Onancock is one of the most
beautiful and oldest towns on the lower eastern shore. The main
street leads to a town dock where anglers can unload for a small
daily fee or by purchasing a seasonal pass. The ramp has little
incline and is not suitable for large float-on type trailers.
Onancock Creek winds roughly 10 miles out to the Chesapeake
Bay. The creek is well marked but disregarding buoys is almost
sure to result in grounding as the channel is narrow in some
spots with shallow sandy bottom on either side.
Near the mouth of the creek are sandy beaches, ideal for
sunbathing. Further along the estuary are marshy stretches with
grass beds, points and other fish attracting structure. Once in
the bay, fisherman will find a series of hard bottoms along the
channel edge. Among these are Robin Hood, Stone Rock, Crammy
Hack, Hack's Rock, Anglers Reef and others. Not to be overlooked
are some of the excellent shallow areas such as Watts and Parker
Islands.
Parker Island is on the southern side of the mouth of
Onancock Creek. The area is very shallow, with beds of grass and
areas of sandy and stumpy bottom. Red drum, trout and rockfish
frequent the area at times.
Across the channel is Watts Island. The island has a long
history and is impressive to visit. Now nearing the end of it's
life, Watts Island was once much larger and even had a
population of goats. The southern tip of the island housed a
lighthouse. As erosion took it's toll, the lighthouse was lost
into the bay and all that is a left is a few piles of submerged
rubble which sometimes holds fish. The rest of the island's
perimeter is a mix of sandy bottom, grass beds and stumps. The
island itself is now a very beautiful but desolate place,
overrun with poison ivy and reptiles. It is also a rookery for
hundreds of herons, egrets, gulls and other birds.
Anglers fish the various hot spots from spring the early winter
depending on species and fishing style. In the past Onancock was
well known for outstanding catches of gray trout, , black drum,
and even cobia. While some of these fish have declined, anglers
still catch a wide array of fish including croaker, spot,
flounder, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, gray trout, speckled
trout, red drum, black drum and others.
Onancock is often a good spot for late season fishing. In
September croakers, trout and large Norfolk spot school up along
the deeper structure and anglers seek out these fish for the
table. As the water cools, striped bass known locally as
"rockfish" are found first in the shallows and then schooled in
the channels or other parts of the bay.
In November and December migrating rockfish merge as fish
from the Chesapeake Bay move south while ocean run fish move up
to intercept exiting baitfish. Fishermen watch the gannets and
other birds and shadow the schools of menhaden which are a sure
sign of trophy rock nearby. The fishing can become hot and
heavy, and last thru mid-December before the fish finally move
to the lower Chesapeake Bay.
Cleaning your Catch
Seafood Recipes
Fishing Reports
Fishing Techniques
GPS Coordinates
