Virgin Beach Inshore Fishing - 4 Hours of Action
Private Trip
Inshore Fishing
Target Sea trout, Black Drum, Flounder, and Redfish inshoreFour-hour guided trip accommodates up to four guestsCaptain provides equipment and navigates to prime fishing spots
Virginia's coastline delivers some of the best inshore fishing on the East Coast, and this 4-hour trip with Patriotic Excursions puts you right in the thick of it. Virgin Beach offers the perfect mix of grass flats, oyster bars, and creek mouths where hungry fish stack up year-round. Your captain knows these waters like the back of their hand and will put you on fish whether you're a weekend warrior or someone who lives for the bite. With space for up to 4 anglers, this top-rated charter gives you plenty of room to work without bumping elbows.
Your morning starts at the dock where you'll meet your captain and get a quick rundown of the game plan. The boat's rigged and ready with quality tackle, so all you need to bring is your fishing license, snacks, and drinks. Virginia's inshore waters are diverse - one minute you're working shallow grass beds for speckled trout, the next you're bouncing bottom baits near structure for black drum. The beauty of a 4-hour window is you get to sample different techniques and locations without feeling rushed. Your captain reads the conditions daily and adjusts the approach based on tides, weather, and recent fish activity. Expect to cover water efficiently while spending quality time at productive spots when the bite is on.
Inshore fishing around Virgin Beach means versatility is key. Your captain comes equipped with everything from light spinning gear for trout to heavier setups for drum and redfish. Live bait like shrimp, mud minnows, and finger mullet consistently produce, especially around oyster bars and dock pilings. Artificial lures shine when fish are actively feeding - soft plastics, topwater plugs, and spoons all have their moments. You'll likely work shallow water structure, drift grass flats, and target drop-offs where baitfish concentrate. The captain handles boat positioning and bait selection, but don't hesitate to ask questions about techniques. Many guests pick up new skills that improve their own fishing back home. Bottom fishing with cut bait works magic for drum and sheepshead, while moving baits under popping corks triggers aggressive strikes from trout and redfish.
Black drum around Virgin Beach are absolute bruisers, especially during their spring spawning runs. These fish pull hard and test your drag system - expect anything from 5-pound juveniles to 30-pound bulls that make your arms burn. They love crab and shrimp around oyster bars and bridge pilings. Summer brings consistent action, while fall sees big schools moving through the area. What makes drum special is their fight - they use their body weight and power to stay deep, making every hookup a battle worth bragging about.
Sheepshead are the thieves of the inshore world, famous for stealing bait with surgical precision. Virginia's structure-rich waters hold good populations of these convict-striped fighters. Spring through fall offers the best action, with fish ranging from keeper-sized 2-pounders to hefty 6-pound slabs. They're notorious for light bites and quick runs, keeping you on your toes. The reward is some of the best eating fish in the ocean - firm, white meat that's perfect for the dinner table.
Summer flounder, or fluke, are Virginia's premier flatfish and a customer favorite for good reason. These ambush predators lie buried in sand waiting to crush baitfish, and when they hit, it's game on. The Chesapeake Bay region produces quality doormat flounder, with fish over 20 inches providing excellent table fare. Peak season runs May through October, with summer months delivering the most consistent action. Their aggressive strikes and acrobatic fights make every hookup exciting, plus they're tough to beat in the frying pan.
Speckled trout, or sea trout, are the bread and butter of Virginia inshore fishing. These beautiful spotted predators school up in grass beds and along drop-offs, providing fast-paced action when conditions align. Spring and fall offer prime opportunities, though summer early mornings and evenings can be phenomenal. What anglers love about specks is their willingness to hit artificials - topwater strikes at sunrise are pure adrenaline. They fight with quick runs and head shakes, and a cooler full of 15-inch trout makes for outstanding eating.
Redfish are the crown jewel of Virginia's inshore scene, and Virgin Beach waters hold some real bulls. These copper-colored fighters are known for their incredible stamina and bulldogging runs. Peak season typically runs late summer through fall when big schools cruise the shallows. Reds are sight fishing legends - watching a 30-inch fish crush your bait in two feet of water never gets old. They're also conservation success stories, with Virginia's populations rebounding strongly in recent decades. The slot-sized fish provide excellent table fare, while the oversized bulls are perfect for photos before release.
Virginia's inshore fishing delivers year-round, but prime dates fill up fast during peak seasons. This 4-hour format gives you a solid taste of what Virgin Beach has to offer without breaking the bank or burning a whole day. Whether you're looking to introduce kids to fishing, celebrate a special occasion, or just get your lines wet with friends, this trip hits the sweet spot. Your captain's local knowledge and quality equipment stack the odds in your favor, but remember - fishing licenses are required for anyone 16 and older. Pack your own food and drinks since meals aren't included, and don't forget sunscreen and a hat. Book now to secure your spot and get ready for some world-class inshore action on Virginia's renowned coastal waters.
Hit the inshore waters around Virgin Beach aboard our well-equipped motorboat, perfectly set up for a solid 4-hour fishing adventure. This ride comes loaded with everything you need to track down Sea trout, Black Drum, Flounder, and Redfish in these productive coastal waters. The fish finder will help locate schools while the GPS keeps us on the best spots. Stay connected with marine VHF radio and keep your catch fresh in the onboard ice box. With room for up to 4 anglers, you'll have plenty of space to work different techniques as your captain navigates to the hottest inshore fishing grounds. Whether you're casting for speckled trout in the shallows or working the structure for drum, this boat gets you where the fish are biting in Virginia's coastal waters.
Sciaenops OcellatusRedfish are the golden boys of our shallow water game, typically running 18-30 inches with that distinctive copper color and black spots near the tail. These drum prefer super shallow flats, sometimes in water so skinny their backs show above the surface. You'll find them around oyster bars, grass beds, and marsh edges where they cruise looking for crabs and shrimp. Fall and spring offer prime conditions when they're most active and predictable. What makes reds special is that heart-stopping moment when you spot their backs in skinny water - it's pure sight fishing at its best. They're also fantastic table fare with firm, sweet meat. These fish will eat almost anything, but here's what works consistently: cast a gold spoon or shrimp-tipped jig ahead of cruising fish and let it settle naturally. They can't resist that easy meal.
Paralichthys DentatusSummer flounder are the masters of disguise on our sandy bottoms, typically running 15-20 inches but capable of reaching doormat size over 5 pounds. These flatfish are ambush predators that bury in sand and mud, waiting for baitfish to swim by. We find them from shallow bay waters out to 30+ foot depths, especially around structure changes and drop-offs. Fall months from September through November give us our best shots at quality fish. What makes flounder fishing special is the unique challenge - you're essentially sight fishing invisible fish. They hit soft, so you need to feel for that subtle tap-tap-tap. The reward is some of the finest table fare around - pure white, delicate meat that's perfect for any preparation. Pro tip: use a slow drift with bucktails tipped with squid or minnows, and give them time to fully take the bait before setting the hook.
Archosargus ProbatocephalusThese striped bandits are some of the wiliest fish you'll encounter around here. Sheepshead run 1-8 pounds typically, though we see some hefty 15+ pounders around the dock pilings and bridge structures they call home. They've got human-like teeth for crushing barnacles and crabs, which is exactly what makes them so tricky to hook. Spring brings the best action when they're most active. What guests love about sheepshead is the challenge - they're notorious bait thieves who'll clean your hook without you feeling a thing. Once hooked though, they put up a solid scrap. The payoff is some of the best eating fish in these waters - sweet, white, flaky meat that's hard to beat. Here's the key: use a small hook with fiddler crab, keep your bait tight to structure, and set the hook hard the moment you feel weight.
Salmo TruttaSpotted sea trout are the bread and butter of our inshore fishery, averaging 1-3 pounds with occasional 5+ pounders that really get your attention. These silver beauties with black spots love grass flats and shallow waters, especially during low light periods. We find them year-round, but spring and fall give us the most consistent action when water temps are comfortable. What keeps folks coming back for trout is their willingness to hit both live bait and artificials, plus they're scrappy fighters with surprising speed. The meat is tender and mild - some of the best eating you'll find, though it's important not to overcook since it flakes easily. Night fishing under lights can be deadly productive, but here's my go-to daytime tip: work topwater plugs over grass beds during moving water. That explosive surface strike never gets old.
Pogonias CromisBlack Drum are the big bruisers of our inshore waters, running anywhere from 5-30 pounds with the occasional monster hitting 50+ pounds. These gray-black fish love hanging around oyster beds and muddy flats where they crush shellfish with powerful jaws. Spring is prime time when they school up for spawning - that's when we can really target them effectively. You'll find them in brackish water from super shallow flats to deeper channels. What makes them special is that fight - they're bulldogs that just won't quit once hooked. The smaller ones under 15 pounds make great table fare with firm, white meat. My local trick? Use fresh blue crab for bait and fish it right on the bottom near oyster bars. They can't resist it, and you'll avoid the bait stealers that go after shrimp.
Richmond