Gargathy Inlet Fishing
Virginia inlet water in Accomack County.
Pick for red drumPiscifun Alloy S inshore spinning reelCheck price at PiscifunPhoto, nearby stand in for Gargathy Inlet: Doug Lewis, CC BY 2.0
What a Virginia angler should know about Gargathy Inlet
Gargathy Inlet is a inlet on the Atlantic side, in Accomack County. A run of roughly 13 miles links it with Onancock.
VMRC guide charts show 4 artificial reefs inside 25 miles. Water levels come from 1 water-level station nearby. Saltwater limits from the Virginia Administrative Code govern it.
USGS GNIS named feature 1466996; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
DWR saltwater access by Gargathy Inlet
Launch elsewhere: no DWR site is near Gargathy Inlet.
Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations layer (attributes as recorded; lanes, fees and hours are not in the layer), read November 6, 2026.
Saltwater rows for Gargathy Inlet
| Species | Area | Size | Bag | Season | VAC section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic croaker | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 50 | not stated | 4VAC20-1370-30 |
| 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 |
| Speckled trout | Virginia tidal waters | 14 in minimum | 5 | Closed April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026 | 4VAC20-280-30 |
| Spot | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 50 | not stated | 4VAC20-1380-30 |
| 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 |
Limits on Gargathy Inlet follow the VAC sections as of 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 NOAA stations close to Gargathy Inlet
| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Wachapreague | 8631044 | 14 miles |
Predicted tides around Gargathy Inlet
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Gargathy Neck | 2 miles |
| Wallops Island | 5 miles |
| Wishart Point, Bogues Bay | 8 miles |
| Folly Creek, Metompkin Inlet | 8 miles |
| Metompkin Inlet | 8 miles |
| Muddy Creek Entrance | 10 miles |
NOAA hosts the numbers for Gargathy Inlet; we link, not copy.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
Structure on the bottom near Gargathy Inlet
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackfish Bank Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 16 miles | 30 |
| Wachapreague Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 16 miles | 15 |
| Parramore Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 17 miles | 30 |
| Anglers Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 19 miles | 15 |
For Gargathy Inlet, reef coordinates come from VMRC guide charts dated 2004 to 2009.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Harbor towns near Gargathy Inlet
Named towns close to Gargathy Inlet
- ChincoteagueAccomack County, 14 miles
- WachapreagueAccomack County, 15 miles
- OnancockAccomack County, 13 miles
- SaxisAccomack County, 15 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Within a tank of gas of Gargathy Inlet
Neighbouring bays and creeks of Gargathy Inlet
- Metompkin Inletinlet, 7 miles
- Chincoteague Inletinlet, 10 miles
- Wachapreague Inletinlet, 14 miles
- Assateague Channelinlet, 15 miles
- Pocomoke Soundsound, 16 miles
Picking up minnows and bloodworms near Gargathy Inlet
- Sherryjo's Custom Baits Incbait and tackle shop, Bloxom, 8 miles
- Marine Sciencemarina, Wallops Island, 11 miles
- Blufin Bungalows & Marinamarina, Chincoteague Island, 12 miles
- Deep Creek Marine & Boatyardmarina, Onancock, 12 miles
- Daisey's Docksidemarina, Chincoteague Island, 13 miles
- Captain Steve's Bait and Tacklebait and tackle shop, Chincoteague Island, 14 miles
Listed guide and charter outfits for Gargathy Inlet
- Captain Jay's Adventurescharter, Chincoteague Island, (757) 894-4620
- Easternshore Adventure Charterscharter, Greenbackville, (410) 251-1912
- Island Queen Inland Charterscharter, Chincoteague Island, (757) 990-2404
- Marlin Magic Charterscharter, Wachapreague, (757) 787-1908
Old Dominion towns a quick hop from Gargathy Inlet
- Onancock13 miles, Accomack County
- Chincoteague15 miles, Accomack County
- Exmore24 miles, Northampton County
County and city guides tied to Gargathy Inlet
- Accomack Countycounty seat Accomac
Piscifun kit lined up for a day on Gargathy Inlet
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Old Dominion water near Gargathy Inlet, on camera
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
What a Virginia tackle counter hears about Gargathy Inlet
What town is near Gargathy Inlet?
It lies in Accomack County, on the Atlantic side, about 13 miles from Onancock.
How close is the nearest ramp to Gargathy Inlet?
Nothing on the DWR layer is within 10 miles.
Is Gargathy Inlet fresh or salt water for licensing?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older. No license under 16.
How many puppy drum can I keep from Gargathy Inlet?
Red drum: 3 a day, 18-inch minimum, 26-inch maximum (4VAC20-1400-30), as of November 6, 2026.
What are the speckled trout rules on Gargathy Inlet?
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.
Do flounder sizes change during the year on Gargathy Inlet?
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 does NOAA predict the tide near Gargathy Inlet?
Gargathy Neck is the closest NOAA prediction point, about 2 miles away.
Where do anglers fishing Gargathy Inlet buy bloodworms?
Our list starts with Sherryjo's Custom Baits Inc (about 8 miles away).
How many miles separate Gargathy Inlet from a charted VMRC reef?
Blackfish Bank Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 16 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Run out to Gargathy Inlet on a calm morning
Check the VMRC rows before you keep fish.