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Maryland

Fishing

Fishing

Chesapeake Bay Seasons, Sizes & Limits

Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries

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

Please refer to the current public notices for this species, (https://dnr.maryland.gov/fishe...)

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

Shrimp (brown, white)

None

Open Year Round

None

Must use authorized gear.

Snapper Species (includes many species, please see list)

None

Open Year Round

Daily—20

Snapper species—https://dsd.maryland.gov/regulations/Pages/08.02.05.29.aspx

Spanish Mackerel

14 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—15

Must be landed with head and fins intact.

Spot

None

Open Year Round

Daily—50

Spotted Seatrout

14 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—4

Striped Bass

See Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass

Summer Flounder (Fluke)

16 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—4

To maximize summer flounder survivability, use a 3/0 or larger hook and be prepared to release undersized fish (pliers, wet rag, and a ruler).

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.