The Angler is the oldest deep sea fishing boat in Ocean City and one of the surest picks in the port for a walk on day. The Bunting family has run it off Talbot Street Pier for 75 years, it took OceanCity.com’s Best Fishing Charter vote in 2024, and the fare is a fair $85 with the rod, reel, and bait included, which most head boats charge extra for. Captain Chris Mizurak has run the boat for two decades on a 100 ton license, working the wrecks and reefs for sea bass, tautog, flounder, and bluefish. For an affordable, beginner friendly day with a long track record behind it, the Angler is the downtown name to reach for.
The verdict and where it ranks
At 7.9 the Angler is a strong choice and ranks second in Ocean City, behind only the limited load Morning Star. Its case is the longest track record in the port and the value. Seventy five years in one family, a recent best charter award, and free rod and bait on an $85 trip add up to a boat you can book with confidence, especially for a first timer or a family. What holds it just short of the top is the format. This is a big walk on head boat, so the deck is busy on a full summer trip, the day depends a little on the crowd, and the fishing is bottom fishing, not the offshore canyon run for tuna and white marlin that makes Ocean City the White Marlin Capital. For a smaller crowd, the Morning Star caps its load; for a bigger, faster boat, the Ocean Princess runs a wider menu. The full field is on the Ocean City ranking.
The boat
The Angler is a large walk on head boat docked at Talbot Street Pier, on the bay in downtown Ocean City, the same berth the Bunting family has fished from for three quarters of a century. It is set up for comfortable, accessible bottom fishing for a big group, with the rail space and the stability a head boat needs and a crew used to teaching first timers. The honest caveat is the one every big head boat carries: on a full summer trip the deck is busy, lines cross, and you fish shoulder to shoulder, which is the trade for the low fare. This is a working boat with a long history rather than a new build, so book it for the crew, the price, and the record, not for the newest hull in the harbor.
The fishing and what you target
The Angler fishes the wrecks and reefs off Ocean City for bottom species. Black sea bass is the headliner through the open season, with tautog the target on the cooler water trips into the fall and winter, summer flounder over the warm months, and bluefish when they show. Sea bass season runs May 1 to December 31, 2026, at a 15 fish limit and a 12.5 inch minimum, and the 2026 federal rule lets the same Maryland measures apply on the offshore wrecks. Like the other head boats here, the Angler is a bottom fishing operation, so the canyon pelagics are a private charter, not this trip. Confirm the current sea bass and tautog rules with NOAA Fisheries and Maryland DNR before you book a season specific trip.
Trips and prices
The pricing is simple and fair. The regular deep sea trip is $85 for adults, the longer 10 hour trip is $100, child fares are lower, and the rod, reel, and bait are included at no extra charge. That last point is worth flagging, because most head boats in the port rent you the rod on top of the fare, so the Angler’s all in price is better value than the sticker alone suggests. The boat also runs an evening cruise separate from the fishing. Set against a private canyon charter that runs $2,000 or more for the boat, an $85 walk on seat with gear included is a fraction of the cost, which is the whole appeal of the head boat format. Our cost guide and the party boat versus private charter guide lay out the trade in full.
The crew
The operation is run by the Bunting family, the longest operating fishing family in Ocean City, and Captain Chris Mizurak has run the Angler for 20 years on a 100 ton Coast Guard license. The sentiment is consistently warm: reviewers describe a professional, friendly crew that looks after beginners, good gear that comes with the fare, and steady catches for the price, and the boat’s 2024 best charter award reflects a loyal local following built over decades. The counterweight, common to any big head boat, is that with a full deck the crew is spread across many anglers, so the day depends a little on the crowd and the conditions. That is a format limit, not a knock on the crew, and it is reflected in the score rather than written off.
Booking and what to know
Book through the operator site or by phone, and book a weekday or an early trip if you want a thinner crowd. The boat leaves Talbot Street Pier in downtown Ocean City, an easy walk or short drive from the boardwalk, with parking nearby. Arrive early to park and board and find a spot at the rail. The rod, reel, and bait are covered, so you mainly bring food, drinks, sunscreen, a hat, and a cooler with ice for your fillets. Dress for a cool start even in summer, and confirm the cancellation and weather policy when you book, since the offshore wreck trips are weather dependent.
How we scored it
The Angler scores 7.9: the longest track record in the port at 75 years, a recent best charter award, an experienced captain, and genuine value with the rod and bait included on an $85 trip, held just short of the top tier by the busy deck of a big walk on head boat and a bottom fishing focus that leaves the canyon to the private fleet. Track record and value and transparency are its strongest factors. See how we scored this boat for the full rubric, and the Ocean City ranking for the field, including the Morning Star and the Ocean Princess.