ANNAPOLIS – The summer heat is on, but there is plenty of great fishing to be had throughout Maryland. Make sure your fishing license is up to date!
As a reminder, under new regulations the Chesapeake Bay recreational striped bass fishery is open to harvest through July 31 and then closed the entire month of August, reopening Sept. 1. During the remaining striped bass season, anglers should check the forecast conditions and fish with caution to protect our iconic species from the stress of being targeted during times of high temperatures and low oxygen levels.
Once anglers catch their daily limit (one fish per person per day, at least 19 inches and cannot exceed 24 inches), they should cease targeting striped bass and focus on other species, to limit the amount that are caught and released. If a striped bass isn’t a keeper, it should be released in the water without ever being removed.
Tips for safe catch and release are on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
This is a great time to pursue the multiple other species in Maryland waters – particularly blue catfish found in almost every tidal river, and the challenging Chesapeake Channa, or northern snakehead, which is very active in warm temperatures.
Regional reports for the Chesapeake Bay, freshwater fishing areas, and the Atlantic and coastal bays will return later this month.
Forecast Summary: July 15 – July 21
Main Bay surface and river mouth water temperatures have risen to the low 80s and will likely continue to rise all week. Smaller rivers and streams temperatures are holding around the low 80s. With warming waters, bottom oxygen levels are decreasing. Currently there is adequate oxygen in most Bay bottom waters except in the Potomac River, from near Indian Head to the Wicomico River and the Bay, from the Sassafras River down to the Bay Bridge area.
Additionally, expect low oxygen in the bottom waters along the lower western shore from the Severn River down to Chesapeake Beach. The warm water and low oxygen in those areas continue to impact the amount of suitable habitat conditions for striped bass.
Expect below average flows for most Maryland rivers and streams. Expect average clarity for most Maryland portions of the Bay and rivers. To see the latest water clarity conditions on NOAA satellite maps, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps. There will be above average tidal currents through Sunday as a result of the July 14 new moon.
As always, the best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting them with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish. For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.
Maryland Fishing Report is written and compiled by Keith Lockwood, fisheries biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
The Forecast Summary is written by Tidewater Ecosystem Assessment Director Tom Parham.
A reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in DNR’s Volunteer Angler Surveys. This allows citizen scientists to contribute valuable data to the monitoring and management of several important fish species.