Mobjack Bay Fishing
This bay lies in Mathews County, on the Chesapeake Bay side.
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First notes on Mobjack Bay
In Mathews County, Mobjack Bay is a bay on the Chesapeake Bay side. The closest Census place is Poquoson, roughly 11 miles off.
DWR lists 1 saltwater launch on or beside it. A boat can reach 12 artificial reefs within 25 miles. It is covered by 5 water-level stations within 25 miles. It falls under the saltwater rules of the Marine Resources Commission.
USGS GNIS named feature 1501633; Virginia DWR Boating Access Locations; NOAA CO-OPS; read November 6, 2026.
Launches near Mobjack Bay
| 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) |
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 Mobjack Bay
| 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 |
| Grey trout (weakfish) | Virginia tidal waters | 12 in minimum | 1 | not stated | 4VAC20-380-60 |
| Speckled trout | Virginia tidal waters | 14 in minimum | 5 | Closed April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2026 | 4VAC20-280-30 |
| Striped bass | Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries (spring/summer) | 19 in minimum, 24 in maximum | 1 | May 16 through June 15 | 4VAC20-252-80 |
| Striped bass | Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries (fall) | 19 in minimum, 24 in maximum | 1 | October 4 through December 31 | 4VAC20-252-90 |
| Striped bass | Potomac River tributaries | 19 in minimum, 24 in maximum | 1 | May 16 through July 6 and August 21 through December 31 | 4VAC20-252-100 |
| Striped bass | All Virginia waters | not stated | not stated | not stated | 4VAC20-252-50 |
VMRC code sections set these limits on Mobjack Bay, 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 Mobjack Bay
| NOAA water-level station | ID | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Yorktown USCG Training Center | 8637689 | 11 miles |
| Kiptopeke | 8632200 | 19 miles |
| CBBT, Chesapeake Channel | 8638901 | 21 miles |
| Windmill Point | 8636580 | 23 miles |
| Sewells Point | 8638610 | 24 miles |
Tide tables close to Mobjack Bay
| Prediction station | Distance |
|---|---|
| Browns Bay | 6 miles |
| Tue Marshes Light | 6 miles |
| Mobjack, East River | 7 miles |
| Yorktown, Goodwin Neck | 8 miles |
| Wolf Trap Light | 10 miles |
| Yorktown, USCG Training Center | 11 miles |
NOAA pages carry the live data for Mobjack Bay; this band only links them.
NOAA CO-OPS Tides & Currents station list, read November 6, 2026.
Wrecks and reef sites around Mobjack Bay
| Reef | Area | Distance | Clearance (ft, MLW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobjack Bay Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 2 miles | 15 |
| York Spit Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 5 miles | |
| Poquoson Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 5 miles | 12 |
| Back River Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 11 miles | 15 |
| Gwynn Island Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 14 miles | 14 |
| Cherrystone Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 14 miles | 15 |
| Cabbage Patch Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 16 miles | 15 |
| Bluefish Rock Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 18 miles | 15 |
| Nassawadox Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 21 miles | 15 |
| Windmill Point Artificial Reef | Chesapeake Bay | 24 miles | 15 |
The reef distances from Mobjack Bay use VMRC chart grids.
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide reef charts, read November 7, 2026.
Waterfront towns close to Mobjack Bay
Shore towns near Mobjack Bay
- Gloucester PointGloucester County, 11 miles
- PoquosonPoquoson (city), 11 miles
- YorktownYork County, 12 miles
- MathewsMathews County, 11 miles
Virginia Marine Resources Commission saltwater angler guide (c. 2008, names only); USGS GNIS populated places.
Around Mobjack Bay, within a Virginia drive
Other coastal pages near Mobjack Bay
- York Rivertidal river, 5 miles
- Severn Rivertidal river, 6 miles
- East Rivertidal river, 6 miles
- Ware Rivertidal river, 8 miles
- Poquoson Rivertidal river, 9 miles
The Bay that Mobjack Bay feeds
- Chesapeake BayVirginia side
Upstream options near Mobjack Bay
- Tidal James River23 miles
- Harwood’s Mill Reservoir13 miles
- Lee Hall Reservoir14 miles
- Sandy Bottom Park Pond17 miles
Where to buy bait before Mobjack Bay
- Marina On Davis Creekmarina, Port Haywood, 3 miles
- Regensburg Marine Incbait and tackle shop, Hayes, 7 miles
- Crown Pointe Marinamarina, Hayes, 7 miles
- Holiday Marinamarina, Hayes, 8 miles
- Severn River Marinamarina, Hayes, 9 miles
- Mills Marinamarina, Seaford, 9 miles
Virginia towns close to Mobjack Bay
- Poquoson11 miles, City of Poquoson
- Gloucester Point11 miles, Gloucester County
- Bethel Manor15 miles, York County
- Gloucester Courthouse15 miles, Gloucester County
The localities Mobjack Bay runs through
- Mathews Countycounty seat Mathews
Piscifun spinning gear for a day out on Mobjack Bay
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Shorelines around Mobjack Bay through a camera
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region, Public domain
Photo: Watts, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0
Mobjack Bay: what Old Dominion anglers keep asking
Where is Mobjack Bay?
Head for Mathews County, on the Chesapeake Bay side, about 11 miles from Poquoson.
Where do Tidewater boaters put in for Mobjack Bay?
Town Point on East River is one of 1 saltwater launch on the DWR list.
Can I fish Mobjack Bay 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 Mobjack Bay?
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 Mobjack 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.
How many flounder can I keep from Mobjack 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.
Where can I check the tide for Mobjack Bay?
NOAA predicts the tide at Browns Bay, some 6 miles away.
Which shop is on the way to Mobjack Bay?
Stop at Marina On Davis Creek (about 3 miles away).
Which VMRC reef is near Mobjack Bay?
Mobjack Bay Artificial Reef is the closest VMRC guide reef, about 2 miles away (chart-grid midpoint, not a structure position).
Bring the cast net to Mobjack Bay
Every 2026 saltwater fee is one click away.