Norfolk Fishing Charters & Guides

Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk, Virginia is a waterfront city with unbelievable fishing opportunities. The city is practically a peninsula, as nearly half of the city is on the water. There’s the Elizabeth River on the west side of the city and the Chesapeake Bay to the north. Just a short drive away is the bountiful Atlantic Ocean. If you’re looking for a starting point to some fantastic Virginia fishing excursions, Norfolk is a great place to start. You may recognize Norfolk for its military presence, the city hosts the largest naval base in the world: Naval Station Norfolk. Take your family on a 45-minute public tour of the base to see aircraft carriers, destroyers, and more. Or take a stroll along the waterfront near Ocean View Beach Park. There’s more than 7 miles of beachfront along the Chesapeake Bay, and families visit throughout the year to enjoy the view and play in the sand and sun. If you’re looking to do a little fishing while visiting Norfolk, rest assured that there are plenty of options to choose from. There are local piers for those that don’t have access to a vessel, as well as professional captains in the area that can get you to the bay or ocean. Needless to say, it won’t be a difficult task to find the fishing grounds when you’re launching from Norfolk!

Fishing Near Norfolk

The Elizabeth River is on the west side of the city and winds its way into the mainland. This is the river that separates much of Norfolk from neighboring cities such as Portsmouth and Chesapeake. If you’re with young or novice anglers, anchor near any of the bridges that cross the river and target sheepshead. Sheepshead have black and white stripes, average three to four pounds, and eat just about any shrimp or crab that come their way. It’s considered a great “starter fish” for new anglers looking to get hooked on the sport! The two local public piers are Ocean View Fishing Pier off the Chesapeake Bay (400 W. Ocean View Avenue) and East Ocean View Community Center Pier off Little Creek (just a block away from the bay at 9520 20th Bay Street). Piers are a great option for anglers looking to fish a few hours without a boat. The Ocean View Fishing Pier is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So whenever you’re ready to drop a line, it’s here ready and waiting for you. It stretches almost 1700 feet into the Chesapeake Bay, and gives anglers the opportunity to hook cobia, puppy drum (also known as red drum or redfish), trout, and more. If you’re heading out to fish Chesapeake Bay, you’re probably targeting Striped Bass. This is the number one fish on most anglers’ minds. To protect the species there are regulations in place, so you may want to practice catch-and-release on your next trip to help conservation efforts. If you hire a local Chesapeake Bay charter, the Captain will let you know if harvesting is permitted. Striped Bass are also more commonly known as rockfish and have black horizontal lines running from head to tail. They can grow to over 60 pounds, turning your fishing excursion into a workout day. Most anglers in the area will go trolling for rockfish, dragging two or three lines in the water. You can also use light tackle and cast to the schools of fish. Other popular inshore species in the bay include flounder, red drum (also known as puppy drum when smaller, or redfish), and tautog to name a few.

Norfolk Deep Sea Fishing Charters

Summer months are a great time to consider a deep sea fishing adventure. The weather is warm, and the water is too, which makes the fishing practically on fire! Cobia and Shark make their way from the ocean to the mouth of the bay looking for some summer snacks. If you’re in the right place at the right time, you could be making the catch of a lifetime! Cobia and shark are actually often confused for each other as they swim through the water. The small dorsal fin of the cobia likes to trick anglers. And they both will answer the chum call. Chumming the water is a popular technique to bring bottom feeders and ferocious eaters to the surface of the water. One big difference, of course, are the sharp teeth of sharks. Cobia are just as aggressive fighters when hooked up, but you won’t have to worry about any chompers. Set sail for the open Atlantic Ocean for even more deep sea offerings. You’ll head out about 13 miles and fish near the various wrecks or out farther to the Gulf Stream. It depends on if you’re looking to catch bottom feeders such as grouper or snapper, or the fast swimmers such as tuna or mahi mahi. Just let your Captain know what you’re looking to catch, and they’ll customize the perfect adventure for your family.

Book a Norfolk Fishing Charter

Your visit to Norfolk isn’t complete until you’ve done some fishing. Whether you’re fishing from the pier, near the bridges, or out in the bay, you’re sure to have a great time with bent rods. Let FishAnywhere.com help you find a professional Norfolk charter - search and book today!