It's a Fishing Day

Calvert County, MD · Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier

Calvert County, MD

Chesapeake Beach on the western shore of the mid-Bay has a public fishing pier adjacent to the Rod-N-Reel marina. Stripers and seatrout in season; charter boat fleet operates from here for deeper Bay fishing.

Live · updated

Also a beach day? Swim conditions and water-quality advisories at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier on itsabeachday.com →

Top picks today

Bluefish & Spotted Seatrout — tied at the top (18/100)

2 species tied for best of 5 tracked at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier.

skip
NWSActive weather alert

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 11 at 10:04PM EDT until June 12 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Atmosphere

Air Temp
96°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind
6 mph
SW
Rain
50%
Friday
Pressure
Steady
6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp
78°F
Tidal waters
Tide
incoming
Seas
1 ft
Nearest buoy wave height

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:40 AM
Sunset
8:31 PM
Moon · 11%
waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time Type Height
2:26 AM High 1.6 ft
9:00 AM Low 0.7 ft
1:53 PM High 1.1 ft
8:13 PM Low 0.2 ft

Species at Chesapeake Beach

5 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 2 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Bluefish Skip the Bluefish trip today. In season 18/100

What's helping

  • 78°F water — inside bluefish's active range
  • incoming tide — bluefish prefers incoming tide
  • 6 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
  • NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Pomatomus saltatrix — Toothy, aggressive pelagic predator. "Snapper blues" invade the lower Bay and coastal bays in summer; bigger choppers along the Atlantic coast. Hits metal jigs, topwater, and cut bait savagely — wire leaders recommended.

Prefers. Water 60–80°F (ideal 70°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–50 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
8"
Daily creel
5

Chesapeake Bay: 8-inch minimum. 5 per person on shore or private boat; 7 per person on for-hire (charter) boats. Federal ASMFC bluefish allocation — limit may change annually.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#1 Spotted Seatrout Skip the Spotted Seatrout trip today. In season 18/100

What's helping

  • 78°F water — inside spotted seatrout's active range
  • incoming tide — spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide
  • 6 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
  • NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Cynoscion nebulosus — Popularly called "speckled trout" or "specks." Summer-fall target in the lower Bay grass beds and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Topwater walkers at dawn and soft plastics on jigheads are standard.

Prefers. Water 60–85°F (ideal 72°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–15 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
14"
Daily creel
4

Chesapeake Bay: 14-inch minimum, 4 per day. Thermal-stress winter die-offs can trigger emergency closures; check MDDNR before mid-winter trips.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#3 White Perch Skip the White Perch trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

  • 78°F water — inside white perch's active range
  • 6 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • incoming tide — white perch prefers outgoing tide
  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
  • NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Morone americana — Smaller cousin of the striped bass and arguably the Bay's most popular panfish. Schools heavily in tidal rivers and creeks; hits bottom rigs with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or small jigs. Spring spawning run into the freshwater ends of tributaries is the marquee fishery.

Prefers. Water 50–78°F (ideal 65°F) · outgoing tide · depth 3–25 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Daily creel
0

No minimum size when caught with hook and line; 8-inch minimum for other legal gear. No daily creel limit. Open year-round in Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#3 Striped Bass Skip the Striped Bass trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

  • incoming tide — striped bass prefers incoming tide
  • 6 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • 78°F water — above striped bass's active range (50–72°f) — fish move deep
  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
  • NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Morone saxatilis — Maryland's state fish. Anadromous — runs into Bay tributaries to spawn each spring. Targeted by trolling, jigging, live-lining, and surf casting. Locally called "rockfish."

Prefers. Water 50–72°F (ideal 62°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–35 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
19"
Max size
24"
Daily creel
1

Chesapeake Bay recreational regulations (2026). January 1–April 30 and December 6–31 are catch-and-release only (no harvest) — the April C&R period was restored in 2026 for the first time since 2019. August 1–31 is closed to all targeting to protect fish from thermal stress. Spawning rivers (Choptank, Chester, Manokin, Nanticoke, Patuxent, Transquaking, Wicomico) and the Upper Bay spawning area / Susquehanna Flats are closed to targeting March 1–May 31. Circle hooks required when fishing with bait. Potomac River main stem is managed separately by the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. Atlantic coast regulations (28–31 in slot, year-round) differ.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#3 Summer Flounder Skip the Summer Flounder trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

  • 6 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • 78°F water — above summer flounder's active range (58–75°f) — fish move deep
  • incoming tide — summer flounder prefers outgoing tide
  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
  • NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Paralichthys dentatus — Locally called "fluke." Flatfish that ambushes bait off sandy and mixed bottom. Drifting bucktails tipped with Gulp! or live minnows through Ocean City and Chincoteague inlets is the classic method.

Prefers. Water 58–75°F (ideal 65°F) · outgoing tide · depth 10–100 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
16"
Daily creel
4

Chesapeake Bay: size minimum steps up from 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) to 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31). Creel is 4/day year-round. Flounder quotas are re-negotiated annually through ASMFC/MAFMC — re-verify before each season.

Source: Maryland tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

Location Info

Water Body

Chesapeake Bay

Access

Fishing pier

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

38.6941, -76.5338

Notes

Small pier fee may apply. Charter boats available for deeper water species. Town beach nearby. Water taxi service operates seasonally.

What anglers are reporting

From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026 · 15 days old — a newer report may be available.

Lower Bay

Deeper waters along channel edges are being targeted by anglers jigging with soft plastic jigs or by trolling with umbrella rigs down along the 30-foot edges. It is a good idea to place a few Drone spoons behind inline weights for the bluefish that are in the region. The steep channel edge of the Potomac from St. Georges Island to Piney Point, the lower Patuxent and the eastern side of the bay from Buoy 76 to Buoy 72 are worth exploring. Red and black drum are being found on the eastern side of the Bay from the Middle Grounds up past the Target Ship and Tangier Sound. Finding them on depth finders and dropping soft crab baits to them is the most popular way to fish.

Species mentioned: black drum, bluefish

Excerpts are anecdotal and reflect a single week's observations from DNR biologists and reporting anglers — not predictions. Use as one signal among many; verify against current conditions before planning a trip.

Local reports & rules for Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

North Beach (Calvert)

<1 mi

Calvert Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Breezy Point Beach

5.1 mi

Calvert Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Kings Landing Park

8.7 mi

Calvert Co., MD · Pier · Patuxent

Jug Bay — Patuxent River

10 mi

Anne Arundel Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier you need a Maryland Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport License issued by MD DNR. Anglers may instead qualify for the free Maryland Saltwater Angler Registration in some circumstances (e.g., guest on a boat carrying a Bay & Coastal Sport Boat Decal, or holder of a Virginia saltwater license). See the agency's current rules: https://dnr.maryland.gov/pages/service_fishing_license.aspx

What fish are commonly targeted at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier have?

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier has a fishing pier — shore-only anglers can fish here without a boat. Small pier fee may apply. Charter boats available for deeper water species. Town beach nearby. Water taxi service operates seasonally.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier tidal water?

Yes. Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Small pier fee may apply. Charter boats available for deeper water species. Town beach nearby. Water taxi service operates seasonally.

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR

esc

↑↓ navigate ↵ open · All locations · All species · Map