Maryland and Chesapeake Bay Fishing Report
From Ocean City, Taylor Bakke of Always Bent Fishing OC said that the local striped bass are finally beginning to chew. Water temperatures are slowly rising, and while Bakke was out of town at the NJ Saltwater Fishing Expo last weekend, a few friends of Always Bent got into a good bite for some fast-paced catch-and-release action, landing roughly 30 fish per night while using a trolling motor to set up along edges and rip lines. Earlier this week on Monday morning, Bakke added, Capt. Jeff Rosenkilde of the Bad Habit also found a nice pile of fish deep in the back bays while casting from the marsh grasses. They are confident that the shallow-water bite will only improve as the weather and water get warmer.
Captain Jamie Clough of Eastern Shore Light Tackle Charters reported that after days of strong wind and rain, he was finally able to get out today and was rewarded with an awesome bite. The skipper said migratory fish have finally shown up in numbers; the big, fertile female striped bass are moving into their spawning rivers, and the conditions aligned perfectly on this outing. According to Capt. Jamie, they had clean water, a lot of current (due to the new moon on March 18) and plenty of menhaden around. Medium-size paddletails with skirts, he added, got the job done. They have a few spots open for the weekend, so head to the ES Light Tackle Charters Facebook page for contact info and trip rates to get in on the action.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Read the full DNR report here.
The 2026 striped bass season dates have been set for the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries – the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website has details.
Upper Bay
Anglers will be looking for catch-and-release action for striped bass in the Susquehanna Flats, lower Susquehanna River, and Northeast River areas until April 1, at which time the area will be closed through April 30. During that time, anglers should not fish above the line from the state boat ramp at Lapidum to Twin Rocks to Tomes Wharf in Port Deposit. Be advised the Natural Resources Police watch this line carefully. The lower boundary is a line from Turkey Point to Sandy Point.
Specifically the boundaries are: Susquehanna Flats, upstream of a line from Sandy Point to Turkey Point and the Susquehanna River downstream from a line connecting the Susquehanna State Park boat ramp at Lapidum (defined by Lat. 39°35.86′ N and Long. 76°07.67′ W) to Twin Rocks (defined by Lat. 39°36.17′ N and Long. 76°07.56′ W) to Tomes Wharf in Port Deposit (defined by Lat. 39°36.23′ N and Long. 76°06.99′ W); and the Northeast River. Note: The “Tomes Wharf” coordinate is closest to Lee’s Landing Dock Bar.
Below these areas, catch-and-release continues until April 30.
Middle Bay
Many of the anglers in the middle Bay are focused on the spawning runs of yellow perch and white perch this week. A fair portion of the yellow perch spawned in the Hillsboro area of the Tuckahoe and the Choptank River above Greensboro last week. Water temperatures in both areas were about 50 degrees. Anglers in the Denton area of the Choptank River were catching the vanguard of the white perch run. Most of the white perch that were caught were small males, anglers also caught large numbers of 10-inch blue catfish. Bloodworms were the most popular bait being used by shore-based anglers. Those fishing from boats and kayaks tended to use shad dart type small jigs with added scent or lip hooked small minnows.
Striped bass anglers can enjoy some catch-and-release action in the main part of the bay this month. Anglers are urged to handle the fish as little as possible and preferably do not remove them from the water. It is understood that everyone wants a picture to brag about, but these large female striped bass hold the future of our fishery. Have a plan before you put a line in the water. Someone should be ready to take a picture, use a rubber landing net and cradle the fish horizontally with rubber gloves. Make it quick and get the fish back in the water. The catch-and-release boundaries after April 1 will be: Chesapeake Bay downstream from a line between Abbey Point and Worton Point to the Virginia line including Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds.
For catch-and-release fishing, jigging is a good option for you and the fish. When trolling all hooks on lures must be barbless when trolling, so flatten those barbs, no stinger hooks and no more than six lines can be trolled at any time. The DNR website offers some tips on proper catch-and-release techniques.
Lower Bay
Anglers in the lower Bay are seeing yellow perch holding in the spawning reaches of Mattawoman Creek at Mason’s Branch, Wayson’s Corner on the Patuxent, and the Marshyhope Creek off the Nanticoke River. The yellow perch have already spawned in some of these locations so the opportunity to catch post-spawn yellow perch is available now. Lip-hooked minnows are a popular bait choice, but small jigs and shad darts tipped with a piece of minnow or a dose of fish attractant is a fun ultra-light tackle way to fish for them.
White perch are moving into these same areas and can also be encountered on the Eastern Shore’s Wicomico and Pocomoke rivers. Bottom rigs and small jig heads tipped with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworm are excellent ways to fish for the white perch. The vanguard of the white perch runs often are made up of smaller males. The larger female white perch will soon follow.
Fishing for blue catfish is good in the tidal Potomac, Patuxent, and Nanticoke rivers this week. The blue catfish are beginning to stir from their somewhat inactive winter behavior as water temperatures warm. They can be found holding in the channels.
Anglers seeking catch-and-release action for striped bass will find the largest fish along steep channel edges as they migrate up the bay and head into the spawning rivers. Jigging and trolling will be the most common ways to fish for them. The main stem of the Potomac River is also open to catch and release fishing, but all other tidal rivers in the lower Bay are closed to targeting striped bass.
Maryland DNR Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Read the full DNR report here.