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Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Guide

Maryland

The upper Chesapeake Bay runs from the lower Susquehanna River south to the Bay Bridge; Maryland DNR's weekly reports follow striped bass, white perch and blue catfish here, in the open Bay and its tidal rivers.

Part of Chesapeake Bay.

Trip at a Glance

Anglers come to Upper Chesapeake Bay for striped bass, channel catfish, blue catfish and white perch. In November, blue catfish is prime, and Cut Shad is a good place to start.

There are 11 shops within 25 miles (1 fly, 10 bait and tackle); the closest is Rockaholic Fishing in Rock Hall, about 6 mi away. Also nearby: Gunpowder Falls.

Season at a Glance

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Striped Bass
Channel Catfish
Blue Catfish
White Perch

Legend

This Month Prime: Top Months Open, Slower Closed by Regulation

Agency: Maryland DNR: Striped Bass; Channel Catfish; Blue Catfish; White Perch

Season Rules & Licenses

  • Striped bass: catch-and-release only Jan. 1 to Apr. 30 (spawning rivers and the Upper Bay spawning area off limits from Mar. 1); one fish 19 to 24 inches a day on the main Bay May 1 to 15, in more areas May 16 to 31, and everywhere June 1 to July 31 and Sept. 1 to Dec. 5; no striped bass fishing in August; catch-and-release only Dec. 6 to 31, 2026. Maryland DNR 2026
  • Upper Bay: the Upper Bay spawning area is off limits Mar. 1 to May 31; harvest opens May 1 only on the main Bay below the Brewerton Channel, and May 16 below the Hart-Miller Island to Tolchester line. Waters above the Abbey Point to Worton Point line (the Susquehanna Flats) have their own rules, 2026. Maryland DNR 2026

Rules: our short summary, not the official text. Gear & Tackle is independent, not a government site; rules change, so read the agency's current rules before you go.

Most anglers need a Maryland fishing license; age cutoffs and exemptions are set by the state.

Salt Water: Separate Non-Tidal/Freshwater and Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Fishing licenses; free Saltwater Angler Registration for some tidal anglers.

Buy a License from Maryland DNR Maryland DNR Fishing Regulations

Parts of Chesapeake Bay

Upper Chesapeake Bay Species

Striped Bass

Striped Bass

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Prime: May to Jun, Oct

View Species
Channel Catfish

Channel Catfish

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Prime: Oct

View Species
Blue Catfish

Blue Catfish

Prime Now
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Prime: Jun, Aug to Nov

View Species
White Perch

White Perch

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Prime: Jun, Aug, Oct

View Species

Species per Maryland DNR: Striped Bass; Channel Catfish; Blue Catfish; White Perch.

Images: Duane Raver, USFWS. Public domain.

What to Use

Fishing In
Fish● Prime in November

Blue Catfish

Prime Now · Jun, Aug to Nov

No fly setup listed for blue catfish; see Spin / Cast.

Picks: general for this fish, each checked against state and federal agency pages, not specific to this water. Ask a local shop what is working.

Gear: rods, reels and lines are starting points, sized from each maker's page. Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Buy Local

Shops near Upper Chesapeake Bay:

Map of Upper Chesapeake Bay

View Larger Map© OpenStreetMap contributors

Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Videos

Picked by Gear & Tackle: for what they show about Upper Chesapeake Bay. We don't make these videos, and none is a review of a product we link.

Watch Upper Chesapeake Bay Fishing Videos on YouTube

Planning for a Month

Prime in November

Blue Catfish

Daylight

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Moon

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Typical Weather

56°F high, 38°F low

About 3.2 in of precipitation for the month.

Typical, Not a Forecast: weather from NOAA's 1991 to 2020 normals at a station about 13 mi away.

Also Worth Packing

Flies

Saltwater Baitfish Fly Assortment

Clousers and Deceivers in sizes for stripers, snook, and reds.

Check Price

Terminal Tackle

Gamakatsu Circle Hooks

Circle hooks designed to set in the corner of a fish's mouth, for fresh and saltwater bait fishing.

Check Price Maker's Page

Terminal Tackle

Egg Sinkers and Swivels

Egg sinkers, swivels, and beads for slip-sinker and Carolina rigs.

Check Price

Apparel

Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer

A 100% merino wool base layer for temperature regulation and moisture management, under waders or a jacket.

Pack It For: Dec to Feb

Check Price Maker's Page

Some links are affiliate links. See our disclosure.

Shops Near Upper Chesapeake Bay

Within 25 mi

Guides and Charters Near Upper Chesapeake Bay

Within 25 mi

Nearby Water

Photo: Henrysz, CC BY-SA 4.0

Rivers & Streams · Maryland

Gunpowder Falls

A cold tailwater below Prettyboy Dam with wild brown trout near Baltimore.

Brown Trout

View Water

Photo: Thompson, Greg/USFWS, Public domain

Saltwater & Coast · Delaware

Delaware Bay

About 60 mi

The Delaware side of Delaware Bay, where DNREC says anglers commonly catch striped bass of 28 to 45 inches, along with summer flounder and bluefish.

Striped Bass · Flounder · Bluefish

View Water