It’s a fishing day

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier fishing conditions · Maryland

Tomorrow, 12 am–10 pmStriped bass

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 63°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 88 for striped bass, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 8810 am
  2. 96
  3. 100
  4. 1001 pm
  5. 100
  6. 88
  7. 964 pm
  8. 88
  9. 92
  10. 887 pm
  11. 88
  12. 88
  13. 8810 pm
  14. 88
  15. 96Tue
  16. 1001 am
  17. 100
  18. 96
  19. 964 am
  20. 96
  21. 96
  22. 967 am
  23. 96
  24. 100
  25. 9610 am
  26. 96
  27. 96
  28. 1001 pm
  29. 100
  30. 100
  31. 964 pm
  32. 96
  33. 96
  34. 1007 pm
  35. 96
  36. 96
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
63°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
3 mph

From the west

Light
Daylight

Sunset 6:13 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
56°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Maryland tidal regulations for these waters.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

100GoTomorrow, 12 am–10 pm

Water

63°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

19" minimum · 24" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay, 2026. Catch and release only Jan 1–Apr 30 and Dec 6–31; harvest May 1–Jul 31 and Sep 1–Dec 5 at 1 fish a day, 19–24"; closed to all striped bass fishing in August. In May, harvest is only allowed in the main Bay (and Tangier and Pocomoke sounds), not in its bays, rivers and creeks. Spawning rivers and the Upper Bay spawning area are closed to all striped bass fishing Mar 1–May 31. Non-offset circle hooks with bait; eels may not be used as bait; no possession midnight–5 a.m.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

100GoTomorrow, 12 am–10 pm

Water

63°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Bluefish is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 8" minimum; 5 a day from shore or a private boat, 7 on a for-hire boat (up from 3 and 5 in 2025). Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: May–Oct. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

88GoTomorrow, 12 am–10 pm

Water

63°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 14" minimum, 4 a day, open all year. May not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: May–Oct. More on spotted seatrout

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 am–10 pm

Water

63°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

Right in white perch's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. White perch prefers outgoing tide. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries: no minimum size by hook and line (8" with other gear) and no daily limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on white perch

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 12 am–10 pm

Water

63°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 16" minimum Jan 1–May 31 and 17.5" Jun 1–Dec 31, 4 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: May–Sep. More on summer flounder

The water

  • Water temperature63°F
  • Barometer30.39 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today6:13 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:27 am
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 12:30 am–2:30 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Maryland DNR, Oct 14

Lower Bay. Getting out to fish on the lower Bay has been difficult for the past three weekends, but there are excellent fishing opportunities in between. Anglers are enjoying excellent fishing for bluefish this week. Trolling a mix of spoons and surge tube lures has been the most popular and effective way to catch them. The mouth of the Potomac, the Target Ship area and the Middle Grounds are all good places to find them. Make sure to bring plenty of ice to keep them firm in an ice chest. Once they get soft from not being iced, there is no way to firm them up again.

Quoted from the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report. Reports are what anglers and biologists saw that week, not a forecast.

Licenses and rules: MD DNR · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

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.

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

Also a beach: swim conditions and water-quality advisories on itsabeachday.com.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

North Beach (Calvert)1 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go
Breezy Point Beach5 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 am–10 pm
92Go
Kings Landing Park9 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 7 am–6 pm
80Worth the trip
Jug Bay — Patuxent River10 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 7 am–6 pm
86Go
Beverly Triton Nature Park13 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go
Mayo Beach Park14 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

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.