Hampton, Virginia is a charming beach town located in the Hampton Roads area near Newport News and Virginia Beach. The Hampton Roads area has many wonderful fishing spots where anglers of all ages and abilities can spend their days. Gather your family and take them to one of the lovely fishing spots that you will find listed below.
Engineer Wharf Fishing Pier
Located at Fort Monroe, Engineer Wharf Fishing Pier juts out into the Chesapeake bay and is adjacent to Continental Park on Fenwick Road. Begin your fishing trip here with a light picnic lunch or dinner in the lovely waterfront gazebo. Then grab your pole and head to the pier. Here seasoned anglers and beginners alike can enjoy catching white perch, striped bass, croaker, rockfish and flounder. You are required to have a Virginia saltwater fishing license to fish here but there is no fee. The pier is open from sunrise to sunset daily.
Chesapeake Bay
If you would rather spend the day on the water, then book one of the many charter boats available and head out into the Chesapeake Bay. You can pay for a full day or half day of fishing and can expect to catch a variety of fish such as red drum, black drum, cobia and spadefish. Many of the charter boat’s fishing fees will include bait, rod, reel and saltwater fishing license allowing you to simply relax and fish.
Armistead Pointe Pond
Located next to the Boo Williams Sportsplex at Armistead Point, Armistead Point Pond is one of eight urban fishing ponds that can be found in Hampton. It is three acres in size and is stocked with trout, large mouthed bass, catfish, crappie and bluegill. The pond is conveniently located and accessible to anglers of all abilities. Fishing is only allowed from the shoreline and you are only able to keep 4 fish per day. You will need a Virginia freshwater and trout license to fish here. The pond is open from 6AM to 6PM daily.
James T. Wilson Fishing Pier
The James T. Wilson Fishing Pier is located at Buckroe Beach near Point Comfort Road. The pier is 709 feet long and 16 feet wide with concrete piling and a wooden deck with railings. You are allowed to fish anytime. The pier is open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week during fishing season (April – December). This amazing pier has everything you could need for a day of fishing. You can begin or end your fishing excursion with a snack from their snack bar. In addition to a snack bar, this well lit pier also has two fish cleaning stations, two covered shelters, a bait and tackle shop and restrooms. They offer a daily, monthly or seasonal pass. In order to catch the black drum, red drum, striped bass and mullet that you will find here, you must have a Virginia saltwater fishing license.
Sandy Bottom Nature Park
Sandy Bottom Nature Park is a 456 acre park which offers hiking, biking, picnicking and camping. The park is home to Sandy Bottom Lake, a 12 acre lake located at 1255 Big Bethel Road. Anglers can fish from the pier at no cost or can rent a Jon boat. The cost to rent a boat is $4 an hour or $15 per day. The lake is stocked with crappie, catfish, largemouth bass and bluegill. In order to fish at Sandy Bottom Lake anyone 16 years or older must have a Virginia freshwater fishing license.
Whether you are a seasoned angler or this is your first fishing trip, Hampton Virginia has a variety of both fresh and saltwater options for you and your family. Check them all out to find your fishing “spot” or fish in a different spot every trip. The real question is where will you begin?