My family spent a long weekend in Baltimore to watch 3 baseball games. A couple of days before we were scheduled to fly into town, my 12-year-old son mentioned the possibility of adding a fishing trip to our itinerary. We were fortunate enough to book with Captain Jeff at the last minute. It was an easy Uber ride from downtown Baltimore…. On the short boat ride down the river into the bay, Captain Jeff took the time to explain everything to my son, and had him catching fish within 30 minutes of being on the water. Within the first hour, we had lost count of how many striped bass we pulled out of the water. Captain Jeff handled everything on the boat, and was even patient enough to let my son pose for a picture with every single fish he caught. The time flew by and we had an absolute blast. On he way back to the dock, my son mentioned to Jeff that he had always wanted to fish for catfish. Well, in less than 5 minutes, we were in a different spot on the river fishing for catfish. An absolutely fantastic morning in a beautiful place! Jeff is a total professional and is clearly passionate about fishing and the Chesapeake Bay. I cannot recommend him highly enough.

I booked this charter as a last-minute surprise for my husband’s 40th birthday and brought along our 7-year-old twin boys. From the booking process to the trip itself, everything was exceptional.

The charter company was incredibly responsive and easy to work with, especially considering how last-minute this booking was. We had a two-hour drive to get there, and they were quick to answer questions and confirm details, which gave me peace of mind before making the trip.

Captain Ryan was absolutely fantastic. What stood out most was how much he seemed to tailor the experience to our family. He was patient with the kids, incredibly knowledgeable, and took the time to teach them about fishing while making sure everyone was having fun.

The fishing was unbelievable—we caught so many fish that I had to keep reminding the boys this is not what a typical fishing trip looks like! Being able to bring a few fish home made the experience even more memorable.

One thing I especially appreciated was that Captain Ryan cleaned and filleted the fish right in front of us and took the time to explain what he was doing. For our boys, that hands-on experience was just as exciting as catching the fish. They got to see the entire process from start to finish, which turned the trip into both an adventure and a learning experience.

I had also brought a few decorations onboard for my husband’s birthday, and Captain Ryan was completely supportive of helping me make the day feel special.

This was so much more than a fishing trip—it was a memorable family experience and the perfect way to celebrate a milestone birthday. We left with fish, great memories, and two boys who are already asking when they can go again. Highly recommend both the charter company and Captain Ryan!

The VistaLady’s deck was spotless when we arrived, and kept clean throughout. It also had a very comfortable cabin to grab a quick snack during the travel. First Mate Scott was brilliant and awesome with my 8 1/2 yr son, showing him the basics. My son was super comfortable by the end, starting to identify, “fish on”, and start reeling by himself. For us adults, it was a great morning of catching up with family news alongside no shortage of river rockfish. Captain Ryan provided interesting insight about the waterways. Alas, our luck was not in the deeper waters - may luck be yours.

This was an awesome trip for all experience levels. Capt. Ryan and Austin were very knowledgeable, professional and fun to be around. After making a run up north, we quickly limited out on Striped Bass! We took advantage of the rest of our time filling the boat with lots of Perch. By the time we made it back to the docks they had all of the fish cleaned and bagged up for us. 10/10 would recommend to anyone.

Had an amazing time on this fishing charter, couldn’t recommend it enough. The captain went above and beyond the whole trip, especially helping my girlfriend catch her very first fish, which made the experience even more special.

To top it off, we landed a 35+ pound catfish, and he didn’t just stop there, he cleaned and filleted it for us right on the spot. We took it home, deep fried it, and made sandwiches later… absolutely unreal.

Everything about this trip was exactly what we hoped for and more. If you’re thinking about booking, do it, you won’t regret it.