Full Day Flats Fishing Charter in Suffolk Virginia
Private Trip
Flats/Shallows Fishing
Sixhour private flats fishing charter with USCGlicensed guide JasonTarget redfish, speckled trout, striped bass, and seasonal tarponAll gear, licenses, and refreshments included for two anglers
Looking for a real flats fishing experience without the crowds? This six-hour private charter puts you and one other angler on some of southeast Virginia's most productive shallow water with Captain Jason, a USCG-licensed guide who knows these waters like the back of his hand. You'll launch from a local ramp and spend your day working the grass beds, shell points, and oyster bars where redfish cruise, speckled trout ambush baitfish, and stripers patrol the shallows. Everything's included – top-tier tackle, proven lures, ice, cold water, and your Virginia fishing license – so you can focus on what matters: making casts and catching fish.
This isn't your typical party boat trip. With just two anglers max, you get personalized attention and coaching that makes all the difference on the flats. Captain Jason will position the boat perfectly for sight-casting opportunities, pointing out fish before you even see them and helping you read the water like a pro. The flexible departure times mean you're fishing the best tides, not just whatever time slot was available. You'll work different structure throughout the day – shallow grass beds where redfish tail, deeper shell points that hold stripers, and oyster bars that attract everything from speckled trout to seasonal tarpon. The boat stays in skinny water most of the day, so you're constantly sight-fishing rather than blind casting.
Sight-casting is the name of the game here, and Captain Jason will have you rigged with artificial lures that match what the fish are eating. You'll learn to spot nervous water, fish wakes, and the subtle signs that give away feeding fish in shallow water. The tackle setup varies based on target species – lighter spinning gear for speckled trout and redfish, heavier setups when tarpon are around. Most of the fishing happens in 2-6 feet of water, so stealth and accurate casting are crucial. You'll practice different retrieves – slow rolls for redfish, erratic twitches for trout, and steady pulls for stripers. The boat positioning is everything on the flats, and Captain Jason knows how to use wind, tide, and structure to put you in the right spot at the right time.
Tarpon are the kings of Virginia's flats, showing up from late spring through early fall when water temperatures climb. These silver giants can reach 100+ pounds and will test your drag system like nothing else. They're acrobatic fighters that jump repeatedly, and even smaller tarpon in the 20-40 pound range will give you a workout. The best tarpon fishing happens during moving tides around structure, and Captain Jason knows the specific spots where they feed. What makes tarpon special here is you're sight-casting to fish you can actually see, not just hoping one finds your bait.
Striped Bass are year-round residents that love the cooler months and deeper flats. Virginia's stripers average 20-30 inches with plenty of larger fish mixed in. They're aggressive feeders that will crush topwater lures and soft plastics with equal enthusiasm. Fall is prime time when they're feeding heavily before winter, but you'll find them around shell points and channel edges throughout the season. Stripers fight hard and make long runs, and they're excellent table fare if you decide to keep a few within the regulations.
Sea Trout, specifically speckled trout, are the bread and butter of Virginia flats fishing. They average 14-20 inches with occasional "gator trout" pushing 24+ inches. These beautiful fish have distinctive spots and are ambush predators that love grass beds and oyster bars. Spring and fall offer the best speckled trout fishing when they're most active in shallow water. They'll hit soft plastics, topwater plugs, and live bait with equal enthusiasm. What's great about specks is their willingness to bite – even when other species are finicky, you can usually count on trout action.
Redfish are the stars of the sight-fishing show, especially when they're "tailing" in super shallow water with their copper-colored backs and distinctive black spots visible from the boat. Virginia reds typically run 18-27 inches and are incredibly strong fighters that make powerful runs and never give up easily. They're most active during warmer months and love to cruise grass flats looking for crabs and shrimp. The visual aspect of redfish fishing – actually seeing the fish before you cast – makes every hookup that much more satisfying. They're also excellent eating within the slot limit.
Captain Jason's flats fishing charters book up fast, especially during prime seasons when the fishing is hot. This top-rated experience gives you access to waters that most anglers never see, along with the kind of personalized instruction that turns good anglers into great ones. With all gear, licenses, and refreshments included, you just need to show up ready to fish. The two-angler limit ensures you get maximum attention and fishing time, making this a customer favorite for both beginners and experienced flats fishermen. Don't miss your chance to experience world-class Virginia flats fishing – reserve your charter today and get ready for some of the best sight-casting action on the East Coast.
Hit the shallow waters of Suffolk aboard my 2023 Mitzi T17, a rock-solid flats boat built for serious sight-casting. This 17-footer handles the skinny water like a dream, with a spacious casting deck that gives you room to work and a stable platform for those money shots at cruising reds. The wireless trolling motor keeps us whisper-quiet when we're stalking fish, while the 22-foot carbon fiber push pole gets us into water so shallow other boats can't touch it. Garmin electronics and fish finder help us locate the action, and spot-lock technology holds us steady when the fish are biting. With room for just two anglers, you get personalized instruction and plenty of elbow room to cast. Whether we're working oyster bars for reds or grass beds for specks, this rig puts you right where the fish live in Virginia's premier flats fishing waters.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the bread and butter of Virginia flats fishing, typically running 18-30 inches in our shallow waters. They cruise oyster bars, grass flats, and mud bottoms in water so shallow their backs sometimes show above the surface. Year-round fishing with peak action in fall when they school up heavily. What makes reds special is their powerful fight - they'll make long, bulldogging runs that really test your equipment. Plus they're great eating with mild, sweet meat. Look for that distinctive black spot near their tail and copper-bronze coloring. The trick is getting your lure in front of them without spooking the school - approach from upwind and lead them by a few feet. They'll eat almost anything that moves when they're feeding.
Salmo TruttaSpeckled sea trout are perfect sight-casting targets on these Virginia flats, averaging 14-20 inches with some pushing 5+ pounds. They hang around grass beds and sandy potholes in 2-4 feet of water, feeding on shrimp and small baitfish. Spring through fall produces the best action, especially on moving tides during low-light periods. What makes specks fun is their aggressive strikes on topwater lures - the surface explosions never get old. They're also excellent table fare with delicate, flaky meat that's great fried or grilled. Just don't overcook them or they'll get mushy. Pro tip: work your lure slow and steady over grass beds, and when you find one trout, stick around - they usually school up in good numbers.
Morone SaxatilisStripers are Virginia's most reliable inshore target, running 20-40 pounds on average in our waters. They love structure - oyster bars, grass edges, and shell points where baitfish gather. Spring and fall offer the best action when they're feeding heavily during their coastal migration. These fish hit hard and fight strong, making long runs that'll test your drag. What guests really appreciate is the eating quality - stripers have sweet, flaky white meat that's hard to beat. They're also pretty forgiving for beginners since they'll take live bait and artificials equally well. My go-to tip: fish the tide changes around structure, and don't be afraid to downsize your lure if they're being picky.
Megalops AtlanticusTarpon show up in our Virginia waters during summer months, typically late May through September when water temps climb above 70°F. These silver giants average 80-100 pounds here, though they can push 200+. Look for them rolling on the surface in deeper channels and around structure. What makes tarpon special is their legendary jumping ability - they'll leap 8 feet out of the water when hooked, making for heart-stopping fights that can last an hour. We practice strict catch-and-release since they're slow-growing and can live 50+ years. The key to landing one is keeping steady pressure and bowing to the fish when it jumps to avoid a broken line. Best fishing happens on moving tides around dawn and dusk.
Virginia