Live bait, caught daily
Blueback herring, gizzard shad and threadfin shad are what Lake Anna stripers eat, and you can't buy them in a store. The crew nets them fresh, often before daylight, and keeps them lively in the tanks.
Lake Anna, VirginiaLive bait striper charters
Fair warning: striper fishing may become addictive.
Morning striper charters with Jim Hemby and his crew. We catch the bait, find the fish, and hand you the rod.
Ever wanted to…
- Hear your drag screaming as a striper tears off on a 20-yard run?
- See a striper explode on a 12-inch gizzard shad behind a planer board?
- Watch a huge boil, a rod bend in half, and wonder “is that fish on my line?”
- Fish 10 to 15 rods at once, waiting to see which bait gets hit first?
- Fight fish until your arms burn?
Spend a day with us and take home a memory of a lifetime.
Why fish with Jim
A guide who lives to fish and fishes to live.
Jim has been fishing for 50 years and on Lake Anna since 1989. He doesn't think about much besides stripers, and that shows up in the boat.
Stripers, full time
“I am the only guide on the lake who fishes for stripers full time.” Spring trophies, summer numbers, fall feeds, and winter mornings when the next fish could be a hog.
In Jim's wordsA crew working together
Jim and his guides team up on the water to find the schools for their clients. Four other guides bring well over 100 years of combined striper experience on Lake Anna.
50yrsJim's years with a rod in his hand. He started at age 5 on the Potomac.
1989The year Jim moved to Lake Anna
275Stripers on the best day, May 28, 2014
4fishKeepers per person per day, over 20 inches
Figures as listed on Jim's current site. Summer action can run 50 to 100 fish a morning. No two days are the same.
The reel deal
Real clients, real stripers.
Every photo here is from Jim's own journal, where he posts the catches season by season.
“I was always addicted to fishing, but the thrill of locating and fighting stripers made me go crazy!”Jim Hemby
Rates
Half-day trips for one angler from
$550
- All rods, reels and tackle
- Fresh live bait, caught daily
- Gas, parking fees and adult life jackets
- Half, three-quarter and full-day trips for 1 to 6 anglers
Plan your trip
Bring a jacket and a cooler. We'll bring the rest.
You bring clothes for the weather, rain gear, sunscreen, food and drinks. You'll also need a Virginia freshwater fishing license. You can buy one on the Go Outdoors VA app or at High Point Marina.
June through August, mornings can be fast and furious, so Jim recommends at least four anglers to keep up with the rods.
What's included
How a day works
From first light to a full livewell.
Book with Jim
Call or text (540) 223-0850, or email. Pick a half, three-quarter or full day.
Get your license
Buy a Virginia freshwater license on the Go Outdoors VA app or in person at High Point Marina.
Meet at High Point
Your captain sets the departure time, and it changes with the seasons. On herring trips, the crew is out two hours before daylight catching bait.
Fish on
Planer boards, downlines and freelines put live bait in front of the fish. Keep your limit and release the rest to fight another day.
Book a morning on the water
Ready to hear your drag scream?
Calendars fill up in the busy months. Call or text Jim to check dates. He'll set the departure time for the season.
Call or text (540) 223-0850Email jim_hemby@hotmail.com