Linkhorn Bay Fishing
A Tidewater bay in City of Virginia Beach.
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Linkhorn Bay in brief
The federal names map lists Linkhorn Bay as a bay in City of Virginia Beach, on the Atlantic side. Virginia Beach is the closest Tidewater town, about 7 miles away.
1 saltwater launch serve it on DWR records. There are 6 artificial reefs within 25 miles, per the VMRC guide. NOAA runs 4 water-level stations in range. VMRC rules and a saltwater license cover it.
USGS GNIS named feature 1478960; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
Ramps that reach Linkhorn Bay
| 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.
Saltwater limits at Linkhorn Bay
| Species | Area | Size | Bag | Season | VAC section |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black drum | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 1 | not stated | 4VAC20-320-40 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Spadefish | Virginia tidal waters | not stated | 4 | not stated | 4VAC20-970-30 |
| Spanish mackerel | Virginia tidal waters | 14 in minimum | 15 | not stated | 4VAC20-540-30 |
| Tautog | Virginia tidal waters | 16 in minimum | 4 | Closed May 16 through June 30 | 4VAC20-960-45 |
The rows for Linkhorn Bay come from the Virginia Administrative Code as of November 6, 2026; "not stated" means the section gives no number.
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.
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| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| CBBT, Chesapeake Channel | 8638901 | 11 miles |
| Money Point | 8639348 | 18 miles |
| Sewells Point | 8638610 | 18 miles |
| Kiptopeke | 8632200 | 20 miles |
NOAA prediction stations by Linkhorn Bay
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Brown Cove | 3 miles |
| Cape Henry | 3 miles |
| Virginia Beach | 3 miles |
| Broad Bay Canal | 3 miles |
| Long Creek | 4 miles |
| Rudee Inlet, interior channel | 4 miles |
The links open NOAA pages for Linkhorn Bay; no readings are copied here.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
VMRC reef sites near Linkhorn Bay
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Oceanview Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 12 miles | |
| Bluefish Rock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 15 miles | 15 |
| Tower Artificial Reef | Atlantic Ocean | 16 miles | 30 |
| Cabbage Patch Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 20 miles | 15 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 22 miles | 15 |
| Middle Ground Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 22 miles | 12 |
Check the current VMRC reef map before running to a site near Linkhorn Bay.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Ports and fishing towns by Linkhorn Bay
GNIS towns near Linkhorn Bay
- Virginia BeachVirginia Beach (city), 3 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Neighbouring stops for Linkhorn Bay
Tidal water close to Linkhorn Bay
- Broad Baybay, 2 miles
- Cape Henrycape or island, 3 miles
- Lynnhaven Baybay, 4 miles
- Lynnhaven Inletinlet, 5 miles
- Lynnhaven Rivertidal river, 5 miles
Freshwater a drive from Linkhorn Bay
- Trashmore Lake8 miles
- Lake Whitehurst11 miles
- Back Bay19 miles
Commonwealth tackle shops serving Linkhorn Bay
- Great Outdoor Provision Cobait and tackle shop, Virginia Beach, 2 miles
- Tackle Shopbait and tackle shop, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- All Repair Marine Repair Servicemarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Electrified Marinamarina, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Foolish Anglerfly shop, Virginia Beach, 3 miles
- Custom Offshore Tacklebait and tackle shop, Virginia Beach, 4 miles
Who to hire for a day on Linkhorn Bay
- 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
Where anglers bunk when fishing Linkhorn Bay
- Virginia Beach7 miles, City of Virginia Beach
- Norfolk13 miles, City of Norfolk
- Portsmouth19 miles, City of Portsmouth
- Hampton20 miles, City of Hampton
Linkhorn Bay, broken out by Virginia locality
- City of Virginia Beachindependent city
Piscifun reels for a Virginia day on Linkhorn Bay
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Ridge-ringed reservoirs and creek bends near Linkhorn Bay, photographed
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
Straight replies on Linkhorn Bay from the Virginia rule books
Which county or city is Linkhorn Bay in?
Look in City of Virginia Beach, on the Atlantic side, about 7 miles from Virginia Beach.
Can a skiff on a trailer reach Linkhorn Bay from a public ramp?
Try Owls Creek boat ramp on Linkhorn Bay; DWR lists 1 saltwater launch within 10 miles.
What license should I carry on Linkhorn Bay?
A Virginia saltwater license is $17.50 for residents and $25 for nonresidents 16 and older. Those under 16 are exempt.
What size red drum may go home from Linkhorn Bay?
Red drum: 3 a day, 18-inch minimum, 26-inch maximum (4VAC20-1400-30), as of November 6, 2026.
How many speckled trout can I keep from Linkhorn Bay?
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.
What summer flounder rows cover Linkhorn Bay?
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.
What station covers Linkhorn Bay?
NOAA predicts the water at Brown Cove, roughly 3 miles off.
What store sells bait near Linkhorn Bay?
Great Outdoor Provision Co (about 2 miles away) is first on our list.
Is there reef structure off Linkhorn Bay?
East Oceanview Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 12 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Time the tide for Linkhorn Bay
Buy the saltwater license online first.