The lower Eastern Shore is blessed with a number of tidal rivers reaching out to the Chesapeake Bay. The Upper Wicomico River provides an excellent waterway to experience tidal fly fishing in waters which offer a truly incredible array of fish species which can be caught on a fly. These includine bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, striped bass, white catfish, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, northern snakehead and blue catfish. 

You will access the river via the Riverside Boat Ramp, convenient to downtown Salisbury, and immediately you have miles of tidal river habitats to fish. As you fish your way down the river, look for docks, points of land, rip-rap, and tree falls on both sides of the river as the best places to cast. On this beautiful Lower Shore river, who knows which of almost a dozen species you will end up landing!

Site Location

The tidal Wicomico River starts in Salisbury in Wicomico County and flows into Chesapeake Bay.

Address

River Boat Ramp 599-525 Riverside Dr, Salisbury, MD 21801

How to Get There

From Route 50 heading towards Salisbury on the Eastern Shore, as you are approaching Salisbury, bear right onto Business Route 50.  Once you are in downtown Salisbury and have crossed the bridge over the Wicomico River, take a right turn onto Mill Street and your first right at the circle onto Riverside Drive and another right turn into the parking lot for the Riverside Boat Ramp.

Parking & Launching

There is a paved parking area is available at the Riverside Boat Ramp with plenty of parking for cars and boat trailers. You can launch your boat Riverside Boat Ramp, located 599-525 Riverside Dr, Salisbury, MD 21801, using the concrete boat ramp.

Where to Fish

You will need a boat to fish this Trail site. Cast towards docks, points, rip-rap, and tree falls on both sides of the river, all of which is excellent structure providing habitats for the many species of fish in the river.

What to Catch

Spring: Crappie, chain pickerel, largemouth bass

Summer and Fall: Snakehead, largemouth bass, sunfish and white perch

Winter: Chain pickerel and largemouth bass

What to Fish & How

Recommend using a 3 to 5 weight fly rod for crappie and sunfish and a 5 to 8 weight fly rod for largemouth bass and chain pickerel. For largemouth bass, crappie and panfish, recommend poppers, wooly buggers, and insect patterns with rubber legs. For pickerel and white perch, recommend Clouser minnows, bendbacks, and crystal buggers. Minnow patterns work well in winter and spring while poppers are great in summer, particularly for bass and panfish.

Fly Fishing Organizations

Connect with local fly fishing organizations to learn about mentoring opportunities and to connect with others interested in fly fishing.