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9 km of the Elizabeth River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 67 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Here's the year, species by species, as the scoring engine sees it.
Traced from the shoreline, Elizabeth River runs 658 acres with 11.5 miles of edge. With a shoreline index of 3.2, this water is all arms and coves — edge habitat well beyond its acreage. Littoral water — the productive band under ~15 ft — makes up 12% of this chart. Call it 4.9 mi long by 2.1 mi wide at the broadest reach. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Southern Branch Elizabeth River, 7 mi south of here.
Spring striped bass on Elizabeth River hold shallow, usually 5 to 20 ft. They move out to 25 to 60 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 50 ft. Put Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6) first on the milk run — a creek channel near 52 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled).
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6) (52 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
Come spring, look for blue catfish tight to the bank in 5 to 25 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 40 ft, then a winter hold in 20 to 50 ft. Start at Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6). It's a creek channel holding about 52 ft of water and rates prime come winter. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Summer | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | dusk | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6) (52 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6) (52 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: flathead catfish sit in 5 to 20 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 30 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 45 ft. Top water on the chart: Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6), a creek channel in the 52 ft range, good in winter. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | night & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Summer | 8 to 30 ft | night & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | night & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6) (52 ft) |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 25 ft before dropping to 20 to 40 ft for winter. Summer channel catfish concentrate at Channel current seam (mile 1.9), a good-rated current seam around 22 ft. Fish it in after dark and the evening and you'll meet the bite.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dusk | open water | |
| Summer | 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Fall | 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | midday | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) |
Start shallow in spring: white perch sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 15 to 40 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 50 ft. The spot to know is Channel current seam (mile 1.9), a current seam in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for white perch in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning. Throw a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | Small jig + curly tail, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Summer | 15 to 40 ft | dawn | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon |
| Fall | 15 to 45 ft | midday | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | dusk | Channel current seam (mile 1.9) (22 ft) | Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes |
Start shallow in spring: longnose gar sit in 2 to 10 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 1 to 12 ft; cold water stacks them in 10 to 25 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-channel hole (mile 0.3), a creek channel in the 57 ft range, good in fall. Fish it in midday and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a rope lure or a small white spinner until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday | open water | Rope lure (hookless nylon), Inline spinner (slow) |
| Summer | 1 to 12 ft | midday & dusk | open water | Rope lure, Small white spinner |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Main-channel hole (mile 0.3) (57 ft) | Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy) |
| Winter | 10 to 25 ft | midday | open water |
Structure-wise the chart holds 4 features, led in depth by Main-channel hole (mile 0.3) at roughly 57 ft.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Virginia waters are set by the Virginia DWR — and special regulations can apply to Elizabeth River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Virginia fishing regulations →
Elizabeth River is about 67 ft (20 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target striped bass, blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish, white perch, longnose gar on Elizabeth River. This isn't a survey of the water — none is published for it — but an informed estimate from the species common to the region, narrowed by this water's depth, size and each species' range.
Outside-bend hole (mile 3.6) is the top-rated area: a creek channel in about 52 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in winter. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For striped bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Elizabeth River is regulated by the Virginia DWR. Check the official Virginia regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Southern Branch Elizabeth River 7 mi · North Landing River 27 mi · Back Bay 29 mi, VA · Mobjack Bay 29 mi, VA · Currituck Sound 44 mi, NC/VA · North River 47 mi, NC/VA · Little Wicomico River 69 mi, VA/MD/DE · Lake Chesdin 75 mi, VA · Roanoke River 76 mi, NC · Lake Nottoway 93 mi, VA · Lake Mattamuskeet 96 mi, NC · Lake Gaston 99 mi, NC/VA
See how Elizabeth River stacks up: best channel catfish lakes in Virginia · best striped bass lakes in Virginia · best flathead catfish lakes in Virginia · best blue catfish lakes in Virginia
Browse all Virginia fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. 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.