It's a Fishing Day

Cecil County, MD · Chesapeake Bay

Susquehanna Flats

Cecil County, MD

The Susquehanna Flats — the broad shallow upper Bay where the Susquehanna meets the Chesapeake — is a designated MD DNR striped bass spawning area with its own special schedule. Also holds white perch, blue catfish, and tidal largemouth. Boat access required for most of the flats.

Live · updated

Top picks today

Blue Catfish & Largemouth Bass — tied at the top (16/100)

2 species tied for best of 5 tracked at Susquehanna Flats.

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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
91°F
Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Wind
3 to 8 mph
W
Rain
61%
Friday
Pressure
Steady
6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp
75°F
Tidal waters
Tide
incoming
Seas
1 ft
Nearest buoy wave height

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:36 AM
Sunset
8:31 PM
Moon · 11%
waning crescent

Today's Tides

Time Type Height
3:44 AM High 1.9 ft
11:02 AM Low 0.6 ft
3:35 PM High 1.2 ft
9:30 PM Low 0.3 ft

Species at Susquehanna Flats

5 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 Blue Catfish Skip the Blue Catfish trip today. In season 16/100

What's helping

  • 75°F water — right in blue catfish's ideal range
  • 8 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. 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Regulations may be out of date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.

#1 Largemouth Bass Check local Largemouth Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 16/100
Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Largemouth Bass in MD on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.

What's helping

  • 75°F water — right in largemouth bass's ideal range
  • 8 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. Micropterus salmoides — Most popular gamefish in MD non-tidal waters. Ambush predator around cover — lily pads, submerged timber, docks, grass edges. Hits plastics, spinnerbaits, jigs, and topwater across the season.

Prefers. Water 55–85°F (ideal 72°F) · either tide · depth 3–25 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland tidal / tidal-bay. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

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

What's helping

  • 75°F water — inside white perch's active range
  • 8 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
  • 8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

  • 75°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.

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

What's helping

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

What's hurting

  • 75°F water — above yellow perch's active range (45–70°f) — fish move deep
  • incoming tide — yellow perch prefers slack tide
  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach
  • NWS alert active — check the alert before heading out

About. Perca flavescens — Late-winter and early-spring favorite. Schools up in tidal tributaries for the pre-spawn run in February and March, taking small minnows, shad darts, and small jigs. A classic Eastern Shore "neds" fishery.

Prefers. Water 45–70°F (ideal 58°F) · slack tide · depth 5–30 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Min size
9"
Daily creel
5

Chesapeake Bay tidal waters: 9-inch minimum, 5 per day, open year-round. Some tributaries have historically had emergency closures during the spring spawn — check the MDDNR site annually before the February–March run.

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

Location Info

Water Body

Chesapeake Bay

Access

Boat ramp

Jurisdiction

Maryland tidal

Coordinates

39.5370, -76.0590

Notes

Striped bass: special Upper Bay schedule under MD DNR rules — alternating catch-and-release windows and a peak-spawning closure in April; check current regulations before targeting. Launch from Havre de Grace or Perryville boat ramps. Very shallow; low-profile boats preferred.

What anglers are reporting

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

Upper Chesapeake Bay

The weekend rain brought about some increased flows at the Conowingo Dam this week and anglers are fishing at the dam pool for blue and flathead catfish with good results. The blue catfish action mixed with channel catfish continues down the Susquehanna and out into the upper Bay. All the region’s tidal rivers also hold populations of blue and channel catfish. Overcast conditions often make for excellent fishing for striped bass, which anglers are reporting this week. Casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs near structure and jigging along channel edges is a very popular way to fish and obtain good results.

Species mentioned: blue catfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish, 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 Susquehanna Flats: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Havre de Grace Fishing Pier

1.8 mi

Harford Co., MD · Pier · Chesapeake

Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (Perryville)

2.1 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)

5.2 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

North East Community Park

7.0 mi

Cecil Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Susquehanna Flats?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Susquehanna Flats 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 Susquehanna Flats?

Susquehanna Flats is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Blue Catfish, 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 Susquehanna Flats?

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 Susquehanna Flats 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 Susquehanna Flats have?

Susquehanna Flats has a public boat ramp. Shore access at this location is limited. Striped bass: special Upper Bay schedule under MD DNR rules — alternating catch-and-release windows and a peak-spawning closure in April; check current regulations before targeting. Launch from Havre de Grace or Perryville boat ramps. Very shallow; low-profile boats preferred.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Susquehanna Flats?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Susquehanna Flats. 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 Susquehanna Flats tidal water?

Yes. Susquehanna Flats 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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