The S.S. Fish Witch II is the deep sea charter to book out of Wilmington when you want the most options on one boat. This Carolina Beach family operation runs the widest trip menu of the Wilmington charters, trolling or bottom fishing at almost every length from a 4 hour mackerel run to the 13 hour Gulf Stream, and it carries one of the two deepest review records at the port, 357 reviews at 4.9 and still current in 2026. The Snow family has fished this 37 foot sportfisher off Carolina Beach for years, and the steady volume of recent, positive trips is what earns the place near the top.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 8.6 the Fish Witch II is third in the Wilmington ranking and a book with confidence call, the pick when you are not sure yet whether you want to troll, bottom fish, or make the long bluewater run, because it does all three well. It suits a group that wants to choose the trip to the conditions on the day. The honest limits are the boat and the crew structure. The hull dates to 2000, so it is a capable but no longer young sportfisher, smaller than the 54 foot Wet N Wild. And the operation runs a rotating roster of Snow family captains and mates rather than a single owner operator, so ask who is running your day when you book. Compare the field on the Wilmington ranking.
The boat
The Fish Witch II is a 37 foot Wilder Express sportfisher, a Carolina build that came on the water in 2000, powered by twin 370 horsepower Volvo diesels. It is a real sportfisher with a cabin and the range to make the roughly 60 mile Gulf Stream run, a step up in comfort from an open center console on a long day, though a step down in size from the largest boats in the field. The age shows in the hull more than the fishing: reviewers describe a well run, fishy boat rather than a showpiece. The Volvo diesels and the cockpit are set up for the heavy trolling spreads and the bottom fishing the boat does most.
The fishing and what you target
This is a do it all operation. Trolling close in produces king and Spanish mackerel, barracuda, and sharks, while the bottom trips work the ledges and live bottom for gag grouper, vermilion snapper, and greater amberjack, including a dedicated live bait amberjack trip. The 13 hour Gulf Stream run reaches the blue water for yellowfin and blackfin tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, and sailfish. The menu maps neatly onto the Carolina seasons: bottom fishing holds up much of the year, gag grouper opens for the summer, wahoo run in the fall, and the mahi mahi and tuna fill the warm month bluewater trips. Few boats in the port let you pick the method as freely.
Trips and prices
The price ladder is the most granular in the port, posted by the whole boat for up to 6 anglers. A 4 hour trip is $800 and a 5 hour is $900; 6 hour trolling is $1,000 while 6 hour bottom or live bait amberjack is $1,200; 8 hour trolling is $1,500 and bottom $1,600; 10 hour runs $1,800 to $1,900, 12 hour $2,100 to $2,200, and the 12 to 13 hour Gulf Stream run is $2,900. Penn and Shimano gear, bait, lures, and the fishing license are included. The granularity is a real strength for matching budget to trip, though fish cleaning is not listed among the inclusions, so confirm whether the mate handles it or it is a tip. Our cost guide sets the ladder in context, and the walk on versus private charter guide covers the whole boat format.
The crew
The Fish Witch II is run by Captains Carl and Shane Snow with their mates, a family operation rather than a one captain boat. The sentiment across 357 reviews is strong and consistent: anglers describe hard working mates, captains who know the local grounds and adjust to the bite, and a boat that puts mixed groups on fish. Because the roster rotates, the experience can vary slightly with who is aboard, which is the one thing to confirm when you book, but the depth of the record says the standard holds across the crew.
Booking and what to know
Book through the FishingBooker listing, and decide ahead whether you want to troll, bottom fish, or run to the Gulf Stream, since the price and the start time follow the trip. Bring food, drink, sunscreen, and a cooler; the gear, bait, and license are covered, and confirm the cleaning arrangement. For tuna and wahoo, book the long Gulf Stream day and start early.
How we scored it
The Fish Witch II earns its 8.6 on a deep, current review record at 4.9 across 357 trips and the widest, most flexible trip menu in Wilmington. Track record and trips and access are its strongest factors. It sits just below the top two on a 2000 hull that is no longer young and a rotating captain roster that makes the day less predictable than an owner operator boat. See how we scored this boat and the Wilmington rankings, including Captain Big Fish and Southern Run.