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1,650-acre Tar Bay fishing map with NOAA BlueTopo survey contours (99.03% measured, 100% assessed), source-traceable measured fishing structure, exact NOAA Chesapeake ESI fish occurrence, sourced forage timing and verified public access. The water tops out around 15 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. The rest of this page walks each species through its year, using the map's own scoring.
The outline encloses 1,650 acres, worked by 8.3 miles of shoreline — 2 islands included. With a 1.5 development index there's bank structure worth casting at, in moderation. Tip to tip the water measures near 2.8 mi with a 1.7-mi widest point. Its nearest charted neighbour, Whitewood Cove, is 1 mi to the southwest.
Start shallow in spring: striped bass sit in 4 to 15 ft that time of year. They don't go far with the seasons — 5 to 15 ft covers summer, 5 to 15 ft covers winter. Top water on the chart: Honga River channel edge, a channel edge in the 5 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a topwater walker at low light or a paddletail on a light jig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (4 ft) | 3-6 inch paddletail, Suspending minnow plug |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Honga River channel edge (5 ft) | Topwater walker at low light, Paddletail on a light jig |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Honga River channel edge (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Baitfish swimbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Honga River channel edge (5 ft) | Slow paddletail, Bucktail near bottom |
Early season bluefish use the shallows, holding in 2 to 15 ft. Even in summer they hold at 3 to 15 ft; winter keeps them in 5 to 15 ft. The chart's best answer is NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder — gravel shoal, 4 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a popper (early/late) or a metal jigs in the rips and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (4 ft) | Metal (Hopkins/Kastmaster), Pencil popper |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (4 ft) | Popper (early/late), Metal jigs in the rips |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (4 ft) | Pencil popper, Big metal |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Honga River channel edge (5 ft) | Metal jig worked slow (southern waters) |
Spring puts summer flounder (fluke) in skinny water — 3 to 15 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 3 to 15 ft, and winter fish hold in 5 to 15 ft. Honga River channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for summer summer flounder (fluke). Plan around midday and early morning in the warm months. A bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed) or a gulp grub on jighead covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Bucktail + Gulp swimming mullet, Hi-lo rig + squid strip |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Bucktail (1-3 oz by drift speed), Gulp grub on jighead |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday | Honga River channel edge (4 ft) | Heavier bucktail on the lumps, Big Gulp 6" grub |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Honga River channel edge (5 ft) | Slow bottom rig + strip |
When the water first warms, red drum (redfish) slide up into 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. If you only fish one area, make it Honga River channel edge: a channel edge around 3 ft that scores prime in winter. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a weedless gold spoon or a paddletail swimbait rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 8 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (4 ft) | Gold weedless spoon, Paddletail on 1/4 oz jighead |
| Summer | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Weedless gold spoon, Paddletail swimbait |
| Fall | 2 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | NOAA BlueTopo measured channel shoulder (4 ft) | 1/2 oz spoon (schools), Big paddletail |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Scented soft plastic on 1/8 oz head, Slow-rolled paddletail |
Spring black drum on Tar Bay hold shallow, usually 2 to 15 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 3 to 15 ft in summer, 3 to 15 ft once it turns cold. Put Honga River channel edge first on the milk run — a channel edge near 3 ft that grades prime for winter. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a shrimp imitation dragged slowly or a small crab jig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 15 ft | midday & dusk | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Crab-tipped bottom jig, Shrimp on a jighead |
| Summer | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Shrimp imitation dragged slowly, Small crab jig |
| Fall | 3 to 15 ft | dawn | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Crab-tipped jig, Scented shrimp jig |
| Winter | 3 to 15 ft | midday | Honga River channel edge (3 ft) | Heavy bottom jig + crab |
The chart marks 16 structure features on Tar Bay; the deepest is Surveyed channel edge at about 8 ft.
Access data: Maryland DNR Public Water Access 2020 (OBJECTID 62; Tylers Cove). 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 Tar Bay specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maryland fishing regulations →
Tar Bay is about 15 ft (5 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), black drum on Tar Bay.
Honga River channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for black drum in winter. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by 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 Tar 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.
Whitewood Cove 1 mi · Little Wicomico River 31 mi, VA/MD/DE · Somers Cove 33 mi · Tangier Sound 35 mi, MD/VA · Portsville Pond 36 mi, DE · Craigs Pond 38 mi, DE · Horsey Pond 39 mi, DE · Records Pond 40 mi, DE · Trussum Pond 42 mi, DE · Hearns Pond 42 mi, DE · Concord Pond 43 mi, DE · Trap Pond 44 mi, DE
See how Tar 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 or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA BlueTopo (NAVD88; 99% measured, 1% 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.