Experience and Knowledge
It's important to know when you're out on the water that you're in good hands. Chris is a USCG certified Captain, trained in First Aid and experienced with the water here in Hampton Roads. With over 20 years of fly fishing experience and having been published on the topic - you can rest assured that you've chosen the right guide to both find the fish and to help teach or answer any questions you might have about fishing.
The Vessel
VB Backwater uses a Hell's Bay Guide, 18' 4" long and a 79" breadth for comfort, but designed to float in only 4-1/2". That's not a typo. Hold your fingers together and look at your hand. From the outside of your palm to the outside of your thumb is roughly 4.5". When we say we can get to skinny water, we mean it.
Hell's Bay Guide
Hell's Bay Boatworks doesn't compromise, and that's why we've chosen to invest in an amazing skiff for our clients to use. If you've never been on a Hell's Bay before, you're in for a treat.
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Yamaha F70
The outboard motor for our boat is a quiet, and more importantly reliable, 4-stroke Yamaha outboard. 70 hp is the perfect balance of weight and speed for a comfortable, but fun ride to the fishing grounds. Time on the water is our business, and nothing but the most reliable equipment will do. That's why we choose Yamaha.
Our Fishing Destinations
Because fish have tails, and Virginia has weather, we have several locations in the Hampton Roads area that we'll fish depending on factors that we can talk about. Oftentimes I won't know where we'll fish until a day or two prior, but I will always discuss this with clients in advance so they can do any research they'd like.
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Beyond our local waters, I am intimately familiar with fly-fishing locations across Virginia. If you're interested in a custom trip for smallmouth, trout, or seasonal shad; I'm happy to help give you some pointers, let you know the guide to speak with, or set up a guided adventure!
The Captain
Captain Chris
Chris loves fishing, and prefers the fly rod when it makes sense, but the passion that brought him to guiding is actually his desire to teach.