It's a Fishing Day

Harford County, MD · Chesapeake Bay

Havre de Grace Fishing Pier

Harford County, MD

The Havre de Grace waterfront promenade includes a public fishing pier at the confluence of the Susquehanna River and upper Chesapeake Bay. White perch and stripers are thick in season; blue catfish and channel catfish year-round.

Live · updated

Also a beach day? Swim conditions and water-quality advisories at Havre de Grace Fishing Pier on itsabeachday.com →

Top picks today

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

2 species tied for best of 5 tracked at Havre de Grace Fishing Pier.

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NWSActive weather alert

Heat Advisory issued June 11 at 8:59PM EDT until June 12 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Atmosphere

Air Temp
91°F
Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Wind
3 to 8 mph
W
Rain
61%
Friday
Pressure
Steady
6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp
75°F
Tidal waters
Tide
incoming
Seas
1 ft
Nearest buoy wave height

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:36 AM
Sunset
8:32 PM
Moon · 11%
waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time Type Height
3:44 AM High 1.9 ft
11:02 AM Low 0.6 ft
3:35 PM High 1.2 ft
9:30 PM Low 0.3 ft

Species at Havre de Grace Fishing Pier

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 Blue Catfish Skip the Blue Catfish trip today. In season 16/100

What's helping

  • 75°F water — right in blue catfish's ideal range
  • 8 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Regulations may be out of date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.

#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

  • 75°F water — right in channel catfish's ideal range
  • 8 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.

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

What's helping

  • 75°F water — inside white perch's active range
  • 8 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
  • 8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • 75°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 Yellow Perch Skip the Yellow Perch trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

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

What's hurting

  • 75°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

Fishing pier

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

39.5488, -76.0898

Notes

Free public pier. Street parking along the promenade. Busy in spring during striper season. Part of the Susquehanna Flats heritage fishery.

What anglers are reporting

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

Upper Chesapeake Bay

The weekend rain brought about some increased flows at the Conowingo Dam this week and anglers are fishing at the dam pool for blue and flathead catfish with good results. The blue catfish action mixed with channel catfish continues down the Susquehanna and out into the upper Bay. All the region’s tidal rivers also hold populations of blue and channel catfish. Overcast conditions often make for excellent fishing for striped bass, which anglers are reporting this week. Casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs near structure and jigging along channel edges is a very popular way to fish and obtain good results.

Species mentioned: blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, 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 Havre de Grace Fishing Pier: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (Perryville)

<1 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Susquehanna Flats

1.8 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Ramp · Chesapeake

Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)

6.4 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

North East Community Park

8.1 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Havre de Grace Fishing Pier?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Havre de Grace Fishing 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 Havre de Grace Fishing Pier?

Havre de Grace Fishing Pier is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: White Perch, Yellow Perch, Striped Bass, Blue Catfish, 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 Havre de Grace Fishing 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 Havre de Grace Fishing 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 Havre de Grace Fishing Pier have?

Havre de Grace Fishing Pier has a fishing pier — shore-only anglers can fish here without a boat. Free public pier. Street parking along the promenade. Busy in spring during striper season. Part of the Susquehanna Flats heritage fishery.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Havre de Grace Fishing Pier?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Havre de Grace Fishing 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 Havre de Grace Fishing Pier tidal water?

Yes. Havre de Grace Fishing Pier sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR

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