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36,195-acre Tangier Sound fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (89.6% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable coastal structure, regional fish-survey occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 116 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished 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.
Tangier Sound maps at 36,193 acres behind 48.2 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.8) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 31% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Call it 15 mi long by 5.7 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Little Wicomico River, is 17 mi to the west.
Spring puts striped bass in skinny water — 5 to 20 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 25 to 60 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 50 ft. Shoreline point is the standout, a point at roughly 14 ft, rated prime for fall striped bass. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A flutter spoon (deep) or an umbrella rig (trolled) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (14 ft) | Bucktail jig + trailer, Walking topwater (dawn) |
| Summer | 25 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (54 ft) | Flutter spoon (deep), Umbrella rig (trolled) |
| Fall | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (14 ft) | Topwater walker, Jerkbait |
| Winter | 20 to 50 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (47 ft) | Alabama rig (slow), Flutter spoon |
When the water first warms, bluefish slide up into 3 to 20 ft. Summer is a 5 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 40 ft one. Start at Shallow feeding flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 15 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 5 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 15 to 40 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Start shallow in spring: summer flounder (fluke) sit in 5 to 25 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 8 to 35 ft; cold water stacks them in 20 to 60 ft. Top water on the chart: Surveyed channel edge, a drop-off in the 36 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in midday and early morning and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 8 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 12 to 45 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (36 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | Surveyed channel edge (54 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
Spring red drum (redfish) on Tangier Sound hold shallow, usually 1 to 8 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 12 ft, and by winter most fish are in 3 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is Shallow feeding flat — feeding flat, 15 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted hard seabed (12 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 3 to 20 ft | dawn & midday | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spring puts spotted seatrout in skinny water — 2 to 10 ft is the zone. Warm water sends them out to 4 to 15 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 20 ft. Shallow feeding flat is the standout, a feeding flat at roughly 15 ft, rated prime for summer spotted seatrout. Plan around early morning in the warm months. A popping cork + shrimp or a 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Topwater walker, Suspending twitchbait |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Popping cork + shrimp, 1/4 oz jighead + paddletail (deep grass edge) |
| Fall | 3 to 12 ft | dawn | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Popping cork rig, Soft plastic jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 20 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow feeding flat (15 ft) | Suspending twitchbait (long pauses), Scented plastic crawled on bottom |
Structure-wise the chart holds 31 features, led in depth by NOAA BlueTopo measured inlet-channel depth at roughly 115 ft.
Access data: Maryland DNR — Public Water Access Guide. 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 Tangier Sound specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maryland fishing regulations →
Tangier Sound is about 116 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to NAVD88; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target striped bass, bluefish, summer flounder (fluke), red drum (redfish), spotted seatrout on Tangier Sound.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 14 ft of water that rates prime for striped bass in fall. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Tangier Sound 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.
Little Wicomico River 17 mi, VA/MD/DE · Chincoteague Bay 38 mi · Mobjack Bay 46 mi, VA · Horsey Pond 48 mi, DE · Portsville Pond 49 mi, DE · Trussum Pond 49 mi, DE · Raccoon Pond 50 mi, DE · Records Pond 50 mi, DE · Trap Pond 50 mi, DE · Craigs Pond 53 mi, DE · Isle of Wight Bay 55 mi, MD · Concord Pond 56 mi, DE
See how Tangier Sound stacks up: best striped bass lakes in Maryland
Browse all Maryland fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 90% measured, 10% source-interpolated). 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.