It’s a fishing day

Martinak State Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until tomorrow 10 pmStriped bass

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 61°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 98 for striped bass, go · inside the best windowTap 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. 9810 am
  2. 100
  3. 100
  4. 1001 pm
  5. 100
  6. 100
  7. 1004 pm
  8. 100
  9. 100
  10. 987 pm
  11. 98
  12. 98
  13. 9810 pm
  14. 98
  15. 98Tue
  16. 1001 am
  17. 100
  18. 98
  19. 984 am
  20. 98
  21. 100
  22. 1007 am
  23. 100
  24. 100
  25. 10010 am
  26. 100
  27. 100
  28. 1001 pm
  29. 100
  30. 100
  31. 1004 pm
  32. 100
  33. 98
  34. 1007 pm
  35. 98
  36. 98
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
61°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Daylight

Sunset 6:10 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

No rain expected

Air
51°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

100GoNow until tomorrow 10 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. 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, 6 am–6 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. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside white perch's active range. 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. Likes an outgoing tide. More on white perch

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

80Worth the tripTomorrow, 6 am–6 pm

Water

61°
35°45–70° · ideal 58°80°

Why

Right in yellow perch's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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, 6 am–6 pm

Water

61°
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

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 6 am–6 pm

Water

61°
50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripTomorrow, 6 am–6 pm

Water

61°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. 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
  • Barometer30.36 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today6:10 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:24 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

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

A state park where Watts Creek meets the tidal Choptank River near Denton; the park lists bass, perch, sunfish and catfish. DNR reports white perch running up past Denton in March and April, yellow perch spawning upriver, blue and channel catfish from Martinak to Denton, and striped bass spawning in this reach in spring.

Nearby

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

Choptank River — Cambridge22 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier23 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go
Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)24 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go
Rolph's Wharf24 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go
South Bowers Beach27 mi · DelawareBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
92Go
Romancoke Pier27 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 10 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Martinak State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Martinak State Park 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 Martinak State Park?

Martinak State Park is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Blue Catfish, and 2 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 Martinak State Park?

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 Martinak State Park 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 Martinak State Park have?

Martinak State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Martinak State Park?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Martinak State Park. 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 Martinak State Park tidal water?

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