It’s a fishing day

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum fishing conditions · Maryland

Tomorrow, 5 am–8 pmStriped bass

The bite peaks at 80. Water is 64°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 72 for striped bass, worth the tripTap 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. 7210 am
  2. 72
  3. 72
  4. 721 pm
  5. 72
  6. 72
  7. 724 pm
  8. 70
  9. 70
  10. 707 pm
  11. 70
  12. 70
  13. 7010 pm
  14. 70
  15. 72Tue
  16. 721 am
  17. 80
  18. 72
  19. 724 am
  20. 80
  21. 80
  22. 807 am
  23. 80
  24. 80
  25. 8010 am
  26. 80
  27. 80
  28. 801 pm
  29. 80
  30. 80
  31. 804 pm
  32. 80
  33. 80
  34. 807 pm
  35. 72
  36. 80
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
64°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
3 mph

From the west

Light
Daylight

Sunset 6:14 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
55°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

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 5 am–8 pm

Water

64°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. 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

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 5 am–8 pm

Water

64°
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

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 5 am–8 pm

Water

64°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Bluefish is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside bluefish's active range. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on bluefish

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 5 am–8 pm

Water

64°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

68MarginalTomorrow, 5 am–8 pm

Water

64°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. 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

The water

  • Water temperature64°F
  • Barometer30.37 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today6:14 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:26 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

A state park and museum on the Patuxent River at St. Leonard Creek. Striped bass, white perch and blue catfish in the river, with speckled trout and bluefish in warm summers.

Nearby

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

Greenwell State Park0 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 5 am–8 pm
80Worth the trip
Myrtle Point Park3 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 5 am–10 pm
80Worth the trip
Snow Hill Farm Park4 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 2 am–6 pm
100Go
Solomons Island Fishing Pier5 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 am–10 pm
80Worth the trip
Flag Ponds Nature Park6 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 2 am–10 pm
80Worth the trip
Elms Beach Park16 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 3 am–7 pm
92Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum 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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Blue Catfish, 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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?

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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum 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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum have?

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum. 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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum tidal water?

Yes. Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.