Queen Anne's County, MD · Chesapeake Bay

Matapeake Pier

Matapeake Park on the western shore of Kent Island features a 650-foot lighted fishing pier and a 25-foot-wide boat ramp. Sits on the site of the former Sandy Point–Matapeake ferry landing (operated until the Bay Bridge replaced ferry service in 1952). Good white perch and striper fishing with views of the Bay Bridge.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top picks today

Bluefish & Spotted Seatrout — tied at the top (18/100)

2 species tied for best of 4 tracked at Matapeake Pier.

18 /100

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NWSActive weather alert

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 11 at 9:56PM EDT until June 12 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Atmosphere

Air Temp

92°F

Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind

5 mph

Rain

38%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

78°F

Tidal waters

Tide

incoming

Seas

1 ft

Nearest buoy wave height

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:39 AM

Sunset

8:31 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time	Type	Height
2:26 AM	High	1.6 ft
9:00 AM	Low	0.7 ft
1:53 PM	High	1.1 ft
8:13 PM	Low	0.2 ft

Species at Matapeake Pier

4 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 Bluefish Skip the Bluefish trip today. In season 18/100

What's helping

78°F water — inside bluefish's active range
incoming tide — bluefish prefers incoming tide
5 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. 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Regulations may be out of date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 51 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.

#1 Spotted Seatrout Skip the Spotted Seatrout trip today. In season 18/100

What's helping

78°F water — inside spotted seatrout's active range
incoming tide — spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide
5 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. 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 51 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.

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

What's helping

78°F water — inside white perch's active range
5 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
5 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

78°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.

Location Info

Water Body

Chesapeake Bay

Access

Fishing pier

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

38.9668, -76.3418

Notes

Free public pier. Small parking area. Historic ferry terminal site. Less crowded than Kent Narrows.

What anglers are reporting

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

Middle Bay

Fishing for striped bass at the Bay Bridge piers has been good this past week and should continue. Boats have been anchoring up-current of the bridge piers on the east side and drifting live spot and assorted baits back to the pier bases. Other anglers are positioning close to the piers and casting soft plastic jigs to the pier bases with good success. Striped bass fishing is very good for light tackle anglers casting and jigging in many traditional locations in the middle Bay. Eastern Bay, Poplar Island, Thomas Point, and the mouth of the Choptank River are just a few locations where casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs is working well.

Species mentioned: spot, 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 Matapeake Pier: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Sandy Point State Park

4.3 mi

Anne Arundel Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier

5.5 mi

Queen Anne's Co., MD · Pier · Chesapeake

Romancoke Pier

5.9 mi

Queen Anne's Co., MD · Pier · Chesapeake

Mayo Beach Park

9.5 mi

Anne Arundel Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Matapeake Pier?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Matapeake 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 Matapeake Pier?

Matapeake Pier is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: White Perch, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout. 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 Matapeake 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 Matapeake 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 Matapeake Pier have?

Matapeake Pier has a fishing pier — shore-only anglers can fish here without a boat. Free public pier. Small parking area. Historic ferry terminal site. Less crowded than Kent Narrows.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Matapeake Pier?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Matapeake 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 Matapeake Pier tidal water?

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