If you want to go fishing on a charter boat, Hampton Roads and Northeastern North Carolina are ideal places to start. Rudee Inlet Charters is just one of the companies that leaves out of Rudee Inlet. There is a website devoted just to Virginia Beach sport fishing: www.vbsf.net. It lists over 12 charter boat companies and what is biting now. Most importantly, it has an article on how to choose a charter boat.
Private charter boats, carry up to 6 anglers for one set fee on a custom fishing trip either inshore or off. These boats do mostly trolling, however they do bottom fishing also. Trolling is where the boat puts out up to 7 lines at varying depths & lengths and is moving the whole time dragging baits. On a offshore trip you can catch such species as Blue Marlin, Blue Fin & Yellow Fin Tuna, Wahoo, Dolphin, King Mackerel, Blue Fish, Spanish Mackerel. While bottom fishing inshore you can catch Stripers, Croaker, Spot, Flounder, Trout, Drum, Cobia, Amberjack, Sharks and Spadefish. Offshore, Tilefish, Grouper, Seabass.
Guides services, specialize in custom trips and cater to small groups, usually 1 to 3 anglers. This type of chartering is up close and personal, lots of one on one instruction from your guide. They offer a hands on experience, from rod handling to bait rigging. Most guide trips are inshore but some guides offer offshore trip as well. Guides sometime offer additional fishing techniques on request, like saltwater fly-fishing.
Head boats, sometime called party boats, take 30 to 60 fishermen on a bottom or drift fishing trip lasting from a half day to whole day. Anglers pay on a per-angler bases, and the boat usually has room for walk ups. The trip includes bait, tackle, someone to gaff and take your fish off, and great help when lines break or get tangled. Source: www.vbsf.net.
There are also charter boats based out of the North Carolina Outer Banks. This area is very popular because you can reach the Gulf Stream in less time than if you leave from Virginia Beach (sometimes in just over an hour). The Gulf Stream are where the larger species of fish like tuna, dolphin and billfish are found. The Outer Banks Fishing Guide http://www.obxguides.com/fishing/charter_fishing/ lists more than 14 different charter boat fishing companies.