Skip to main content
Maryland

Fishing

Fishing

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. 11–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 remove a striped bass from the water with a gaff or a cast net.
  • 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. 29

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.

Apr. 1–May 15

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 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. Must be at least 19" and cannot exceed 24".

  • Eels may not be used as bait.
  • See Maps at: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/sb_reg_maps.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 areas open.

1 fish per person per day. Must be at least 19" and cannot exceed 24".

  • See Maps at: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/sb_reg_maps.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.

No possession allowed

No catch and release fishing for striped bass allowed. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.

August 1–December 10

All areas open.

1 fish per person per day. Must be at least 19" and cannot exceed 24".

  • See Maps at: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/sb_reg_maps.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

All areas are open to catch and release fishing only.

No harvest allowed

Catch and release only

Eels may not be used as bait.

Susquehanna Flats, Lower Susquehanna River and Northeast River

Season

Fishing Locations Allowed

Creel and Size Limits

Regulations

Restrictions and Remarks

Jan. 1– Feb. 29

All waters are open to catch and release fishing only

No harvest

Catch and release only

  • Eels may not be used as bait.

Mar. 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 (defined by Lat. 39°35.86' N and Long. 76°07.67' W) to Twin Rocks (defined by Lat. 39°36.17' N and Long. 76°07.56' W) to Tomes Wharf in Port Deposit (defined by Lat. 39°36.23' N and Long. 76°06.99' W); and the Northeast River.

Note: The "Tomes Wharf" coordinate is closest to Lee's Landing Dock Bar.

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 31

All waters upstream of a line from Abbey Point to Worton Point closed to striped bass fishing.

No possession allowed

  • No catch and release fishing for striped bass allowed. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.

June 1–July 15

All areas open.

1 fish per person per day. Must be at least 19" and cannot exceed 24".

  • See Maps at: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/sb_reg_maps.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.

No possession allowed

No catch and release fishing for striped bass allowed. Attempting to catch striped bass is illegal during this time period.

August 1–December 10

All areas open.

1 fish per person per day. Must be at least 19" and cannot exceed 24".

  • See Maps at: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/sb_reg_maps.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

All areas are open to catch and release fishing only.

No harvest allowed

Catch and release only

Eels may not be used as bait.

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

1 fish per person per day, 28–31 inches

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.

Nontidal

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 one of those fish may be larger than 30 inches

Open Year Round

Nontidal Rivers and Streams

Closed at all times

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