Private 12-Hour Extreme Inshore Fishing
When you're serious about putting fish in the boat, Reed And Reel Fishing Company's 12-hour charter is exactly what you need. This isn't your typical half-day trip where you're just getting warmed up when it's time to head back. We're talking about a full commitment to the water – from 8 AM to 8 PM – giving you the kind of time that lets you really work the spots and dial in on what's biting. Chincoteague's inshore waters are legendary among Virginia anglers, and with 12 hours to explore them, you'll understand why. The boat holds up to 4 anglers, so whether you're bringing the crew or want plenty of elbow room, this setup works perfect. Your captain knows these waters like the back of his hand, and with a full day ahead, he's got time to adjust tactics, move spots, and really put you on fish.
What to Expect on the Water
This charter is built for the angler who doesn't want to compromise. You're looking at 12 solid hours of fishing prime inshore spots around Chincoteague, hitting everything from shallow grass flats to deeper channel edges. The beauty of having this much time is your captain can read the conditions and adapt – if the morning bite is slow, no sweat, we've got all day to find where they're holding. You might start the day working topwater over grass beds for redfish, switch to bottom fishing structure for black drum and sheepshead when the sun gets high, then finish strong targeting stripers on moving water as the tide changes. The boat's equipped for whatever technique is working – spinning gear for sight casting, heavy tackle for bottom fishing, and everything in between. Your fishing license is covered, but bring your own rods if you've got favorites, plus plenty of snacks and drinks because you're going to work up an appetite. The captain provides local knowledge that's worth its weight in fish – he knows which spots fire on which tides, what baits are producing, and how to adjust when conditions change.
Techniques & Tackle
Inshore fishing around Chincoteague means versatility is key, and your captain's got the experience to match techniques to conditions and target species. Depending on what's biting and where, you might find yourself spinning light tackle over grass beds, working jigs around structure, or bottom fishing with heavy sinkers in moving water. When redfish are cruising shallow, nothing beats the excitement of sight casting with soft plastics or topwater plugs – watching that bronze back cruise up on your bait gets the heart pumping every time. For striped bass, trolling and jigging around current breaks and drop-offs is deadly effective, especially when they're schooled up and feeding. Bottom fishing comes into play for species like black drum, sheepshead, and black seabass – you're dropping baits right to the structure where these fish live and feed. Popping corks work magic for spotted seatrout, letting you cover water while keeping baits in the strike zone. The captain reads water conditions, tide movements, and seasonal patterns to decide which approach gives you the best shot at success. With 12 hours on the water, there's time to try multiple techniques and really dial in what's working best that day.
Top Catches This Season
Southern flounder are one of those species that keep anglers coming back to Chincoteague's inshore waters. These flatfish are masters of disguise, lying buried in sand waiting to ambush baitfish, but once you hook one, they put up a surprising fight for a bottom-dweller. Fall months are prime time when they're staging for their offshore migration, often reaching 3-5 pounds with some real doormat-sized fish mixed in. They hit live minnows, soft plastics, and bucktails worked slowly along the bottom, and there's nothing quite like watching a big flounder materialize from what looked like empty sand bottom.
Striped bass, or rockfish as locals call them, are the backbone of inshore fishing here. These silver-sided fighters range from schoolie size up to real cows pushing 30-plus pounds, and they're aggressive feeders that hit everything from topwater plugs to live eels. Spring and fall migrations bring the best action, but resident fish provide steady opportunities through summer. When you hook into a big striper, you'll know it – they make blistering runs and fight hard right to the boat. The variety in size means light tackle is fun for schoolies, but you want some backbone in your rod when the big girls show up.
Redfish have become the poster child of inshore fishing, and Chincoteague's grass flats and marsh edges are perfect habitat. These copper-colored bruisers average 20-30 inches and fight like they're twice that size, making long runs and using their broad sides to stay deep. Summer through early fall is prime time, when they're cruising shallow water in small schools or singles. Sight fishing for reds is addictive – once you spot that bronze back and black spot cruising the shallows, everything else fades away until that fish either eats your bait or spooks.
Sheepshead are the convict-striped bait stealers that drive some anglers crazy and others keep coming back for more. These fish have human-like teeth for crushing barnacles and crabs, making them incredibly effective at stealing bait without getting hooked. But when you do connect, they're strong fighters that use structure to their advantage. Pier pilings, rock piles, and any hard bottom with growth holds sheepshead, especially in warmer months. Fresh shrimp, fiddler crabs, and barnacles are top baits, but you need sharp hooks and quick reflexes.
Cobia are the brown sharks that aren't sharks – these curious fish often cruise near the surface and will actually approach the boat to investigate. When cobia are around, usually late spring through summer, they're one of the most exciting species to target because they're big, strong, an