe that our fishing and cruising charters are top-notch.
7. What's new?
The Captain's Lady III is our newest and most sophisticated vessel. It's a custom built fishing boat that can travel at speeds up to 28 knots. We don't move it that fast though, and for good reason.
8. Do you consider the waters around the River Rival region to have abundant fishing?
Yea I do. Quantity wise, definitely. Every year we usually have a specific type of fishing, but we tend to have great success with cod and haddock and mackerel fishing every year. Over the past couple of years we've also had an increase in flounder and bass catching as well. As of right now, the cod and haddock fishing is becoming heavier thanks to the dogfish population starting to dwindle. Those guys can really hamper your catches if you'rebottom fishing.
9. What is the record fish landed at Captain's?
It was a 175-pound halibut we managed to land more than a few years back.
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George Charos
Age: 65
Profession: Charter Fishing
Company: Captain's Fishing Parties
Position: Co-Owner
