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–Dec 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 1 – September 30 | 1 cobia per person per day; or up to 3 cobia per vessel per day if there are 3 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 | New Rules – See Highly Migratory Species | |||
| Sheepshead | None | Open Year Round | Daily—4 | |
| Snapper species (includes many species, please see list) | Subject to change. Refer to online regulations for updates eregulations.com/maryland/fishing/ | 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. Refer to online regulations for updates eregulations.com/maryland/fishing/ | |||
| Spotted seatrout | 14 inches | Open Year Round | Daily—4 | |
| Striped Bass | See Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Section, 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 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. | ||||