Striped Bass

Maryland Fishing

It is Illegal:

To possess any cut up or filleted striped bass at any time aboard any boat on the tidal waters of Maryland. Striped bass must be landed whole.
To use more than two hooks or two sets of hooks for each rod or line. Artificial lures or plugs with multiple hooks are considered 1 set of hooks.
To use eels as bait while fishing for striped bass with hook and line from Dec. 16–May 15, inclusive, in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.
To cull striped bass.
To possess striped bass while fishing in the Chesapeake Bay or its tidal tributaries from midnight to 5 a.m.
To use a gaff to land striped bass.
To take or shoot striped bass with a spear gun and spear in the tidal waters of the state.
To fish for striped bass by any means or practice catch-and-release of striped bass in designated spawning areas from March 1–May 31.
To intentionally snag a striped bass.

Chesapeake Bay and Tidal tributaries (excluding the Susquehanna Flats, Lower Susquehanna River and Northeast River)
Season	Fishing Locations Allowed	Creel and Size Limits	Regulations	Restrictions and Remark
Jan. 1–Feb. 28	All Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters and the Potomac River are open to catch and release fishing only	No harvest	Catch and release only	Directed catch and release of striped bass in the Potomac requires barbless hooks. Eels may not be used as bait.
Mar. 1–Mar. 31	Chesapeake Bay from the Brewerton Channel to the Virginia line including Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds.	No harvest	Stinger (trailing) hooks are prohibited. Barbless hooks are required when trolling. Non-offset circle hooks or J hooks with a gap of less than ½ inch are required when using natural bait. No more than 6 lines may be employed while trolling regardless of the number of anglers on board.	Spawning rivers and the Upper Bay spawning area are off limits until June 1 to striped bass fishing. Eels may not be used as bait. See maps at: dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx
Apr. 1–Apr. 30	All areas closed to striped bass fishing.	CLOSED	No catch and release fishing. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.
May 1–May 15	Chesapeake Bay from Brewerton Channel to the MD-VA Line, excluding all bays, sounds, tributaries, creeks and rivers, except Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound	1 fish per person per day Minimum size 35 inches	Eels may not be used as bait. See maps at: dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx
May 16–May 31	Chesapeake Bay downstream from a line drawn from the south corner of Hart-Miller Island Dike to the end of MD Route 21 at Tolchester and south to the MD/VA line, excluding all bays, sounds, tributaries, creeks and rivers. EXCEPT: Tangier Sound and Pocomoke Sound; Chester River and its tributaries downstream of a line drawn from Hail Point to Long Point to Ferry Point; Patuxent River and its tributaries downstream of a line drawn from Point Patience to the west point of land at the entrance of Little Kingston Creek; and Choptank River and its tributaries downstream of a line drawn from Holland Point to a point of land at the west entrance of Chapel Creek are open.	1 fish per person per day Minimum size is 19 inches	See Maps at: dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/SB_2020_regs.aspx Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass
June 1–July 15	All Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters and tributaries open to fishing	1 fish per person per day Minimum size 19 inches	See Maps at dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
July 16–July 31	All areas closed to striped bass fishing.	CLOSED	No catch and release fishing. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.
August 1–December 10	All Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters and tributaries open to fishing	1 fish per person per day Minimum size 19 inches	See Maps at dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
Dec. 11–Dec. 31	Catch and Release only

Susquehanna Flats, Lower Susquehanna River and Northeast River
Season	Fishing Locations Allowed	Creel and Size Limits	Regulations	Restrictions and Remarks
Jan. 1–Mar. 31	Susquehanna Flats, upstream of a line from Sandy Point to Turkey Point and the Susquehanna River downstream from a line connecting the Susquehanna State Park boat ramp at Lapidum to Twin Rocks to Tomes Wharf in Port Deposit; and the Northeast River	Catch and Release only	Stinger hooks are prohibited. Barbless hooks are required when trolling. Non-offset circle or J hooks with less than ½ inch gap are required when using bait. No more than six lines per boat are allowed when trolling. Eels may not be used as bait.
Apr. 1–May 15	Susquehanna Flats closed to striped bass fishing	Closed	No catch and release fishing. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.
May 16–May 31	Susquehanna Flats reopen to striped bass fishing	1 fish per person per day between 19–26 inches	Eels may not be used as bait. Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
June 1–July 15	Susquehanna Flats and all Bay waters including tributaries open to striped bass fishing	1 fish per person per day Minimum Size 19 inches	See Maps at dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed baits and targeting striped bass.
July 16–July 31	All areas closed to striped bass fishing	CLOSED	No catch and release fishing. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.
August 1–December 10	Susquehanna Flats and all Bay waters including tributaries open to striped bass fishing	1 fish per person per day Minimum Size 19 inches	See Maps at dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx Anglers must use non-offset circle hooks when live-lining or chumming; Anglers must use circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait and targeting striped bass, or when using processed bait and targeting striped bass.
Dec. 11–Dec. 31	Catch and Release only

Atlantic Ocean, Coastal Bays and Their Tributaries
Season	Fishing Locations Allowed	Creel and Size Limits	Regulations	Restrictions and Remarks
Jan. 1–Dec. 31	No area restrictions in state waters	Anglers may keep one striped bass per person per day. The striped bass must be at least 28 inches and less than 35 inches in length.	Striped bass may not be caught, harassed or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone, which stretches from 3–200 miles off the coast.	Must always use non-offset circle hooks when using fish, crabs or worms as bait or processed baits (treble hooks are prohibited) when targeting striped bass.

Reservoirs
Season	Fishing Locations Allowed	Creel and Size Limits	Regulations	Restrictions and Remarks
Reservoirs	All nontidal reservoirs, lakes, and ponds.	18 inch minimum size; 2 fish per person per day—only 1 of those fish may be larger than 30 inches		Open Year Round

Striped bass may not be caught, harassed or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone, which stretches from
3–200 miles off the coast.

Striped Bass Regulations Maps

Visit https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/sb_2020_regs.aspx to view maps of striped bass regulations.

Be on the Lookout for Tagged Fish!

The success of tagging studies relies on anglers like you. If you catch a tagged fish, please follow the instructions printed on the tag, or call Fishing and Boating Services at 800-688-3467. Please record the tag number, capture date, fishing location, and total length.