Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Maryland (Complete Guide)
Maryland offers some of the best freshwater and saltwater fishing on the east coast. Knowing the best seasons and times of day to fish in Maryland can make a huge difference in your fishing success.
The best time to fish in Maryland is from April through the end of September for striped bass, bluefish, tuna, largemouth bass, catfish, redfish, and sharks. Winter is typically the slowest fishing time in Maryland.
Maryland is well-known for its numerous lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and streams. Maryland’s streams allow anglers to experience fantastic trout fishing. And of course, anglers shouldn’t miss an opportunity to fish the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay year-round.
Best Time to Fish in Maryland
As we have already said, fishing in Maryland is possible all year-round. However, every season is different and offers various opportunities.
A fishing season in Maryland starts in March and ends in December. However, anglers get the best results between May and October.
If you are going to experience deep sea fishing in the region, then you need to know that Maryland fishing charters are available between April and December.
It’s crucial for anglers to go fishing at the right time. That means that anglers should plan their Maryland fishing adventures with target fish species in mind.
What fish species would you like to target during your Maryland fishing trip? When your target fish species are the most active? Anglers should get the answers to these questions when preparing for fishing adventures in Maryland.
Spring is a great time of the year to target striped bass in Maryland. Such fish species as billfish, tuna, largemouth bass, and flounder are the most active during the summer months.
Fall fishing is also very productive in Maryland. It’s time to target trout in Maryland’s rivers and streams. Also, anglers can enjoy striped bass fishing.
Recommended Fishing Charters in Maryland
These Maryland-based charters have earned great reviews from anglers and will offer you a tremendous service. The captains are knowledgeable, friendly, and are sure to put you on fish. By clicking the links below, you will be taken to the charter’s respective profile on Fishing Booker where you can read reviews, learn more about the charter, view photos, and book online at the best rate.
| Recommended Fishing Charters | Location |
| Brawler II Charters | Stevensville, MD |
| Patent Pending Charters | Tracys Landing, MD |
| Let’s Go Fishing Guide Service | Chesapeake Beach, MD |
| Maryanne Fishing Charters | Oxford, MD |
| Chasin Tail Charters | Stevensville, MD |
| Sporting Wood Charters | Deale, MD |
| Oxford Fishing Charters | Oxford, MD |
| Fish Finder Adventures 2 | Ocean City, MD |
| Islander Fishing Charters | Ocean City, MD |
| U.S. Blues Chesapeake Charters | Edgewater, MD |
| Strike Zone Charter Fishing | Solomons, MD |
| Salt Tale Charters | Madison, MD |
| CB Fishing Charters | Chester, MD |
Maryland Species Breakdown: Best Time
Striped bass
Striped bass is active in Maryland between April and December. The best months to target striped bass are April – May, and November – December.
Striped bass feeds actively in the early morning and in the late afternoon. The Chesapeake Bay is a top striped bass fishing destination in the region.
Bluefish
Maryland bluefish fishing season starts in the late spring and ends in the late fall. The best time of the year to target bluefish in Maryland is between June and October. Bluefish bites well in the early morning. Bluefish can be found in the Chesapeake Bay.
Spanish mackerel
Spanish mackerel fishing season in Maryland starts in June and finishes in October. Fishing is best between August and September.
Spanish mackerel bites well around sunrise and sunset. Deale is a popular Maryland Spanish mackerel fishing destination.
Catfish
The season to catch catfish is high between the late spring and the late summer. Catfish bite well during nighttime, before sunset, and after sunrise. The Potomac River is the right place to target catfish.
Cobia
Cobia fishing season in Maryland is between April and October. Cobia fishing in the region is the most productive between August and September. Cobia can be found near Chesapeake Beach.
Black drum
The season to catch black dram in Maryland is between the late spring and the late fall. The best months to fish for black drum in the region are July – October. It makes sense to target black drum in the waters near Ocean City.
Flounder
Flounder fishing is good in Maryland between April and October. The best time of the year to target flounder is between May and September. Flounders can be found in the Chesapeake Bay.
Bluefin tuna
The season to fish for bluefin tuna starts in June and ends in October. Bluefin tuna is the most active between June and July.
Go fishing in Ocean City if you would like to catch bluefin tuna during your Maryland fishing adventures. Anglers usually get bites of bluefin tuna in the early morning and late afternoon.
Yellowfin Tuna
The season to catch yellowfin tuna begins in the late spring and finishes in the early fall. Fishing for yellowfin tuna in the region is the most productive between July and August.
The best time of day to fish for yellowfin tuna is between dusk and dawn. Ocean Cite is a popular yellowfin tuna fishing spot in Maryland.
Trout
Trout fishing is best in the late spring. Oftentimes, anglers catch trophy fish during this time of the year. Trout bites well during early morning hours. The Savage River is full of trout.
Bass
Bass fishing in Maryland is the most productive during the spring and fall months. Bass feed actively in a low-light environment. Bass is the most active in the early morning and the late evening. Potomac River is the perfect place to target bass.
I recommend this Penn Pursuit Spinning Rod & Reel combo (available on Amazon) for inshore and nearshore fishing. It can handle everything from redfish to snapper and king mackerel. The Penn Battalion Series Spinning Rod and the Penn Battle Spinning Reel are fantastic if you want to create your combo.
Maryland Regions: Best Fishing Times
Ocean City
The best time of the year to fish in Ocean City is spring, summer, and fall.
Deale
Fishing in Deale is good year-round. However, anglers get the best results during the spring and fall months.
Stevensville
Fishing in Stevensville is possible at any time of the year.
Edgewater
The fishing season in Edgewater begins in the early spring and finishes in the late fall.
Best Time of Day to Fish Maryland
The best time of day to fish in Maryland is typically early mornings from dawn until about 3 hours after sunrise and late afternoons from 2 hours before sunset until an hour after dusk.
Maryland Fishing & Tidal Impacts
The success of fishing in Maryland depends a lot on tides. Anglers need to know when tides are low and when tides are high in the region. Maryland fishing is best during incoming tides. Rising tides cause water movement in the region.
During incoming tides, oxygen-rich waters are brought to the area and fish begin to search for food actively. So, it’s pretty easy to get bites during incoming tides. That’s why anglers achieve the best results during the rising tides.
Is Winter Fishing Bad in Maryland?
Despite the fact that it’s getting colder, winter fishing is good in Maryland. That means that anglers can also enjoy fishing in the region during the winter months. Winter fishing is slow, but anglers can still get bites.
There are so-called seasonal fish species that get active in the region during the winter months. There are also species that bite well in the region year-round. Tautog and striped bass are the main targets in the region.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Stevensville, please check out this helpful article I wrote.
Top Fishing Spots in Maryland
Ocean City
Ocean City is one of the most popular fishing destinations in Maryland. Here, it’s possible to experience fishing in nearshore and offshore waters. The top Ocean City targets include such fish species as mahi-mahi, marlin, tuna, tautog, seabass, and others.
The Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is one of the top fishing destinations in Maryland. Striped bass is the most popular fish to catch in the bay. Among the fish species that you can target in the Chesapeake Bay are bluefish, croaker, flounder, and redfish.
Annapolis
Annapolis is a popular destination among inshore anglers. There is a beautiful harbor in the town. Striped bass is the main target in the waters near the town.
It’s possible to target such fish species as bluefish, croakers, mackerel, redfish, speckled trout, and tautog in the waters near Annapolis.
The Savage River
The Savage River is worth exploring if you are interested in fishing for trout. The river offers fantastic fishing in Maryland. The Savage River is home to brook trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout.
Fishermen can also target such species as largemouth bass, small bass, rock bass, bluegills, crappie, catfish, yellow perch, and others.
Potomac River
Potomac River has gained huge popularity among anglers in Maryland. The river is full of fish. Anglers can target such fish species as bass, catfish, striped bass, smallmouth bass, snakehead, and white perch in the river.
Booking Guides & Charters in Maryland
– Best season to go
Fishing in Maryland is best between March and October. It’s a period of time when the vast majority of fish species are the most active. However, the tourist season in the region is between June and August. It’s a very busy time of year in the region.
That means that the demand for fishing is high and charters can be unavailable during these months. So, visit Maryland between April and June or between August and October if you don’t want to be in peak season. It’s worth noting that the demand for fishing is lower in the area, but anglers can still get excellent results during their fishing trips.
– Morning vs. afternoon
Morning is a good time of the day to fish in Maryland during the hot summer months. Water cools down in the morning and the activity of fish increases. Fish get active and begin to search for food. Also, anglers can avoid heat and find it comfortable to fish during morning hours.
However, morning fishing is not a good choice for early risers. It’s necessary to wake up early if you would like to fish during the morning hours. It’s also important to note that many fish species may not bite well in the morning during colder months.
It would be better to go fishing in the afternoon during the spring, fall, and winter months. The water heats up and the fish gets more active during afternoon hours.
Afternoon fishing is more suitable for those anglers, who don’t like to wake up early in the morning. However, afternoon fishing trips are short. Days are short during the spring, fall, and winter months. That’s why anglers don’t have too much time to spend fishing.
– 1/2 day, full-day, multi-day charters
Half-day fishing trips are recommended for beginners, families, and anglers on a budget. Despite the fact that 1/2 day fishing trips last 4 – 8 hours only, anglers have enough time to develop basic angling skills.
Anglers can also book half-day fishing trips when their budgets don’t allow them to book longer fishing trips. If you book a 1/2 day fishing trip, you will not have enough time to get to some remote fishing spots in Maryland.
Full-day fishing trips are the right choice for more experienced anglers. Such trips maximize your angling chances. Anglers spend more time fishing and get better results during full-day trips.
So, full-day fishing trips increase anglers’ chance to catch trophy fish. However, full-day fishing trips are more expensive than half-day ones.
Avid fishermen should consider booking multi-day charters in Maryland. Such trips last several days. So, anglers have plenty of time that they can spend fishing. The chances to catch a record-breaking fish are high during multi-day charters.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in the Chesapeake Bay, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Baltimore, please check out this helpful guide.
For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Ocean City, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Virginia Beach, please check out this helpful guide. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in New Jersey, please check out this helpful guide.
For a complete breakdown of how much fishing charters cost in Virginia Beach, please check out this helpful article I wrote. For a complete breakdown of the best time to fish in Virginia, please check out this helpful article. Check out this guide for a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Delaware.
