Cape Henry Fishing
This cape or island lies in City of Virginia Beach, on the Atlantic side.
Pick for troutPiscifun Carbon X ultralight spinning reel28% OFFSale $57.99 Photo of Lynnhaven: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
First notes on Cape Henry
In City of Virginia Beach, Cape Henry is a cape or island on the Atlantic side. The closest Census place is Virginia Beach, roughly 11 miles off.
DWR lists 1 saltwater launch on or beside it. A boat can reach 7 artificial reefs within 25 miles. It is covered by 4 water-level stations within 25 miles. It falls under the saltwater rules of the Marine Resources Commission.
USGS GNIS named feature 1478324; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
Launches near Cape Henry
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owls Creek boat ramp on Linkhorn Bay | dock and ramp, 4 ramps, barrier-free, saltwater | Vity of Virginia Beach | From Virginia Beach, South on General Booth Blvd. |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Keep rules on Cape Henry
| Species | Area | Size | Bag | Season | VAC section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black drum | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 1 | not stated | 4VAC20-320-40 |
| Bluefish | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 5 | not stated | 4VAC20-450-20 |
| Cobia | Virginia tidal waters | 43 in minimum | 1 | June 15 through September 20 | 4VAC20-510-20 |
| Grey trout (weakfish) | Virginia tidal waters | 12 in minimum | 1 | not stated | 4VAC20-380-60 |
| Red drum | Virginia tidal waters | 18 in minimum, 26 in maximum | 3 | not stated | 4VAC20-1400-30 |
| Speckled trout | Virginia tidal waters | 14 in minimum | 5 | Closed April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026 | 4VAC20-280-30 |
| Striped bass | Coastal area | 28 in minimum, 31 in maximum | 1 | January 1 through March 31 and May 16 through December 31 | 4VAC20-252-110 |
| Striped bass | All Virginia waters | not stated | not stated | not stated | 4VAC20-252-50 |
VMRC code sections set these limits on Cape Henry, current to November 6, 2026.
Virginia Administrative Code, Title 4 Agency 20 (Marine Resources Commission) on law.lis.virginia.gov, as of November 6, 2026 (VMRC rules change by emergency order; check the VMRC regulations page before keeping fish).
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older.
Virginia license fees in the 2026 Freshwater Fishing in Virginia digest (licenses run one year from purchase unless noted), read November 6, 2026. Virginia Marine Resources Commission license fees, read November 6, 2026.
For the trout herePiscifun Carbon XT ultralight spinning reel25% OFFSale $59.99 Tide tables for Cape Henry
| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CBBT, Chesapeake Channel | 8638901 | 8 miles |
| Kiptopeke | 8632200 | 16 miles |
| Sewells Point | 8638610 | 17 miles |
| Money Point | 8639348 | 19 miles |
Tide tables close to Cape Henry
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Cape Henry | under a mile |
| Broad Bay Canal | 3 miles |
| Long Creek | 3 miles |
| Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Pilots Dock | 4 miles |
| Brown Cove | 5 miles |
| Bayville | 5 miles |
NOAA pages carry the live data for Cape Henry; this band only links them.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
Wrecks and reef sites around Cape Henry
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Oceanview Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 10 miles | |
| Bluefish Rock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 12 miles | 15 |
| Tower Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 16 miles | 30 |
| Cabbage Patch Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 17 miles | 15 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 18 miles | 15 |
| Middle Ground Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 21 miles | 12 |
| York Spit Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 24 miles |
The reef distances from Cape Henry use VMRC chart grids.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Waterfront towns close to Cape Henry
Shore towns near Cape Henry
- Virginia BeachVirginia Beach (city), 6 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Around Cape Henry, within a Virginia drive
Other coastal pages near Cape Henry
- Broad Baybay, 2 miles
- Linkhorn Baybay, 3 miles
- Lynnhaven Baybay, 4 miles
- Lynnhaven Inletinlet, 4 miles
- Lynnhaven Rivertidal river, 4 miles
Upstream options near Cape Henry
- Trashmore Lake9 miles
- Lake Whitehurst10 miles
- Back Bay22 miles
Where to buy bait before Cape Henry
- Bbr Marina Shoresmarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Marina Shores Marina, 2100 Marina Shores Drmarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Sentara Therapy Center – Marina Shoresmarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Great Mariner Management Comarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Long Bay Pointe Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Blue Marlin Marinemarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
Paid trips that cover Cape Henry
- A-Aa Four Winds Charteringcharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 464-4680
- AAA Ryno Charterscharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 679-3474
- AfishinadoVB Fishing Charterscharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 748-0488
- Aquaman Sportfishing Charterscharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 200-0200
- Big Time Charters Inccharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 496-1040
- E Fishin Sea Sportfishingcharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 985-6255
- E-Fishinsea Sport Fishing Charterscharter, Virginia Beach, (970) 946-7071
- First Landing Charterscharter, Virginia Beach, (757) 708-0707
Virginia towns close to Cape Henry
- Virginia Beach11 miles, City of Virginia Beach
- Norfolk12 miles, City of Norfolk
- Hampton17 miles, City of Hampton
- Portsmouth19 miles, City of Portsmouth
The localities Cape Henry runs through
- City of Virginia Beachindependent city
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on Cape Henry
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Shorelines around Cape Henry through a camera
Photo: Nicolas Henderson, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Nannette Turner, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Cape Henry: what Old Dominion anglers keep asking
Where is Cape Henry?
Head for City of Virginia Beach, on the Atlantic side, about 11 miles from Virginia Beach.
Where do Tidewater boaters put in for Cape Henry?
Owls Creek boat ramp on Linkhorn Bay is one of 1 saltwater launch on the DWR list.
Can I fish Cape Henry with a freshwater license?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older. Anglers under 16 need none.
Which puppy drum sizes may leave Cape Henry?
Red drum: 3 a day, 18-inch minimum, 26-inch maximum (4VAC20-1400-30), as of November 6, 2026.
Is speckled trout season open on Cape Henry?
Speckled trout: 5 a day, 14-inch minimum (4VAC20-280-30); the code closes the season April 1 through June 30, 2026, as of November 6, 2026.
How many flounder can I keep from Cape Henry?
Summer flounder: 4 a day, 16-inch minimum (4VAC20-620-50); the minimum rises June 1 per the code section, as of November 6, 2026.
Where can I check the tide for Cape Henry?
NOAA predicts the tide at Cape Henry, under a mile away.
Which shop is on the way to Cape Henry?
Stop at Bbr Marina Shores (about 3 miles away).
Which VMRC reef is near Cape Henry?
East Oceanview Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 10 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Bring the cast net to Cape Henry
Every 2026 saltwater fee is one click away.