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
    US $850
    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
    US $850
    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
    US $895
    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 9 people looking at this charter.

FAQs about Patent Pending Charters

Patent Pending Charters offers the following trips to customers:
  • US $850 per group - Half Day Trip (AM) (6 hours)
  • US $850 per group - Half Day Trip (PM) (6 hours)
  • US $895 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

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

Meet the Captain

Capt. John Whitman
Tracys Landing, Maryland, United States
131 Customer reviews
Response time within an hour
Member since August 2018
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 (Pilothouse) 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

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

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Customer reviews

Rating summary
Excellent
4.9 / 5
out of 5 stars from 131 reviews
Boat
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience
Excellent
4.9 / 5
Photos & videos by reviewers (91)
What a fun day!
Great fishing trip!
Great fishing trip!
+88
Angler rating
122
4
0
0
1
Anglers claimed
Good experience
98%
Friendly captain
100%
Recommend this charter
95%
Appropriate for children
97%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Caught fish
90%
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Showing:
5 of 131 reviews
Nicole L.
Richmond, Virginia
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Afternoon Bluefish Trip

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (PM) on July 12, 2023
Six of us fished for bluefish with Captain John and his First Mate Ronnie. I didn’t think we’d catch anything in the heat...
Nicole L. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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David S.
Clarksburg, MD
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Exceptional experience with Captain John and First Mate Phil

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (PM) on July 4, 2023
Our party of 6 scheduled a 6-hour trip with Captain John from 12 PM to 6 PM on the 4th of July. Capt. John and Phil provided...
David S. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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David S. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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Chris N.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Fishing with Capt. John

VERIFIED   Half Day Trip (PM) on June 26, 2023
Chris N. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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Chris N. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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Christy S.
Annapolis, Maryland
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Excellent Day trip with Captain John and First Mate Phil

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on June 7, 2023
Holy Cow! ?? Early morning but it’s what you sign up for am I right? Beautiful scenic sunrise to die for, the...
Christy S. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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  Capt. John Whitman Captain replied

Jason M.
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Experience:
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Boat
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Crew
Excellent
5.0 / 5
Overall

Great captain, great boat, fantastic lunch!

VERIFIED   Full Day Trip on August 15, 2023
Excellent trip. We highly recommend Captain John! He was great to talk to, very kind to my kids (aged 6-11), and worked hard...
Jason M. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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Jason M. recommends Patent Pending Charters
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You found this review helpful