SPONSORED CONTENT / Article and images courtesy of FishingBooker.
A new statewide ranking from FishingBooker, the world’s largest platform for booking fishing trips, has recognized Virginia Beach as the #1 fishing town in Virginia for 2025, based on performance data from more than 100,000 fishing trips across the United States, including thousands booked in Virginia waters.
The study evaluated destinations on customer satisfaction, guide reputation, booking activity, and overall trip value. Virginia Beach stood out as the clear statewide leader, followed by strong performers on the Chesapeake Bay and Eastern Shore.
Virginia’s Top Fishing Towns for 2025
| Rank | Town | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Virginia Beach | Statewide leader with exceptional captain quality, high review and recommendation scores, and one of Virginia’s strongest overall booking profiles |
| #2 | Chincoteague | Excellent customer satisfaction and a strong coastal guide community |
| #3 | Hampton | Highly rated captains and reliable access to productive Bay waters |
| #4 | Hopewell | Perfect review and recommendation scores and strong value |
| #5 | Cape Charles | Steady demand and high satisfaction across coastal and Bay trips |
These destinations appear ahead of Poquoson, Seaford, Woodbridge, White Stone, and Arlington in the full statewide ranking.
Why Virginia Beach Ranked #1
Virginia Beach outperformed all other Virginia destinations across multiple metrics:
- Strong Guide Quality: One of the highest numbers of Angler’s Choice Award captains in the state.
- High Customer Satisfaction: Excellent average review and recommendation scores from visiting anglers.
- Booking Strength: Significant volume across inshore, nearshore, and offshore trips.
- Fishery Diversity: Access to the Atlantic Ocean, Chesapeake Bay, coastal wrecks, and seasonal runs.
“Virginia Beach continues to deliver high-quality fishing experiences across the board,” says Vukan Simic, Founder & CEO of FishingBooker. “The combination of guide expertise, diverse waters, and consistent customer satisfaction really sets it apart statewide.”
Methodology
The ranking evaluated six performance indicators drawn from FishingBooker’s internal data over the past 12 months:
- Number of active charters
- Average review score
- Recommendation rate
- Number of Angler’s Choice Award captains
- Total bookings
- Minimum trip price
Each location received a score from 1 to 10 per category. Only destinations with at least three completed bookings were included.
About FishingBooker
Founded in 2013, FishingBooker is the world’s largest platform connecting anglers with vetted fishing guides, offering 52,000+ fishing trips across 2,500+ destinations worldwide.
