Dorchester County, MD · Chesapeake Bay

Choptank River — Cambridge

The tidal Choptank River at Cambridge is a major mid-Bay tributary fishery. Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park provides pier and shoreline access. White perch, blue catfish, and snakehead are prolific; stripers in season.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top picks today

Channel Catfish & Northern Snakehead — tied at the top (16/100)

2 species tied for best of 7 tracked at Choptank River — Cambridge.

16 /100

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NWSActive weather alert

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 11 at 9:56PM EDT until June 12 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Atmosphere

Air Temp

96°F

Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind

5 to 10 mph

Rain

22%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

77°F

Tidal waters

Tide

incoming

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:39 AM

Sunset

8:28 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time	Type	Height
12:57 AM	High	2.1 ft
7:41 AM	Low	0.6 ft
12:54 PM	High	1.7 ft
7:15 PM	Low	0.1 ft

Species at Choptank River

7 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 Channel Catfish Check local Channel Catfish regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 16/100

Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Channel Catfish in MD on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.

What's helping

77°F water — right in channel catfish's ideal range
10 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. Ictalurus punctatus — Native catfish of MD non-tidal rivers, reservoirs, and farm ponds. Bottom-feeder that takes chicken liver, stinkbait, nightcrawlers, and cut bait. Most active at night and in warm water.

Prefers. Water 60–85°F (ideal 75°F) · either tide · depth 5–30 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland tidal / tidal-bay. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

#1 Northern Snakehead Skip the Northern Snakehead trip today. In season 16/100

What's helping

77°F water — right in northern snakehead's ideal range
10 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. Channa argus — Invasive ambush predator, now established throughout the tidal Potomac and much of the Eastern Shore. Also marketed as "Chesapeake Channa" to encourage harvest. Explosive topwater strikes in lily pads and grass flats; hits frogs, Chatterbaits, and swimbaits.

Prefers. Water 55–85°F (ideal 75°F) · either tide · depth 2–10 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Daily creel: 0

Invasive species. No minimum size, no daily limit, open year-round. Illegal to possess, transport, or introduce alive in Maryland. Branded as "Chesapeake Channa" by MDDNR to encourage harvest and consumption.

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

#3 Blue Catfish Skip the Blue Catfish trip today. In season 4/100

What's helping

77°F water — inside blue catfish's active range
10 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. Ictalurus furcatus — Invasive apex predator, now abundant throughout the tidal Potomac, Patuxent, and Nanticoke. MDDNR actively encourages harvest. Caught on cut bait (bunker, white perch, gizzard shad) fished on bottom. 50+ lb fish are routine on the Potomac.

Prefers. Water 55–85°F (ideal 72°F) · either tide · depth 10–60 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Daily creel: 0

Invasive species in Maryland tidal waters. No minimum size, no creel limit, open year-round. MDDNR encourages anglers to harvest rather than release. Not listed in the Chesapeake Bay seasons/sizes/limits table because no restrictions apply.

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

#3 Largemouth Bass Check local Largemouth Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 4/100

Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Largemouth Bass in MD on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.

What's helping

77°F water — inside largemouth bass's active range
10 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. Micropterus salmoides — Most popular gamefish in MD non-tidal waters. Ambush predator around cover — lily pads, submerged timber, docks, grass edges. Hits plastics, spinnerbaits, jigs, and topwater across the season.

Prefers. Water 55–85°F (ideal 72°F) · either tide · depth 3–25 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland tidal / tidal-bay. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

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

What's helping

77°F water — inside white perch's active range
10 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.

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

What's helping

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

What's hurting

77°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.

#5 Yellow Perch Skip the Yellow Perch trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

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

What's hurting

77°F water — above yellow perch's active range (45–70°f) — fish move deep
incoming tide — yellow perch prefers slack tide
Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Perca flavescens — Late-winter and early-spring favorite. Schools up in tidal tributaries for the pre-spawn run in February and March, taking small minnows, shad darts, and small jigs. A classic Eastern Shore "neds" fishery.

Prefers. Water 45–70°F (ideal 58°F) · slack tide · depth 5–30 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Min size: 9"
Daily creel: 5

Chesapeake Bay tidal waters: 9-inch minimum, 5 per day, open year-round. Some tributaries have historically had emergency closures during the spring spawn — check the MDDNR site annually before the February–March run.

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

Location Info

Water Body

Chesapeake Bay

Access

Pier, shore, and ramp

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

38.5900, -76.0436

Notes

Bill Burton Fishing Pier is free and ADA-accessible. Boat ramp at Great Marsh Park. Blue catfish and snakehead are invasive — no creel limit.

What anglers are reporting

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

Middle Bay

Fishing for striped bass at the Bay Bridge piers has been good this past week and should continue. Boats have been anchoring up-current of the bridge piers on the east side and drifting live spot and assorted baits back to the pier bases. Other anglers are positioning close to the piers and casting soft plastic jigs to the pier bases with good success. Striped bass fishing is very good for light tackle anglers casting and jigging in many traditional locations in the middle Bay. Eastern Bay, Poplar Island, Thomas Point, and the mouth of the Choptank River are just a few locations where casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs is working well.

Species mentioned: spot, striped bass

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 Choptank River — Cambridge: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)

1.6 mi

Dorchester Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area

12 mi

Dorchester Co., MD · Shore · Chesapeake

Tyaskin Wharf

20 mi

Wicomico Co., MD · Pier · Chesapeake

Martinak State Park

22 mi

Caroline Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Choptank River — Cambridge?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Choptank River — Cambridge 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 Choptank River — Cambridge?

Choptank River — Cambridge is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: White Perch, Yellow Perch, Blue Catfish, Striped Bass, and 3 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 Choptank River — Cambridge?

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 Choptank River — Cambridge 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 Choptank River — Cambridge have?

Choptank River — Cambridge has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Bill Burton Fishing Pier is free and ADA-accessible. Boat ramp at Great Marsh Park. Blue catfish and snakehead are invasive — no creel limit.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Choptank River — Cambridge?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Choptank River — Cambridge. 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 Choptank River — Cambridge tidal water?

Yes. Choptank River — Cambridge sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.