Washington has a new place in town for all your fly fishing needs. Pirate Waters Outfitter opened on July 1st on Market Street. Born and raised in Washington, owner Bo Brooks has been on the water his entire life. Being brought up in Washington on the Pamlico River, he felt this is something the town needed.

"No one was selling this kind of gear in the area. I’ve traveled around the world fishing, and every community has one of these type of stores. I thought why don’t I open one, with all this growth [in Washington] people have to go online or out of town to find this type of equipment. And I totally believe in supporting local."

Brooks, an avid fisherman and a licensed boat Captain, owned a construction company that dissolved during the pandemic. That’s when he decided to open Pirate Waters Outfitter.

"I thought, we should built a clubhouse for fishing and sell coastal swag to support it."

Brooks even built a workspace in the back of the store for Camacho Rod Works, who makes custom rods. Along with fly fishing gear, they also carry dry wick men’s fishing apparel, a high end line of Smithey Iron cookware, and a line of Brew Mate products, including growlers (which will come in handy with the two new breweries opening up in town).

Brooks says he has strived to make the store a welcoming place for everybody. "There are all these opportunities here for women to shop, and there are very few places for men to go. It’s hot in the summer. I have A/C and all these chairs in here. I walk outside and just say ‘Hey, come in here and cool off.’ That’s why I have these fishing shows playing." (Brooks has a big screen TV mounted playing continuous fishing shows.). "It’s just a place where you can come in, sit down, and relax. It’s kind of a cool place to chill."

Whether you’re in the market for fly fishing gear, fishing apparel, or just want to sit and cool off or chat about fishing, Pirate Waters Outfitter is sure to greet you with a smile and a welcome that can only be found in the original Washington on the Pamlico.