Little Annemessex River Fishing Guides and Conditions, Maryland

About the Little Annemessex River

The Little Annemessex River is a short, shallow tidal river on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, running past Crisfield into Tangier Sound at the southern end of the Chesapeake Bay. It is not a long river, but it is the practical front door to one of the most productive stretches of the Chesapeake: the marsh islands, sound edges and grass flats between Smith Island, South Marsh and the Pocomoke Sound. The USGS gauge at Crisfield reports water level, which for a system this shallow decides where a boat can go and when.

Striped bass are the year-round backbone, working the channel edges, riprap and marsh points, with the best light-tackle fishing in spring and fall. Speckled trout and red drum have become far more consistent in Tangier Sound over the past decade, and both are now serious targets in the summer and early fall. Black drum work the harder bottom, summer flounder fan out on the sand edges, bluefish and croaker come and go with the season, and blue crabs are the economic heart of the whole area.

Guides fish this from shallow-draft skiffs and bay boats, casting soft plastics and topwater to grass edges and drains, and fly anglers do very well on the marsh points when wind allows. Crisfield is a genuine working waterfront rather than a resort town, which keeps the character of the fishery close to what it has always been. Trips typically start early to beat the afternoon southwesterly that builds across the open sound.

Access is straightforward: Crisfield has public ramps, a city dock and the ferries to Smith and Tangier islands, and Somers Cove Marina is the main deep-water base. Maryland requires a Chesapeake Bay sport fishing license, and the DNR link below carries the current striped bass seasons and slot rules, which have changed repeatedly in recent years and are the single most important thing to check before booking a trip on this water.

Access

Somers Cove Marina, Crisfield — the main ramp and deep-water base for the river and sound.
Crisfield city dock — bulkhead and pier access at the USGS gauge.
Jenkins Creek landing — small-craft access to the adjoining marsh creeks.
Janes Island State Park ramp and paddle trails — protected access to the marsh network.
Hoopers Island Road area landings — northern access when wind closes the sound.
Smith Island ferry landings — walk-on access to the island shorelines.
Rumbley and Frenchtown landings — Pocomoke Sound access to the south and east.

Seasons

Spring: striped bass move up onto the shallow edges and drains from April as the water warms.
Summer: speckled trout and red drum on the grass, early topwater, and heavy blue crab activity.
Fall: the best all-around month range — striped bass, trout and drum together on settled water.
Winter: largely shut down, with fish moving out to deeper Bay channels and few guided trips running.