It's a Fishing Day

Calvert County, MD · Patuxent River

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

Calvert County, MD

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum offers public shoreline and pier access on the tidal Patuxent River in Calvert County. Common targets include striped bass, white perch, blue catfish, spotted seatrout, and bluefish.

Live · updated

Top pick today

Bluefish — Drop everything — ideal day for Bluefish.

Best conditions of 5 species tracked at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum.

92 /100
ideal

Atmosphere

Air Temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Wind
3 to 12 mph
W
Rain
1%
Saturday
Pressure
Steady
6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp
73°F
Tidal waters
Tide
outgoing

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:43 AM
Sunset
8:26 PM
Moon · 70%
waning gibbous

Today's Tides

Time Type Height
6:09 AM High 1.5 ft
12:56 PM Low 0.4 ft
6:33 PM High 1.2 ft

Species at Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

5 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top pick is open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Bluefish Drop everything — ideal day for Bluefish. In season 92/100

What's helping

  • 73°F water — right in bluefish's ideal range
  • In the current report — bluefish is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area
  • 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • outgoing tide — bluefish prefers incoming tide

About. Pomatomus saltatrix — Toothy, aggressive pelagic predator. "Snapper blues" invade the lower Bay and coastal bays in summer; bigger choppers along the Atlantic coast. Hits metal jigs, topwater, and cut bait savagely — wire leaders recommended.

Prefers. Water 60–80°F (ideal 70°F) · incoming tide · depth 5–50 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 44 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
8"
Daily creel
5

Chesapeake Bay: 8-inch minimum. 5 per person on shore or private boat; 7 per person on for-hire (charter) boats. Federal ASMFC bluefish allocation — limit may change annually.

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

#2 Blue Catfish Drop everything — ideal day for Blue Catfish. In season 86/100

What's helping

  • 73°F water — right in blue catfish's ideal range
  • 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

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 44 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 White Perch Great day to fish for White Perch. In season 84/100

What's helping

  • 73°F water — inside white perch's active range
  • outgoing tide — white perch prefers outgoing tide
  • 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

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 44 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.

#4 Spotted Seatrout Great day to fish for Spotted Seatrout. In season 80/100

What's helping

  • 73°F water — right in spotted seatrout's ideal range
  • 12 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • outgoing tide — spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide

About. Cynoscion nebulosus — Popularly called "speckled trout" or "specks." Summer-fall target in the lower Bay grass beds and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Topwater walkers at dawn and soft plastics on jigheads are standard.

Prefers. Water 60–85°F (ideal 72°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–15 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 44 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size
14"
Daily creel
4

Chesapeake Bay: 14-inch minimum, 4 per day. Thermal-stress winter die-offs can trigger emergency closures; check MDDNR before mid-winter trips.

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

#5 Striped Bass Skip the Striped Bass trip today. In season 32/100

What's helping

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

What's hurting

  • 73°F water — above striped bass's active range (50–72°f) — fish move deep
  • outgoing tide — striped bass prefers incoming tide

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 44 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.

Location Info

Water Body

Patuxent River

Access

Pier, shore, and ramp

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

38.3713, -76.5245

What anglers are reporting

From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026.

Lower Bay

Deeper waters along channel edges are being targeted by anglers jigging with soft plastic jigs or by trolling with umbrella rigs down along the 30-foot edges. It is a good idea to place a few Drone spoons behind inline weights for the bluefish that are in the region. The steep channel edge of the Potomac from St. Georges Island to Piney Point, the lower Patuxent and the eastern side of the bay from Buoy 76 to Buoy 72 are worth exploring. Red and black drum are being found on the eastern side of the Bay from the Middle Grounds up past the Target Ship and Tangier Sound. Finding them on depth finders and dropping soft crab baits to them is the most popular way to fish.

Species mentioned: black drum, bluefish

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 Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Greenwell State Park

<1 mi

St. Mary's Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Myrtle Point Park

3.3 mi

St. Mary's Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Snow Hill Farm Park

4.4 mi

St. Mary's Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Solomons Island Fishing Pier

4.8 mi

Calvert Co., MD · Pier · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

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.

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR

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