Virginia Fishing Calendar
What's biting month by month, and how many Virginia charters on Unreel target each fish.
| Fish | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Redfish36 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Flounder35 charters · May to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Striped Bass35 charters · April to June and October to December | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Bluefish28 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Cobia20 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Trout20 charters · March to May and October to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Marlin17 charters · July to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Black Drum14 charters · April to June | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Smallmouth Bass14 charters · April to June and September to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Black Sea Bass13 charters · May to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Mahi-Mahi11 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Sheepshead10 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Muskie8 charters · March to April and October to December | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Spanish Mackerel7 charters · August to October | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Bluefin Tuna6 charters · June to July and December to January | January: peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: peak |
 Catfish6 charters · November to March | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Speckled Trout5 charters · September to November | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: peak | October: peak | November: peak | December: off peak |
 Shark4 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
 Tautog3 charters · November to April | January: peak | February: peak | March: peak | April: peak | May: off peak | June: off peak | July: off peak | August: off peak | September: off peak | October: off peak | November: peak | December: peak |
 Yellowfin Tuna3 charters · June to September | January: off peak | February: off peak | March: off peak | April: off peak | May: off peak | June: peak | July: peak | August: peak | September: peak | October: off peak | November: off peak | December: off peak |
Shaded months are the typical peak for a charter trip. The outlined column is this month.
Virginia fishing, month by month
- January
- Bluefin Tuna, Catfish, Tautog
- April
- Striped Bass, Trout, Black Drum, Smallmouth Bass, Muskie, Tautog
- June
- Redfish, Flounder, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Cobia, Black Drum, Smallmouth Bass, Black Sea Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Sheepshead, Bluefin Tuna, Shark, Yellowfin Tuna
- July
- Redfish, Flounder, Bluefish, Cobia, Marlin, Black Sea Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Sheepshead, Bluefin Tuna, Shark, Yellowfin Tuna
- August
- Redfish, Flounder, Bluefish, Cobia, Marlin, Black Sea Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel, Shark, Yellowfin Tuna
- September
- Redfish, Flounder, Bluefish, Cobia, Marlin, Smallmouth Bass, Black Sea Bass, Mahi-Mahi, Sheepshead, Spanish Mackerel, Speckled Trout, Shark, Yellowfin Tuna
- October
- Redfish, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Trout, Smallmouth Bass, Black Sea Bass, Muskie, Spanish Mackerel, Speckled Trout
- November
- Striped Bass, Trout, Muskie, Catfish, Speckled Trout, Tautog
- December
- Striped Bass, Muskie, Bluefin Tuna, Catfish, Tautog
Before you book
- Striped Bass: Striped bass is closed in federal waters, more than 3 miles offshore, so trips fish inside that line. Many states also close spawning rivers in spring.
- Cobia: Virginia cobia season runs June 15 to Sept 20, with a 43 inch minimum and 1 fish per person.
- Speckled Trout: Virginia closed seatrout harvest April 1 to June 30, 2026 after winter cold stuns.
- Tautog: Delaware, Maryland and Virginia close tautog harvest from mid May through June (Maryland allows catch and release). The minimum is 16 inches.
How this calendar is built
The charter counts are live from the Unreel directory: each one is a Virginia charter that lists that fish as a target. A fish only appears here if at least three local charters target it.
The shaded months are general peak windows for the Mid-Atlantic, not fishing regulations. For ocean species, the spawning, migration and federal closure notes were checked against NOAA Fisheries species profiles, and for inshore and freshwater species against state wildlife agency guidance and rules. Seasons, closures and limits change every year and can differ by water, so check Virginia's current regulations and ask your captain what is running before you book.