East River Fishing
A tidal river in Mathews County, on the Chesapeake Bay side.
Pick for red drumPiscifun Alloy S inshore spinning reelCheck price at PiscifunPhoto of Eastern Shore of Virginia: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
East River, the short version
USGS records East River as a tidal river on the Chesapeake Bay side within Mathews County. Gloucester Courthouse sits some 10 miles from the named point.
DWR records 2 saltwater launches opening onto it. 11 artificial reefs from the VMRC reef charts lie within 25 miles. NOAA keeps 3 water-level stations within 25 miles. Its tidal water follows the VMRC saltwater limits.
USGS GNIS named feature 1466117; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
Getting a boat onto East River
| Site | Recorded attributes | Owner | Location (DWR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town Point on East River | dock and ramp & seperate hand launch, 1 ramp, barrier-free, saltwater | VDOT | From Mathews, Rt. 14 South (3.8); R on Rt. 615 (.6) |
| Warehouse boat ramp | dock and ramp, 1 ramp, barrier-free, saltwater | VDOT | East of Glouceter on Rt 621 (2) |
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Marine creel limits on East River
| Species | Area | Size | Bag | Season | VAC section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic croaker | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 50 | not stated | 4VAC20-1370-30 |
| Black sea bass | Virginia tidal waters | 13 in minimum | 15 | 2026: May 11 through December 31; 2027: April 1 through December 31 | 4VAC20-950-45 |
| Red drum | Virginia tidal waters | 18 in minimum, 26 in maximum | 3 | not stated | 4VAC20-1400-30 |
| Sheepshead | Within or outside Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 4 | not stated | 4VAC20-1110-30 |
| Spadefish | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 4 | not stated | 4VAC20-970-30 |
| Spot | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 50 | not stated | 4VAC20-1380-30 |
| Summer flounder | Potomac River tributaries | not stated | not stated | not stated | 4VAC20-620-60 |
| Tautog | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 4 | Closed May 16 through June 30 | 4VAC20-960-45 |
The Marine Resources Commission rules shown for East River date from 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 red drum herePiscifun NautiX saltwater spinning reel14% OFFSale $94.99 Tide prediction points near East River
| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Yorktown USCG Training Center | 8637689 | 12 miles |
| Windmill Point | 8636580 | 18 miles |
| Kiptopeke | 8632200 | 24 miles |
Prediction stations for East River
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Mobjack, East River | under a mile |
| Browns Bay | 5 miles |
| Belleville | 6 miles |
| Wolf Trap Light | 9 miles |
| Tue Marshes Light | 9 miles |
| Dixie | 11 miles |
Readings for East River stay on NOAA pages.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
Artificial reefs off East River
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobjack Bay Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 5 miles | 15 |
| Gwynn Island Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 10 miles | 14 |
| Poquoson Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 10 miles | 12 |
| York Spit Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 11 miles | |
| Cherrystone Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 17 miles | 15 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 17 miles | 15 |
| Windmill Point Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 19 miles | 15 |
| Nassawadox Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 20 miles | 15 |
| Cabbage Patch Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 21 miles | 15 |
| Occohannock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 23 miles | 15 |
VMRC guide charts supply the reefs listed for East River.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Fishing villages around East River
Communities near East River
- Gloucester PointGloucester County, 11 miles
- DeltavilleMiddlesex County, 13 miles
- YorktownYork County, 13 miles
- MathewsMathews County, 5 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Just off East River, by road
Coast water within reach of East River
- Ware Rivertidal river, 4 miles
- Severn Rivertidal river, 4 miles
- Mobjack Baybay, 6 miles
- York Rivertidal river, 8 miles
- Piankatank Rivertidal river, 12 miles
Beyond the mouth of East River
- Chesapeake BayVirginia side
Fresh water inland from East River
- Tidal James River24 miles
- Beaverdam Swamp Reservoir12 miles
- Lee Hall Reservoir14 miles
- Harwood’s Mill Reservoir17 miles
Filling the bait bucket close to East River
- Marina On Davis Creekmarina, Port Haywood, 3 miles
- Regensburg Marine Incbait and tackle shop, Hayes, 6 miles
- Holiday Marinamarina, Hayes, 7 miles
- Severn River Marinamarina, Hayes, 7 miles
- Crown Pointe Marinamarina, Hayes, 8 miles
- Morningstar Marinas, 249 Mill Point Rdmarina, Hudgins, 9 miles
Places to stay near East River
- Gloucester Courthouse10 miles, Gloucester County
- Gloucester Point11 miles, Gloucester County
- Poquoson17 miles, City of Poquoson
- Bethel Manor19 miles, York County
The Virginia counties and cities along East River
- Mathews Countycounty seat Mathews
Reels from Piscifun for the next trip to East River
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Lakes, tidewater and stream riffles close to East River, in pictures
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
East River, asked and answered for Virginia anglers
How does a Virginia chart or map label East River?
It is in Mathews County, on the Chesapeake Bay side, about 10 miles from Gloucester Courthouse.
Does DWR list a tidal launch close to East River?
Start at Town Point on East River, one of 2 saltwater launches.
Does East River call for the Virginia saltwater license?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older. Youth under 16 fish free.
Can I keep a big red drum from East River?
Red drum: 3 a day, 18-inch minimum, 26-inch maximum (4VAC20-1400-30), as of November 6, 2026.
Which speckled trout rule covers East River?
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.
Which flounder rule covers East River?
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.
Which tide table fits East River?
The tide table for Mobjack, East River, under a mile off, fits best.
What tackle store is handiest for East River trips?
Marina On Davis Creek (about 3 miles away) heads the list.
Do VMRC reef sites lie within reach of East River?
Mobjack Bay Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 5 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Catch the tide on East River
Licenses and code limits are on the regulations page.