What Charters Say
Click here to tell us about the great experience you had!
Oliver Hansell
had a great day on the bay with Dave couldn't have been a better day he's the man
Johnny Ward
My 1st time on a charter. Captain Dave and his 1st mate Tim. Top notch guides to the Charter. They put us on fish, we fished our limit while listening to t of 80s hair bands on their stereo. The boat is in impeccable condition and incredibly clean. The charter is friendly and full of laughs. We will charter the Bay Quest probably 4x a year. Thank you Dave for a lifetime memory. God bless.
David Divers
Been on 3 trips with Captain Rowe. He and his mates always find the fish. Great people to charter with. Always a great time!
Raymond Edwards
Fishing is hot right now. Lots of blues and Spanish, some reds but to big to keep. Capt. David is one of the best capt. On the bay
Jeff Stine
We had a great day with Bay Quest! Captain Dave put us on the fish and Tim worked like crazy to keep everything running smooth on the deck. Highly recommend! đź‘Ť
Frank Vaught
Awesome charter! Awesome captain!
Chris Ayers
Awesome day on the bay!!! You are in excellent hands with Captain Dave and his mate Ray. I highly recommend them!!!
Nicole Sherman
Dave and his Mate Ray were awesome. They did a wonderful job making sure we were catching fish and having a fun time. We caught Cobia and a lot of pin fish. Had the best time ever.
Highly recommend!!!!!
Jason Enfield
Captain Dave and mate Ray were great. A slow morning turned into a solid day and came back with plenty of fish. Definitely recommend these guys.
Dan Ream
Really enjoyed the Waterman's Heritage Tour. Captain Dave seems to enjoy getting questions and has a talent for explaining.
Bryce Taylor
The Captain put us dead, smack on the fish. Our lines weren't into the water 30 seconds before our first strike and land. It was like that all day, with us limiting out on keeper+ size rockfish (plus a pile of close on size but no cigar, throwbacks). Also, we scooped up some hog size blue cats. The Captain and First Mate were both outstanding. You couldn't ask for a better, friendly, fun, attentive and helpful crew. I will absolutely recommend them to anyone.
William Cooke
Had a great day with bay quest charters. Knowledgeable and great crew. Mr Rowe thank you for this great trip
Lydia Chen
Captain Dave and the first mate Ray were terrific. They helped us land some delicious fish. My husband and I were fortunate to be with some wonderful fellow fisherman as well.
Leonard Carter Sargeant
I would certainly book with Bay Quest again. Friendly, professional, and very experienced. A well maintained and operated boat! The mate was excellent as well!
Lisa Ann Heishman
Always a great trip with Captain David Rowe. Whether we do an adult trip or bring the younger kid, always a good time to be had.
James A Evans
This was my 4th. trip with Bay Quest Charters. It could not have been any better. Over 80 Bluefish, 4 Mackerel, 2 Cobia, and 11 Red Drum. One of them being a 47 inch Citation. Can't say enough good things about Captain Dave and his Mate Jacob. They really took care of everyone Thank-you so much.
Laura Eilers Tridico
Thank you for an incredible day out on the bay! 70 fish in the cooler, 2 red drum caught and released (including one monster fish!) - you kept us on the action all day. We'll no doubt be back for more!
Nancy D'Amato Donley
Wonderful day of fishing! Great catch! Looking forward to booking again!
Lee Farmer
Thank you for helping our summer missions team have such a great day on the bay.
Jennifer Peregoy
Amazing captain and mate. We had a blast and totally impressed with our experience. Captain Dave helped show us what to do as it was our first time. Jacob worked so hard to keep the lines straight. Completely recommend going out with this crew.
Earl Carter
Captain Rowe and Ray went above and beyond to ensure that my family had an awesome day. My nephews had a rough start being 1st time fishers so we lost a few fish, however Captain Rowe kept us on the Blues. We caught our limit and they're still talking about it. Already scheduled the next trip 2 trips. Please give them a call. You won't regret it!!
Dana Kaelin
we had a great time on Bay Quest. Captain David was great. We caught a lot of fish and will definitely be back ! Great way to spend the day
Lamont Dobyns
It's was my first time ever fishing from a boat and catching a rock fish. I had a blast and I'm hooked, the captain and mate were great. They did everything they could to make it a successful trip. I'll be going again in November and look forward to booking some dates for the 2024 season. Thanks again captain Dave and Ray.
David Liss
Celebrated my birthday 🎂 with an evening cruise. The nicest, most knowledgeable, friendly, hospitable guide and fisherman I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. So gracious with his time, knowledge and hosting. Dave, the owner, has been a fisherman and guide on the Northern Neck for over 50 years. Tell your friends, bring your neighbors, school groups or your romantic interest.
Jeff Teschner
Good times ! Great guys ! We landed some nice cobia !
Clinton Paquin
Captain Dave and and first mate Ray are the best! We did a half day with 3 kids (12/11/8) and had our limit within 2 hours. So many fish we couldn't keep the lines in the water! Knowledgeable, friendly, professional and experienced. Couldn't recommend them and their boat enough, thanks for the trip!
LB Living Better
Captain Dave knows his stuff! Educational, fun and terrific stories, a must do in the Northern Neck!
Thomas LoBello
Caught 57 fish!!
Scott Beard
Captain Dave and Ray his mate were amazing. Their boat is awesome and definitely designed to fish and to catch fish. My wife and I as well as our two kids spent several hours on the water and caught our limit of Spanish Mackerel and Blue Fish. Hands down the best chartered fishing trip we have ever experienced. If you want to have a lot of fun and have the best possible chance to catch fish Bayquest is you best
John Southworth
We had the best day with Captain Dave and his sidekick Ray limited out on Cobia quick boated two Red Drum one a citation for my 12 year old grandson also boated blue fish and Spanish Mackerel well worth the trip Red Drum were catch and released we also released a # of Cobia after we had our limit.
Gary Tobias
Captain Dave Runs a Great Charter. Our Target species was not biting Captain Dave told us before heading out. So he targeted another species for us. Fish On!!
We Had a great time catching the whole time we were out. Tim the mate did a great job of keeping our rods in the water. Definitely recommend this charter.
Crystal Brewer
This was a great experience, the captain kept us entertained, finished the day off with coasting with dolphins.
Marilou Bray
David Rowe is a great and informative Captain! Long time friend of mine! Wonderful authentic experience!
Eric Reinholtz
We were on fish from the time we slowed to troll until the time it was ready to head back! Capt David and Timmy really worked hard to get us on and keep us on fish. Been in this area since 1987. Can't believe this is the first time I've charted with Bayquest. That won't be the last. Thank you both for a great time!
Julie Swiney
Always an amazing time!!!
DeeDra Gordon
Captain David Rowe was an absolute delight! This was my first charter and he was so helpful, I had questions and he was more than happy to help me understand how everything worked! I highly recommend this charter!!
Doug Harpel
I've been fishing with Captain David Rowe on the Bayquest for 20 years now and I just returned from our latest trip. Rain or shine, summer or winter, Chesapeake bay or Potomac river, I come back as often as I can with my family, friends, and work associates because the experience is second to none on the water. Captain Rowe is a true professional who expertly blends his extensive knowledge of the local waters with superior customer service.
I have taken over a hundred fishing charters and Captain Rowe is the best that I have ever seen. He invests in good equipment and tackle. He knows the water, the winds, and the tides. Whether it's a frigid December day out in six-foot waves to catch trophy rockfish with the guys, or a summer morning on calm water reeling in bluefish and Spanish mackerel with family, Captain Rowe knows how to get it done. Doesn't matter if you're an old pro or it's your first time catching a fish - he will meet you where you are.
David is both a waterman and a biologist. He is an expert on the fishery and region and is happy to share his knowledge if his clients want to talk. David is deadly serious about the mission - finding and boating fish - but he shows everyone a great time in doing it. He is confident, assured, and careful in what he is doing as a boat captain, but he is responsive and flexible to his clients' wishes.
In addition, Captain Rowe always has a great mate aboard his boat to help the anglers do as much or as little of the "work" of fishing as they wish (changing bait, netting fish, etc.).Ray, who is often his mate right now, is no exception. Ray works very well with David, particularly in the welcomed minutes of chaos when lots of fish are striking on up to a dozen lines in the water - lines that somehow seldom get crossed. When fish get on aboard the Bayquest, they generally get in the boat.
A final reason why I enjoy fishing with Captain Rowe is the Bayquest itself. The custom-built 43-foot deadrise is large and comfortable. David and his mate keep it immaculately clean from start to finish. It comfortably fishes ten anglers and smaller groups have lots of room to move around. The Bayquest handles well in rough water and its design provides shade when it is hot and warmth when it is cold. And David seemingly has everything aboard; if a client forgot something, he has an extra.
Book a charter with Captain David Rowe on the Bayquest and you will be back to do it again!
Eric Southern
Today was by far one of the most fun days that I have had in years, the Captain put us right on top the fish and we had 9 poles slam all at once, heck 4 out of the 9 were doubled up!! The first mate busted his butt all day long and made dag on sure we were all taken care of. Everyone had a ball, I'm pretty sure between the 8 of us that were fishing we landed well over 50 fish. We all left with a bag full of fresh filets that the crew cleaned and bagged for us. I 100% recommend these guys, they busted there tales, put us on the fish, and made sure we all were happy. Even with us catching the tale end of the season they made sure the poles stayed hooked up all day!!! We will be back, if today was like this we can only imagine what the fall will bring! Thank you guys again, we all will be passing on yalls information to everyone we know that loves to fish as much as we do! Take care, and God Bless
Featured In The Free Lance-Star
Captain David Rowe did yeoman's work maneuvering his 43-foot deadrise, the Bay Quest, into position above the oyster ground as wind-driven rollers rocked it like a toy. The longtime waterman managed to set his anchor in the Rappahannock River near Grey's Point, then walked to the vessel's stern to pick up a pair of hand tongs and plunge them into the depths to snatch up some oysters. It wasn't easy. The boat's rocking and rolling in the breezy weather made standing a challenge. But this wasn't Rowe's first rodeo, and he quickly managed to pull up a dozen or so of the tasty bivalves from the private oyster bed, dumping them out on a wooden culling board. "Anyone want to taste one?" he asked a gaggle of onlookers aboard the boat for a demonstration of an upcoming tour program. He pulled out an oyster knife to pop open up the craggy shell. Passenger Susan Cockrell wasted no time saying yes, slurping up the salty, meaty oyster from the half shell. "Awesome!" she said with a pump of her arm. It was all part of a kickoff for the new Virginia Watermen's Heritage Tour Program, which is now giving visitors an chance to see exactly how Virginia seafood gets harvested and brought to market. Like agricultural tours where folks pay to visit farms and learn how crops and milk are harvested, this new program aims to put paying tourists on boats with working watermen so they can learn about Virginia's waters and aquaculture. "The idea is to let people see how watermen catch crabs and fish and harvest oysters," said Glenn Markwith, program coordinator. "And to supplement watermen's income during the tourism season." Organizers also hope the tours help sell more Virginia seafood and boost the economies of rural communities. The program, inspired by a similar one in Maryland, is more than just having a handful of working watermen take tourists out on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Thanks to partners that include Rappahannock Community College, the Virginia Waterman's Association, the Virginia Tourism Corporation, Virginia Sea Grant and Chesapeake Environmental Communications, watermen who want to lead these tours are required to take a special course to help and prepare them for the endeavor. Jason Perry, the head of workforce development at RCC, said a 30-hour course was developed for the first round of prospective tour leaders. It covered topics ranging from the history and ecology of the bay to marketing, safety and licensing. He said that more than a dozen watermen took part in the initial course, many of them from the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula. He noted that additional grant funding is expected to soon make it possible to offer courses for more watermen and prospective tour leaders in the Colonial Beach and Gloucester areas. Ken Smith, president of the waterman's association, said he likes the fact that it makes working watermen "ambassadors for a clean Bay," as no one knows better than they what needs to be done to clean up the resource. He also said it is getting "harder and harder for watermen to make a decent living on the water," and that this program can provide many of them with an additional source of income. Captain Rowe's outing last Friday was a demonstration of how tourists can customize for their trips by going to the program's website at watermentours.com. It's up to the passenger to say whether they want to focus on oystering, fishing, crabbing, water-to-table seafood tastings, scenic cruising, bird- or wildlife-watching, visiting historic sites and landmarks, floating classrooms or some mix of those options. To demonstrate some of those options, Rowe - who hails from Lottsburg in Northumberland County - followed up his oyster harvesting with a look at a crab pot, a demonstration of a crabbing dredge and details of local Northern Neck history. Maurice Jones, Virginia's secretary of commerce and trade, was on the boat for the tour. He noted that the Heritage Tours program dovetails well with the way state officials are trying to diversify the tourism industry, which brings in $21.5 billion a year. "Our approach is working to put high-functioning teams onto the field," he said, noting that using specially trained watermen to tell visitors about the seafood industry is a perfect example of that.
