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72,637-acre bay near Berlin. The water tops out around 21 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Chincoteague Bay maps at 69,997 acres behind 375.5 miles of shoreline — 122 islands included. An index of 10.1 puts the bank firmly in maze territory: point after pocket after cove, every one a casting target. Call it 28.4 mi long by 8.2 mi wide at the broadest reach. It sits in Worcester County. Its nearest charted neighbour, Isle of Wight Bay, is 19 mi to the northeast.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: summer flounder (fluke) in 4 to 21 ft. The depth story barely changes: 5 to 21 ft through summer, 6 to 21 ft in winter. The spot to know is Sharp break, a drop-off in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (3 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 5 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (6 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 45 ft | midday | Sharp break (6 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
In spring, striped bass run shallow here, mostly 5 to 20 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 6 to 21 ft before dropping to 6 to 21 ft for winter. Summer striped bass concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 11 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Scarboro Creek inflow (2 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (11 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (6 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 50 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Come spring, look for bluefish tight to the bank in 3 to 20 ft. They move out to 4 to 21 ft in summer and finish the year down in 6 to 21 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Scarboro Creek inflow: an inflow / creek mouth around 2 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is early morning and the evening. A popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips is the honest summer answer here.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Scarboro Creek inflow (2 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 4 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (6 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Scarboro Creek inflow (2 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 6 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Early season red drum (redfish) use the shallows, holding in 1 to 8 ft. Expect a summer slide to 2 to 12 ft, then a winter hold in 3 to 15 ft. Put Feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (6 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | Scarboro Creek inflow (2 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (11 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
In spring, spotted seatrout run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 20 ft for winter. Spring spotted seatrout concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 2 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (2 ft) | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Sharp break (6 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Shallow flat (7 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Deep basin (11 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Spring northern kingfish on Chincoteague Bay hold shallow, usually 3 to 21 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 2 to 21 ft in summer, 4 to 21 ft once it turns cold. Put Feeding flat first on the milk run — a feeding flat near 6 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a small bucktail or a scented grub.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 22 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (6 ft) | Small bucktail, Scented bottom jig |
| Summer | 2 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Feeding flat (6 ft) | Small bucktail, Scented grub |
| Fall | 3 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 35 ft | midday | Feeding flat (6 ft) | Compact bottom jig, Small bucktail |
| Winter | 4 to 21 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 45 ft | midday | Deep basin (11 ft) | Slow bottom jig |
Structure-wise the chart holds 17 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 11 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maryland waters are set by the Maryland DNR — and special regulations can apply to Chincoteague Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maryland fishing regulations →
Chincoteague Bay is about 21 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetric surveys, so measured depths remain distinct from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target summer flounder (fluke), striped bass, bluefish, red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout, northern kingfish on Chincoteague Bay.
Sharp break is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for summer flounder (fluke) in summer. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For summer flounder (fluke), the summer bite is best in midday and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Chincoteague Bay is regulated by the Maryland DNR. Check the official Maryland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Isle of Wight Bay 19 mi · Assawoman Bay 24 mi, MD/DE · Raccoon Pond 29 mi, DE · Trap Pond 30 mi, DE · Trussum Pond 30 mi, DE · Somers Cove 32 mi · Ingrams Pond 33 mi, DE · Horsey Pond 33 mi, DE · Millsboro Pond 33 mi, DE · Records Pond 34 mi, DE · Portsville Pond 35 mi, DE · Indian River Bay 37 mi, DE
See how Chincoteague Bay stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maryland · best red drum (redfish) lakes in Maryland · best summer flounder (fluke) lakes in Maryland · best bluefish lakes in Maryland
Browse all Maryland fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey (ENC soundings, MLLW datum). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.