It’s a fishing day

Choptank River — Cambridge fishing conditions · Maryland

Tomorrow, 4 am–3 pmWhite perch

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 61°, inside their 50–78° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 96 for white perch, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

White perch, 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. 963 am
  2. 96
  3. 96
  4. 966 am
  5. 86
  6. 90
  7. 869 am
  8. 88
  9. 96
  10. 10012 pm
  11. 100
  12. 100
  13. 963 pm
  14. 96
  15. 96
  16. 1006 pm
  17. 96
  18. 86
  19. 869 pm
  20. 86
  21. 88
  22. 88Tue
  23. 92
  24. 92
  25. 883 am
  26. 96
  27. 96
  28. 966 am
  29. 96
  30. 96
  31. 1009 am
  32. 96
  33. 96
  34. 9612 pm
  35. 100
  36. 100
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
61°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:24 am

Sky
Clear

No rain expected

Air
47°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

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.

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

100GoTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

White perch is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. White perch prefers outgoing tide. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

92GoTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
35°45–70° · ideal 58°80°

Why

Right in yellow perch's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Yellow perch prefers slack tide. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

9" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries: 9" minimum, 5 a day (down from 10 in 2025), open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Feb–Apr, Oct–Dec. More on yellow perch

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside blue catfish's active range. Holds 10–60 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland tidal waters: catfish have no size limit and no daily limit, open all year. DNR encourages anglers to keep invasive blue catfish.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Year-round. More on blue catfish

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside channel catfish's active range. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal waters: no minimum size and no daily creel limit; open year-round.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on channel catfish

Northern Snakehead

Northern snakehead

Channa argus

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
45°55–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside northern snakehead's active range. Holds 2–10 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland tidal waters ("Chesapeake Channa"): no size limit, no daily limit, open all year. Illegal to possess alive.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on northern snakehead

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 4 am–3 pm

Water

61°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside largemouth bass's active range. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day (Jan 1–Feb 29, Jun 16–Dec 31); 15" minimum · 5 a day (Mar 1–Jun 15)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland tidal waters: 5 black bass a day (largemouth and smallmouth combined); 15" minimum Mar 1–Jun 15 and 12" the rest of the year. Bass may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

The water

  • Water temperature61°F
  • Barometer30.40 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:24 am
  • Sunset today6:11 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm

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

Middle Bay. Anglers are enjoying good fishing for striped bass at the Bay Bridge when live-lining spot, small white perch, or eels near the pier bases. The east side of the bridge near the 30-foot drop-off tends to offer some of the best fishing. Most boats are anchoring up current and drifting baits back to the bridge pier bases with good success. Other anglers are enjoying good fishing for striped bass by casting soft plastic jigs and bucktails at pier bases along the bridge. The best opportunities are early in the morning and late evening and a good running tide is always important. Some of the best striped bass fishing is occurring along the shallower waters of the Bay and tidal rivers this week.

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

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.

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

Nearby

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

Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)2 mi · MarylandBest now until tonight 2 am
100Go
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area12 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 8 am
100Go
Tyaskin Wharf20 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 8 am
100Go
Martinak State Park22 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 5 am–3 pmFrost Advisory
75Worth the trip
Cove Road Beach22 mi · MarylandBest today 11 am to tomorrow 8 am
100Go
Roaring Point Waterfront Park24 mi · MarylandBest today 10 am to tomorrow 8 am
100Go

Questions people ask

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.