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Chesapeake SAV Ecology

SAV Grass Beds & Habitat Monitor

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) is the primary nursery and hunting structure for Striped Bass, Snakehead, and Largemouth Bass across tidal Maryland & Virginia.

Key Chesapeake Grass Species & Fishing Tactics

VIMS SAV Survey Data
NATIVE KEY SPECIES

Wild Celery (Vallisneria americana)

Long ribbon-like green leaves forming dense underwater meadows across Susquehanna Flats, Bohemia River, and Sassafras River. Holds massive schools of baitfish and post-spawn striped bass.

Optimal Depth: 2 to 7 feet
Tackle Strategy: Run 3/8 oz paddletail swimbaits parallel to grass edges on MIDCHANNEL rod.
HIGH DENSITY HABITAT

Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)

Dense, heavily branched stems forming thick matted canopies in Mattawoman Creek, Potomac River, and Upper Bay coves. Prime ambush cover for trophy Northern Snakehead.

Optimal Depth: 1 to 5 feet
Tackle Strategy: 1/2 oz weedless hollow-body frog twitching over matted canopy.
SPRING EARLY GROWTH

Eurasian Watermilfoil

Feathery whorled leaves that emerge early in April before other grass species. Provides early spring cover for spawning yellow perch and pre-spawn largemouth.

Optimal Depth: 3 to 8 feet
Tackle Strategy: Suspending jerkbaits worked slowly alongside milfoil pockets.
SALTWATER / BRACKISH

Eelgrass (Zostera marina)

Prevalent in Tangier Sound, Lower Eastern Shore, and Ocean City coastal bays. Crucial nursery habitat for juvenile blue crabs and summer speckled trout.

Optimal Depth: 2 to 6 feet (Salinity >12 ppt)
Tackle Strategy: 1/4 oz jig with Gulp! Swimming Mullet worked over eelgrass beds.