My First Fishing Trip: A Family Fishing Day on the Chesapeake Bay

I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually really enjoyed my first fishing trip! I went this summer for my oldest son’s birthday, and I’m sharing all the details, so you can give fishing a try, too.

But first, the backstory of how the trip came to be. Now, my husband, son and oldest daughter had all been fishing before, but somehow I had always managed to avoid it lol. Honestly, I thought it might be too gross for me. The bait. The fish. Having to touch everything. Didn’t seem like this girly girl’s cup of tea. But when my son’s birthday rolled around, and he chose fishing as the activity he wanted to do on his actual birthday, of course mama was going to be present. And I’m so glad I was!

Our Fishing Trip in Stevensville, Maryland

We went fishing with Captain Darrell Roy Sr. out of Stevensville, Maryland. I’m very familiar with the area because I used to go to Harris Crab House often before my crab allergy (I’m still sick about that), so it was nice being back in the area.

The boat leaves at 7 a.m. and returns by or before 1 p.m., so it’s a nice half-day fishing trip. Our boat was the Miss Violet, and I have to give them major points for cleanliness because that was one of my biggest concerns going into this lol.

I envisioned a boat that was going to be smelly and dirty, and thankfully, that was NOT the case. The Miss Violet was extremely clean and had a bathroom on board, which made me much more comfortable from the start.

And of course, I always love supporting Black-owned businesses, so that made the experience even better. If you want to learn more about Captain Darrell Roy’s fishing charters, you can check out his website here.

What to Bring Fishing

The fishing rods are provided, so you don't have to worry about bringing your own. There are a few other things you'll need, though.

Bait: We stopped at Chesapeake Outdoors on the way there and purchased three containers of lugworms. They’re a less expensive alternative to bloodworms and still work well.

A knife: You’ll need a knife to cut your bait.

Cooler and ice: You’ll want a cooler with ice for the fish you catch.

Food and drinks: Since we were going to be on the boat for several hours, I packed pasta salad and charcuterie for me and my daughter and ham sandwiches for the guys. Plus, we had plenty of water and soda.

Disposable gloves: These are optional for most people, but they were absolutely essential for me. lol, I would have had a very unpleasant experience washing my hands every five seconds without them.

Hand towel and sanitizer: I also recommend bringing a hand towel and some sanitizer so you can clean up when you take a break to eat, use the bathroom, etc.

Fishing as a First-Timer

Let me just say, this experience is for everyone from beginners to those who are more experienced. As a first-time fisherman (or fisherwoman?), I was actually able to catch several fish! And I was SO excited every time I caught one. I was literally like a little kid, squealing every time I pulled one in, lol.

At first, I had my husband putting the bait on the hook for me every single time. lol, but after a while, I got comfortable enough to put the bait on the hook myself. That was a big deal for me because, again, I went into this thinking the whole experience was going to be too gross for me.

The captain’s son was also on board and helped wherever needed, which was especially helpful for beginners. He helped my daughter take her fish off the hook, and there was always someone around to help if we needed it.

So if you’ve never been fishing before, don’t let that stop you. You definitely don’t have to be an experienced fisherman to enjoy the trip.

Just Enjoying the Day on the Water

As much as I enjoyed actually fishing, I also really enjoyed being out on the water.

The sun was shining, the weather was beautiful, and it was SO relaxing. There was something about just sitting out on the Chesapeake Bay, enjoying the sunshine and spending time with my family that I really loved.

I also had a good time looking at all of the beautiful—and BIG—waterfront homes along the water.

It was just a really nice way to spend the day together.

I love when we can try something new as a family, especially when it’s something one of the kids is genuinely excited about. And this was definitely one of those experiences where I went because it was my son’s birthday and ended up having just as much fun as everyone else.

Would I Go Fishing Again?

Absolutely!

I went into my first fishing trip thinking I was probably going to spend the morning trying not to touch anything and counting down until we got back to shore. lol, instead, I caught several fish, learned how to bait my own hook, spent a beautiful morning on the Chesapeake Bay and genuinely had a great time.

So yes, I would definitely go fishing again.

And who knows…maybe next time I won’t even need my gloves lol.