Are you up for a new Chesapeake Bay fishing adventure? Well, of course you are! And in this day and age it’s easier than ever to make it happen thanks to services like Airbnb and VRBO. In fact, in a way they’ve facilitated the creation of a new custom fish-camp phenomenon.
Case in point: when Team FishTalk decided to take a run to the ESVA to fish Kiptopeke, the CBBT, and its surrounding waters this summer, we booked a place called The Ladybug in Cape Charles. We’d heard of it via the owner, David Inscore, a well-known kayak fishing sharpie who’s (insanely cool) photos have graced the cover of FishTalk in the past. The thing is, David didn’t just set the place up to be another house you can rent—it’s set up with angling in mind every bit as much as one might set up their boat or kayak with angling in mind.
Before we signed on, I peppered David with a series of rapid-fire questions: Is the driveway big enough to turn around with a 26’ boat hitched to the truck? Is there a hose long enough to wash down and flush the engine? Is there a fish-cleaning station? Are there extra buckets and coolers we can use? An extension cord I can use to plug in the battery charger? A grill we can fire up for a fresh fish dinner?
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. So far so good, but what about sleeping arrangements? The house has three bedrooms plus a fold-out in the living room. Oh, and if you get rained out you’ll still have something to do, because there’s an 80s-vintage arcade room with the likes of Galaga, Pac Man, Asteroids, and more. The house is located less than five minutes from the Kiptopeake and Wise Point boat ramps, and 10 minutes from the Cape Charles and Oyster boat ramps. The Ladybug amounts to ideal accommodations for anglers, because it was chosen and outfitted by an angler.
This isn’t the first such setup we’ve encountered, either. The Pearl, on Smith Island and ideally located for fishing the Tangier Sound, is another (this one’s on VRBO). It’s similarly outfitted with anglers in mind, and when you rent the house you also get a slip to tie off in. The Sportsman’s Cottage in Rumbley, merely one long cast away from the Rumbley boat ramp, is another great home-base for anglers intent on hitting the Tangier. Again, these are locations chosen by and outfitted for fish-heads like you and me.
What’s wrong with getting any old Airbnb in the general area you want to fish? Maybe nothing, but maybe a lot. I arrived at one on Gwynn Island to discover it was the last house on a dead-end street with an exceptionally tight driveway. I had to back the boat 100 yards, turn around, then back it down the other way in order to park for the night. At another I discovered the outdoor hose was 25’ long and 50’ away from the driveway, so I couldn’t flush the motor nor wash down the boat.
Our trip to the Ladybug turned out to be pretty darn epic, with both Kaylie and Zach scoring their bull redfish PBs. All in all things went without a hitch, and I sure as heck hope we can make it happen again next year. And if you’re thinking about lining up a new fishing adventure, these new anglerbnbs are one heck of a lot better than any hotel room around.