It’s a fishing day

Rocky Point Park — Essex fishing conditions · Maryland

Today 8 am to tomorrow 3 pmBlue catfish

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 69°, close to the 72° blue catfish like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 98 for blue catfish, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Blue catfish, 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. 983 am
  2. 100
  3. 100
  4. 1006 am
  5. 90
  6. 98
  7. 989 am
  8. 98
  9. 98
  10. 9812 pm
  11. 98
  12. 98
  13. 983 pm
  14. 98
  15. 98
  16. 986 pm
  17. 98
  18. 98
  19. 989 pm
  20. 98
  21. 98
  22. 98Tue
  23. 98
  24. 98
  25. 983 am
  26. 98
  27. 98
  28. 986 am
  29. 98
  30. 98
  31. 989 am
  32. 98
  33. 98
  34. 9812 pm
  35. 98
  36. 98
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
69°F

Blue catfish range 55–85°

Wind
2 mph

From the northwest

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:26 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
52°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

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.

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

100GoToday 8 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

69°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in blue catfish's ideal range. Blue catfish is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

88GoToday 8 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

69°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

White perch prefers outgoing tide. 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. More on white perch

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

82Worth the tripToday 8 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

69°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside striped bass's active range. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

82Worth the tripToday 8 am to tomorrow 3 pm

Water

69°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Right in bluefish's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Bluefish prefers incoming tide. 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. More on bluefish

The water

  • Water temperature69°F
  • Seas0.3 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer30.43 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:26 am
  • Sunset today6:12 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:30 am–8:30 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:00 pm–2:00 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:40 pm–6:40 pm

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

Upper Chesapeake Bay. The Conowingo Dam late-day water releases have been above normal this week, but the dam pool is providing good fishing. Anglers are catching a mix of striped bass, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. If you want to get in on the action, you’ll need a medium weight surf rod loaded with braid and a pair of waders. All are necessary to make the long casts to the turbine wash and control a fish in the strong current. Fishing for striped bass in the shallower edges of the Susquehanna Flats, Bay shore and tidal river waters is a good option for anglers. The morning and evening hours offer the best fishing opportunities for anglers casting poppers, paddletails and crankbaits.

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

Baltimore County's 375-acre Rocky Point Beach and Park sits at the mouth of the Back and Middle Rivers in Essex, facing Hawk Cove and Hart-Miller Island on the upper Chesapeake. Shoreline access plus a fishing pier and shallow- and deep-water boat ramps. Popular for stripers and white perch in spring; bluefish through summer and fall.

Day-use fee for non-Baltimore-County residents in season. Boat ramps on-site. The Back and Middle River system is subject to nutrient runoff — water-quality advisories may apply.

Also a beach: swim conditions and water-quality advisories on itsabeachday.com.

Nearby

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

North Point State Park3 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 2 am–3 pm
98Go
Cox's Point Park4 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 3 am–3 pm
100Go
Miami Beach Park5 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 4 am–3 pm
100Go
Fort Smallwood Park7 mi · MarylandBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 3 pm
100Go
Dundee Creek Marina (Gunpowder Falls SP)7 mi · MarylandBest now until tomorrow 3 pm
100Go
Downs Park10 mi · MarylandBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 3 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Rocky Point Park — Essex?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Rocky Point Park — Essex 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 Rocky Point Park — Essex?

Rocky Point Park — Essex is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Bluefish, Blue Catfish. 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 Rocky Point Park — Essex?

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 Rocky Point Park — Essex 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 Rocky Point Park — Essex have?

Rocky Point Park — Essex has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Day-use fee for non-Baltimore-County residents in season. Boat ramps on-site. The Back and Middle River system is subject to nutrient runoff — water-quality advisories may apply.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Rocky Point Park — Essex?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Rocky Point Park — Essex. 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 Rocky Point Park — Essex tidal water?

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

Is there parking or an entry fee at Rocky Point Park — Essex?

Day-use fee for non-Baltimore-County residents in season. Boat ramps on-site. The Back and Middle River system is subject to nutrient runoff — water-quality advisories may apply.