Striped Bass
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 |
||||
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 |
|
Mar. 1–Mar. 31 |
Chesapeake Bay from the Brewerton Channel to the Virginia line including Tangier and Pocomoke Sounds. |
No harvest |
|
|
Apr. 1–Apr. 30 |
All areas closed to striped bass fishing. |
CLOSED |
|
|
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 |
|
|
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 |
|
|
June 1–July 15 |
All Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters and tributaries open to fishing |
1 fish per person per day |
|
|
July 16–July 31 |
All areas closed to striped bass fishing. |
CLOSED |
|
|
August 1–December 10 |
All Maryland Chesapeake Bay waters and tributaries open to fishing |
1 fish per person per day |
|
|
Dec. 11–Dec. 31 |
Catch and Release only |
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 |
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 |
|
|
Apr. 1–May 15 |
Susquehanna Flats closed to |
Closed |
|
|
May 16–May 31 |
Susquehanna Flats reopen to striped bass fishing |
1 fish per person per day between 19–26 inches |
|
|
June 1–July 15 |
Susquehanna Flats and all Bay waters including tributaries open to striped bass fishing |
1 fish per person per day |
|
|
July 16–July 31 |
All areas closed to striped bass fishing |
CLOSED |
|
|
August 1–December 10 |
Susquehanna Flats and all Bay waters including tributaries open to striped bass fishing |
1 fish per person per day |
|
|
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. |
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 dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/sb_reg_maps.aspx to view maps of striped bass regulations.