Chesapeake Bay Seasons, Sizes & Limits
Species |
Minimum Size Limits |
Open 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 |
|
Atlantic Menhaden |
None |
Open Year Round |
None |
|
Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth) |
15 inches |
Open Year Round |
Daily—5 in aggregate |
Cannot be used as bait. |
12 inches |
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Black Drum |
16 inches |
Open Year Round |
Daily—1, Boat Limit—6 |
|
Black Sea Bass |
13 inches (excluding tail filament) |
May 15–Sept. 30 and Oct. 10–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 |
May 1–March 14 |
Daily—10 |
Cannot be used as bait. |
Cobia |
43 inches (total length) |
June 15–Sept. 20 |
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 |
May catch-and-release Sept. 21–June 14 |
Croaker (Hardhead) |
9 inches |
Open Year Round |
Daily—25 |
|
Longnose gar |
None |
Open Year Round |
April 15–June 30: Daily—1 |
|
July 1–April 14: Daily—5 |
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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 |
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Sheepshead |
12 inches |
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 of any combination of species (No more than 10 of any single species) |
Snapper species—Maryland Division of State Documents |
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 |
Cannot be used as bait. |
Striped Bass |
See Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Section in Striped Bass |
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Summer Flounder (Fluke) |
Jan. 1–May 31: 16 inches |
Open Year Round |
Daily—4 |
|
June 1–Dec. 31: 17-1/2 inches |
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Tautog |
16 inches |
July 1–May 15 |
January 1–May 15: Daily—4 |
May catch-and-release May 16–June 30 |
Walleye |
15 inches |
Open Year Round |
Daily—5 |
Cannot be used as bait. |
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 |
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Areas Closed to Fishing—Feb, March and April: |
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