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Chesapeake Bay
The defining estuary of the mid-Atlantic — striper country.
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From the Susquehanna flats to the mouth at Virginia Beach, the Bay drives almost all mid-Atlantic tidal fishing. Rockfish run the spring and fall migrations, white perch work the tributaries year-round, and blue cats have become one of the largest inshore fisheries on the East Coast.
Featured species
Best conditions today
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area
Kiptopeke State Park
Cape Charles Town Pier
Anderson Park
Solomons Island Fishing Pier
Point Lookout State Park
Roaring Point Waterfront Park
Buckroe Beach
Ocean View Beach
Hilton Pier Park
First Landing State Park
Sandy Point State Park
Rocky Point Park — Essex
North Point State Park
Elms Beach Park
Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area
Flying Point Park
Tyaskin Wharf
Cove Road Beach
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier
Romancoke Pier
Matapeake Pier
Flag Ponds Nature Park
Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier
Breezy Point Beach
Mayo Beach Park
Beverly Triton Nature Park
Martinak State Park
North Beach (Calvert)
Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (Perryville)
Conowingo Dam Tailrace
Susquehanna Flats
Havre de Grace Fishing Pier
Choptank River — Cambridge
Fort Smallwood Park
Downs Park
Miami Beach Park
Cox's Point Park
Mariner Point Park
Betterton Beach
Rock Hall Beach
North East Community Park
Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)
Dundee Creek Marina (Gunpowder Falls SP)
Rolph's Wharf
Belle Isle State Park
Smith Point Beach
All public access points
- Sandy Point State Park — Anne Arundel, MD
- Conowingo Dam Tailrace — Harford, MD
- Susquehanna Flats — Cecil, MD
- Havre de Grace Fishing Pier — Harford, MD
- Rocky Point Park — Essex — Baltimore, MD
- North Point State Park — Baltimore, MD
- Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier — Queen Anne's, MD
- Romancoke Pier — Queen Anne's, MD
- Matapeake Pier — Queen Anne's, MD
- Choptank River — Cambridge — Dorchester, MD
- Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area — Dorchester, MD
- Solomons Island Fishing Pier — Calvert, MD
- Point Lookout State Park — St. Mary's, MD
- Flag Ponds Nature Park — Calvert, MD
- Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier — Calvert, MD
- Kiptopeke State Park — Northampton, VA
- Cape Charles Town Pier — Northampton, VA
- Mariner Point Park — Harford, MD
- First Landing State Park — Virginia Beach, VA
- Breezy Point Beach — Calvert, MD
- Betterton Beach — Kent, MD
- Fort Smallwood Park — Anne Arundel, MD
- Mayo Beach Park — Anne Arundel, MD
- Beverly Triton Nature Park — Anne Arundel, MD
- Downs Park — Anne Arundel, MD
- Rock Hall Beach — Kent, MD
- Martinak State Park — Caroline, MD
- Deal Island Wildlife Management Area — Somerset, MD
- Flying Point Park — Harford, MD
- North East Community Park — Cecil, MD
- Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach) — Cecil, MD
- Dundee Creek Marina (Gunpowder Falls SP) — Baltimore, MD
- Miami Beach Park — Baltimore, MD
- Cox's Point Park — Baltimore, MD
- Elms Beach Park — St. Mary's, MD
- Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park) — Dorchester, MD
- Roaring Point Waterfront Park — Wicomico, MD
- Rolph's Wharf — Queen Anne's, MD
- Tyaskin Wharf — Wicomico, MD
- Cove Road Beach — Wicomico, MD
- Belle Isle State Park — Lancaster, VA
- Smith Point Beach — Northumberland, VA
- Buckroe Beach — Hampton, VA
- Ocean View Beach — Norfolk, VA
- Hilton Pier Park — Newport News, VA
- Anderson Park — Newport News, VA
- North Beach (Calvert) — Calvert, MD
- Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (Perryville) — Cecil, MD
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
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
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.