Patent Pending Charters

Chesapeake Bay may be a world-famous fishery, but there’s no better way to experience it than through the eyes of a local. Whether you’re a brand new fisherman or a seasoned angler, you’ll get to know the secret hottest spots around and reel in the catch of a lifetime with Patent Pending Charters!

Captain John Whitman is a second-generation fisherman with over 45 years of angling and boating experience under his belt, making him your perfect guide to the Bay and its bountiful waters. He was born and raised here, and loves targeting anything from Redfish to Black Drum to Mackerel—but especially Striped Bass!

You’ll be heading out to the Bay in an impressive 46’ Alan Boat Builders commercial vessel. Her size makes her a true fishing machine – yourself and 5 other anglers will all be able to comfortably troll, live line, or chum these waters at the same time. She comes fully decked out with all the necessary safety and navigational equipment, including top-quality GPS and fish finder systems to get you to the hottest fishing spots.

If nothing sounds better to you than cruising around the Bay for various species of trophy Rockfish, then Capt. John has you covered. Whether you’re an experienced angler or are just discovering your love for the water, he’s happy to help you find your perfect technique. He’ll be there to guide you through everything from trolling to live lining or chumming—the last two are perfect for beginners! Available, but not included, is a gourmet meal prepared on board by the captain consisting of Jumbo lump crab cake, fresh garden salad with apple vinaigrette dressing, freshly baked corn bread, and homemade pasta salad. It costs 25.00 per person.

You’ll be equipped with top-quality rods and reels, live bait, and a fishing license, which are all included in your trip. Come aboard Patent Pending Charters and let Capt. John show you how the locals do it.



Select date to see available trips and rates:

  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip (AM)
    Low rate deposit non-refundable
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Apr 21 - Dec 1
    $735
    If you're an early riser, than opt for this half day trip. You'll be heading to the Bay at 6am, giving you plenty of time to troll for a wide variety of species, from Redfish to Black Drum to Spotted Seatrout, plus more. When lunchtime rolls around, you'll be treated to a gourmet meal cooked by your captain, at $25 per guest. Your fishing license and gear is included.
  • Private trip
    Half Day Trip (PM)
    Low rate deposit non-refundable
    6 Hour Trip, starts at 1:00 PM
    Seasonal trip Apr 21 - Dec 1
    $735
    If you'd like to have a lie in and still get plenty of time on fish, then this half day trip will be perfect for you. You'll be travelling around the hottest spots in the Bay to reel in anything from Striped Bass, Spotted Seatrout, Redfish, and Spanish Mackerel. You'll also be treated to a gourmet meal, at a cost of $25 per person. Your bait and gear is included.
  • Private trip
    Full Day Trip
    Low rate deposit non-refundable
    8 Hour Trip, starts at 6:00 AM
    Seasonal trip Apr 21 - Dec 11
    $795
    What could be better than spending a full day trolling Chesapeake Bay for a huge variety of species, ranging from Black Drum to Spotted Seatrout to Redfish, and even more? You'll depart at 6am, giving you plenty of time to reel in your dream catch. All of this fishing can be hungry work, so your captain offers a delicious lunch of jumbo lump crab cakes, homemade potato salad, and more, at just $25 per guest. Your fishing license, bait, and gear is all included!
There are 10 people looking at this charter.

About the Captain

Capt. John Whitman
Tracys Landing, Maryland, United States
ID & License verified
94 Customer reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since August 2018
Angler's Choice
The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.
Captain John is a second-generation fisherman who served in United States Coast Guard. He grew up in the bay, so being a fisherman is something that came naturally to him! He has fished in this area all of his life, and loves targeting anything from Rockfish to Red Drum to Mackerel, but especially Striped Bass. He spent some time as a businessman working in the catering industry, and now that he's retired he loved nothing more than spending his time fishing and introducing new and experienced anglers alike to these waters.

About this listing

Targeted species

Bass (Striped) Striped Bass
Black Drum Black Drum
Bluefish Bluefish
Perch (White) White Perch

Boat specs

Alan Boat Builders (Commercial) originally built in 2012. Powered by a 540HP Cummins engine, with a maximum cruising speed of 23 knots.

Length
46 ft
Capacity
6 persons

Types of fishing

Inshore Fishing
Chesapeake Bay

Fishing techniques

Light Tackle
Bottom Fishing
Trolling
Spinning
Jigging

Amenities

Toilet
Air Conditioning
GPS
Fishfinder
Bed
Live Bait Well

Trip includes

Rods, reels & tackle
Live Bait
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
First Mate
Customary tip is 20%
Fishing License
Lunch
Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes 25.00 per person

Cancellation policy

Deposit non-refundable

If it is unsafe to travel, you may still cancel free of charge or change the date(s) of your booking.

Listing policies

Pickup agreed upon reservation
Transfer to/from departure site may be available and included in price depending on your location and distance from the dock.
Child Friendly
Children over 5 years old
You Keep Catch
We wil filet your catch for you at no extra cost.
Catch and Release Allowed

Payment

Book with 20% deposit, pay rest to captain

When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 20% deposit to guarantee your reservation.

The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:

Cash
Visa
Mastercard
PayPal

Tracys Landing Fishing Calendar

Loading Fish Calendar!
Please Wait...

Customer reviews

Rating Summary
Excellent
5.0 / 5
out of 5 stars from 94 reviews
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (60)
Full day trip with Capt John
Awesome trip
Awesome trip
+57
Angler Rating
89
2
0
0
0
Anglers Claimed
Good experience
98%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
96%
Appropriate for children
98%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Catch intended fish
92%
Sort By:
Featured  
Showing:
5 of 94 reviews
Scott L.
Lancaster, PA
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Full day with Captain John

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on October 21, 2022
We had a wonderful time with Captain John. Caught our limit on a beautiful day. He got us to a prime trolling spot by sunrise....
Scott L. recommends Patent Pending Charters
Mark review as helpful
You found this review helpful
  Capt. John Whitman Captain replied

Peter F.
Johnstown, PA
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Full day trip with Capt John

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on December 10, 2022
Amazing trip from beginning to end! Very funny and friendly Captain. He definitely knows where the fish are, we all maxed out...
Peter F. recommends Patent Pending Charters
Mark review as helpful
2 persons find this review helpful
You and 2 people found this review helpful
Peter F. recommends Patent Pending Charters
Mark review as helpful
2 persons find this review helpful
You and 2 people found this review helpful

Scott D.
Lake Shore, MD
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Outstanding Experience

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (AM) on September 17, 2022
Let me start by providing some perspective.  I have chartered fishing boats from Maine to the Gulf Coast. It’s not the catch...
Scott D. recommends Patent Pending Charters
Mark review as helpful
You found this review helpful
  Capt. John Whitman Captain replied

Jason W.
Chevy Chase, MD
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fantastic Day on the Chesapeake

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (AM) on August 27, 2022
We’ve been out on the Patent Pending a number of times, and Captain John never disappoints. It’s a really great boat, super...
Jason W. recommends Patent Pending Charters
Mark review as helpful
You found this review helpful
  Capt. John Whitman Captain replied

Kimberly T.
CHESAPEAK BCH, MD
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Amazing trip with Captain John and first mate Phil!

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (AM) on July 10, 2022
We were celebrating my mother’s birthday and this was a perfect day! The captain and first mate were funny and we felt so...
Kimberly T. recommends Patent Pending Charters
Mark review as helpful
You found this review helpful
  Capt. John Whitman Captain replied

FAQs about Patent Pending Charters

Patent Pending Charters offers the following trips to customers:
  • $735 per group - Half Day Trip (AM) (6 hours)
  • $735 per group - Half Day Trip (PM) (6 hours)
  • $795 per group - Full Day Trip (8 hours)

When you book a trip with Patent Pending Charters, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
  • Toilet
  • Air Conditioning
  • GPS
  • Fishfinder
  • Bed
  • Live Bait Well
  • Kitchen
  • Refrigerator
  • Ice Box
  • Radar

Trips booked with Patent Pending Charters include:
  • Rods, reels & tackle
  • Live Bait
  • Lures
  • Catch cleaning & filleting
  • First Mate (Customary tip is 20%)
  • Fishing License
  • Lunch (Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes 25.00 per person)

Patent Pending Charters offers the following type of fishing:
  • Inshore Fishing (Chesapeake Bay)

Patent Pending Charters offers the following fishing techniques:
  • Light Tackle
  • Bottom Fishing
  • Trolling
  • Spinning
  • Jigging

Top targeted fish species with Patent Pending Charters include:
  • Bass (Striped)
  • Black Drum
  • Bluefish
  • Perch (White)
  • Redfish
  • Spanish Mackerel
  • Spotted Seatrout
  • Weakfish