Chesapeake Bay Seasons, Sizes & Limits
Maryland
Fishing
Species | Minimum Size Limits | Season | Creel Limit | Remarks |
American Eel | 9 inches | Jan 1–Aug 31, except open year round for spears and baited traps or pots | Daily—25 | |
Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth) | 15 inches March 1–June 15 | Open Year Round | Daily—5 in aggregate | |
12 inches June 16 through last day in February | ||||
Black Drum | 16 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—1 Boat Limit—6 | |
Black Sea Bass | 12.5 inches | May 15–December 31 | Daily—15 | |
Bluefish | 8 inches | Open Year Round | Shore or Private Boat: Daily—3 For-Hire Boat: Daily—5 | |
Catfish | None | Open Year Round | None | |
Chain Pickerel (Pike) | 14 inches | CLOSED March 15–April 30 | Daily—10 | |
Cobia | 40 inches | June 15–September 15 | 1 cobia per person per day; or up to 2 cobia per vessel per day if there are 2 or more individuals on the vessel | |
Croaker (Hardhead) | 9 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—25 | |
Northern Snakehead | None | Open Year Round | None | Illegal to possess live snakehead fish. |
Red Drum (Channel Bass or Puppy Drum) | 18–27 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—1 | |
Sharks | See Highly Migratory Species | |||
Sheepshead | None | Open Year Round | Daily—4 | |
Snapper Species (includes many species, please see list) | None | Open Year Round | Daily—20 | Snapper species—www.dsd.state.md.us/comar/getfile.aspx?file=08.02.05.29.htm |
Spanish Mackerel | 14 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—15 | Must be landed with head and fins intact. |
Spot | Subject to change. | |||
Spotted Seatrout | 14 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—4 | |
Striped Bass | See Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass | |||
Summer Flounder (Fluke) | 16.5 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—4 | |
Tautog | 16 inches | CLOSED May 16–June 30 | January 1–May 15: Daily—4 July 1–October 31: Daily—2 November 1–December 31: Daily—4 | |
Walleye | 15 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—5 | |
Weakfish | 13 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—1 | |
White Perch | None if caught with hook and line; 8 inch minimum if caught with other gear | Open Year Round | None | |
Yellow Perch | 9 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—10 | |
Alewife Herring, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Blueback Herring, HICKORY SHAD and Shortnose Sturgeon | CLOSED | |||
Areas Closed to Fishing—Feb, March and April: 1. Magothy River from Lake Waterford dam downstream for 3,300 feet. 2. Severn River and Severn Run from the Route 3 Bridge downstream for 2,400 feet. |