Calvert County, MD · Chesapeake Bay

Solomons Island Fishing Pier

Solomons (a Calvert County community at the mouth of the Patuxent River where it meets the Chesapeake) is a classic lower-Bay fishing destination. The public pier and adjacent shoreline fish well for stripers, bluefish, and spotted seatrout. Charter fleet operates from the marina for deeper-water species.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Also a beach day? Swim conditions and water-quality advisories at Solomons Island Fishing Pier on itsabeachday.com →

Top pick today

Red Drum — Great day to fish for Red Drum.

Best conditions of 7 species tracked at Solomons Island Fishing Pier.

75 /100

great

NWSActive weather alert

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 11 at 10:04PM EDT until June 12 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Baltimore MD/Washington DC

Atmosphere

Air Temp

92°F

Mostly Sunny

Wind

3 to 7 mph

Rain

13%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

77°F

Tidal waters

Tide

incoming

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:41 AM

Sunset

8:29 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time	Type	Height
5:34 AM	Low	0.5 ft
11:04 AM	High	1.4 ft
5:28 PM	Low	0.1 ft

Species at Solomons Island Fishing Pier

7 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 Red Drum Great day to fish for Red Drum. In season 75/100

What's helping

77°F water — right in red drum's ideal range
incoming tide — red drum prefers incoming tide
7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Sciaenops ocellatus — Also called channel bass, redfish, or (as juveniles) puppy drum. Summer and fall target around the lower Bay shoals and the Eastern Shore coastal bays. Big "bull reds" cruise the surf in fall.

Prefers. Water 65–85°F (ideal 75°F) · incoming tide · depth 3–20 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size: 18"
Max size: 27"
Daily creel: 1

Chesapeake Bay: 18–27 inch slot, 1 per day. All fish outside the slot must be released. ASMFC red drum addendum — re-verify annually.

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

#2 Bluefish Workable day for Bluefish. In season 63/100

What's helping

77°F water — inside bluefish's active range
incoming tide — bluefish prefers incoming tide
7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

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.

#2 Spotted Seatrout Workable day for Spotted Seatrout. In season 63/100

What's helping

77°F water — inside spotted seatrout's active range
incoming tide — spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide
7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

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.

#4 Blue Catfish Marginal conditions for Blue Catfish. In season 49/100

What's helping

77°F water — inside blue catfish's active range
7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

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 51 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.

#5 White Perch Marginal conditions for White Perch. In season 43/100

What's helping

77°F water — inside white perch's active range
7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

incoming tide — white perch prefers outgoing tide
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.

#6 Striped Bass Skip the Striped Bass trip today. In season 27/100

What's helping

incoming tide — striped bass prefers incoming tide
7 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

77°F water — above striped bass's active range (50–72°f) — fish move deep
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.

#7 Summer Flounder Skip the Summer Flounder trip today. In season 7/100

What's helping

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

What's hurting

77°F water — above summer flounder's active range (58–75°f) — fish move deep
incoming tide — summer flounder prefers outgoing tide
NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Paralichthys dentatus — Locally called "fluke." Flatfish that ambushes bait off sandy and mixed bottom. Drifting bucktails tipped with Gulp! or live minnows through Ocean City and Chincoteague inlets is the classic method.

Prefers. Water 58–75°F (ideal 65°F) · outgoing tide · depth 10–100 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size: 16"
Daily creel: 4

Chesapeake Bay: size minimum steps up from 16 in (Jan 1–May 31) to 17.5 in (Jun 1–Dec 31). Creel is 4/day year-round. Flounder quotas are re-negotiated annually through ASMFC/MAFMC — re-verify before each season.

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

Location Info

Water Body

Chesapeake Bay

Access

Fishing pier

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

38.3241, -76.4607

Notes

Free public pier on the waterfront. Charter boats operate from the marina. Spotted seatrout and red drum more common in late summer and fall.

What anglers are reporting

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

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 Solomons Island Fishing Pier: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Myrtle Point Park

1.8 mi

St. Mary's Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Greenwell State Park

4.5 mi

St. Mary's Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum

4.8 mi

Calvert Co., MD · Multi · Patuxent

Flag Ponds Nature Park

8.8 mi

Calvert Co., MD · Shore · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Solomons Island Fishing Pier?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Solomons Island Fishing 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 Solomons Island Fishing Pier?

Solomons Island Fishing Pier is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout, and 3 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 Solomons Island Fishing 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 Solomons Island Fishing 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 Solomons Island Fishing Pier have?

Solomons Island Fishing Pier has a fishing pier — shore-only anglers can fish here without a boat. Free public pier on the waterfront. Charter boats operate from the marina. Spotted seatrout and red drum more common in late summer and fall.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Solomons Island Fishing Pier?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Solomons Island Fishing 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 Solomons Island Fishing Pier tidal water?

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