Little Wicomico River Fishing Map & Spots (VA/MD/DE)

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River depth chart

Little Wicomico River, VA/MD/DE

Max 19 ft

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Where to start

Willow fly (summer mayfly) window is on — see the hatch outlook

Hatch outlook

Willow fly (summer mayfly)Active window

Typical here: Apr 1 – Oct 31 · recurring broods all summer — the heart of it is June–July, famously around July 4th on the Tennessee River lakes; any one hatch lasts days to ~3 weeks

dunhatches at dusk — clouds of bugs just before dark, continuing into the night — after hatching they fly to shoreline foliage — trees near lighted docks get covered; the feeding zone is the water under bug-loaded overhanging bushes and willows
spinnerthe following days: mating, egg drop and spent flies falling from the overhangs — the bream bite under the bushes runs as long as the bugs do

A two-level event: bream stack under the bug trees, and the big bass stack under the bream. Fish the same bushes twice — small for bream, big for the bass just outside them.

Crickets or small poppers under a float tight to the bug-covered bushes for bream; beetle spins and hair jigs just under the surface; for the bass, run a bluegill-pattern topwater or squarebill down the outside edge of the overhangs.

The event happens over under and just outside overhanging willows and bushes on steep banks; trees near lighted docks after dark

Recommendations come from depth structure and seasonal species behavior. Treat them as a starting point, not a guarantee. Contours here are generated from real agency depth surveys; use the survey badge for the provider, dataset, datum and measured coverage. Never use for navigation. Always check local regulations.

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Recent catches at Little Wicomico River

Shared by DepthScout anglers. Exact spots stay private, always.

No shared catches here yet — be the first.Log a catch from the map above and share it to put Little Wicomico River on the board.

Fishing Little Wicomico River: what the data says

3 km of the Little Wicomico River navigation corridor, with channel depths from USACE hydrographic survey. The river tops out around 19 ft. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.

Little Wicomico River maps at 415 acres behind 4.5 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.6) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. Figure 2 mi of water from one end to the other, 0.5 mi at the beam. Tangier Sound sits 17 mi east — the closest neighbouring chart.

Striped Bass fishing at Little Wicomico River

Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 19 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 6 to 19 ft, and winter fish hold in 6 to 19 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig covers the summer program.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at	Go-to baits
Spring	5 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	3-5 inch baitfish swimbait, Suspending minnow plug
Summer	6 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig
Fall	5 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	open water	Baitfish swimbait, Metal jig
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	open water	Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom

Blue Catfish fishing at Little Wicomico River

The spring pattern is a shallow one: blue catfish in 4 to 19 ft. The depth story barely changes: 5 to 19 ft through summer, 6 to 19 ft in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	4 to 19 ft	dusk	open water
Summer	5 to 19 ft	dawn & dusk	open water
Fall	6 to 19 ft	dusk	open water
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	open water

Flathead Catfish fishing at Little Wicomico River

Early season flathead catfish use the shallows, holding in 5 to 19 ft. Even in summer they hold at 5 to 19 ft; winter keeps them in 6 to 19 ft. The chart's best answer is Riffle & run (mile 0.1) — rock pile, 9 ft, good for spring. Best bite is after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	5 to 19 ft	night & dusk	Riffle & run (mile 0.1) (9 ft)
Summer	5 to 19 ft	night & dusk	open water
Fall	5 to 19 ft	night & dusk	open water
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	open water

Channel Catfish fishing at Little Wicomico River

Early season channel catfish use the shallows, holding in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 6 to 19 ft, then a winter hold in 6 to 19 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in after dark and the evening.

Season	Depth	Best window	Start at
Spring	3 to 12 ft	dusk	open water
Summer	6 to 19 ft	night & dusk	open water
Fall	6 to 19 ft	dusk	open water
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	open water

White Perch fishing at Little Wicomico River

When the water first warms, white perch slide up into 4 to 15 ft. Summer is a 6 to 19 ft game here, winter a 6 to 19 ft one. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a small spinner rig drifted or a 1/8 oz jigging spoon rigged through the warm months.

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	6 to 19 ft	dawn	open water	Small spinner rig drifted, 1/8 oz jigging spoon
Fall	6 to 19 ft	midday	open water	Jigging spoon (small), Blade bait
Winter	6 to 19 ft	dusk	open water	Small rattle spoon, Tungsten + spikes

Longnose Gar fishing at Little Wicomico River

Early season longnose gar use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 1 to 12 ft game here, winter a 6 to 19 ft one. Best bite is midday and the evening. Tie on a rope lure or a small white spinner and you're in the game.

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	open water	Rope lure, Small jerkbait (pause-heavy)
Winter	6 to 19 ft	midday	open water

Notable structure

The chart marks 2 structure features on Little Wicomico River; the deepest is Riffle & run (mile 1.8) at about 10 ft.

Riffle & run (mile 1.8): rock pile, around 10 ft
Riffle & run (mile 0.1): rock pile, around 9 ft

Little Wicomico River fishing regulations

Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Virginia waters are set by the Virginia DWR — and special regulations can apply to Little Wicomico River specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.

Check the official Virginia fishing regulations →

Common questions

How deep is Little Wicomico River?

Little Wicomico River is about 19 ft (6 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.

What fish are in Little Wicomico River?

Anglers target striped bass, blue catfish, flathead catfish, channel catfish, white perch, longnose gar on Little Wicomico 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.

Where is the best fishing spot on Little Wicomico River?

Riffle & run (mile 0.1) is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 9 ft of water that rates good for flathead catfish in spring. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.

When is the best time to fish Little Wicomico River?

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.

What are the fishing regulations for Little Wicomico River?

Fishing on Little Wicomico 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.

Nearby waters

Tangier Sound 17 mi, MD/VA · Somers Cove 22 mi, MD · Whitewood Cove 30 mi, MD · Tar Bay 31 mi, MD · Mobjack Bay 40 mi, VA · Chincoteague Bay 54 mi, MD/VA · Portsville Pond 57 mi, DE · Horsey Pond 58 mi, DE · Trussum Pond 59 mi, DE · Records Pond 60 mi, DE · Craigs Pond 61 mi, DE · Raccoon Pond 61 mi, DE

See how Little Wicomico 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: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. 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.