Best Times & Seasons to Fish in Stevensville, MD (A Guide)

Stevensville is one of the best fishing locations on the East Coast. Knowing the best times to fish these rich coastal waters can make a huge difference in your success.

The best times to fish near Stevensville is from May through November for striped bass, flounder, redfish, spanish mackerel, king mackerel, cobia, bluefish, and black drum.

The region offers endless angling opportunities. Stevensville is the perfect place to enjoy bottom fishing, spot fishing, and fly fishing.

man holding a fish
(Image courtesy of TWT Fishing Charters (Stevensville, MD) & Fishing Booker)

Best Time to Fish near Stevensville

It’s important to know that Stevensville is home to many fish species. There’s always something biting here. That’s why it’s possible to go fishing in the area year-round.  

Fishing in Stevensville depends a lot on water temperature. Many species of fish are active in the local waters during warm months. Fishing is becoming more productive when the weather is getting warmer. On the other hand, many species are inactive in the area during cold months.  

The fishing season in the region is high between May and November. Summer is the best time of the year to fish in Stevensville. 

The best time of the year to go fishing also depends on the species that you are targeting. Initially, it’s necessary to get familiar with the list of the top targeted species in Stevensville. After that, angling enthusiasts have to decide what species they would like to catch in the area during a fishing trip.   

When preparing for fishing adventures in Stevensville, anglers should study the fish feeding schedule carefully. It would be better to go fishing when your favorite fish species are the most active in the area.      

Recommended Fishing Guides/Charters in Stevensville

These Stevensville-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 ChartersLocation
PrimeTime ChartersStevensville, MD
Biff Fishing ChartersStevensville, MD
Marylander! Fishing CharterStevensville, MD
Nauti Hooker Charters – StevensvilleStevensville, MD
Mallard Charters Charter Fishing and CruisesStevensville, MD
Corsica Charter CompanyChester, MD
CB ChartersChester, MD
JadeLady ChartersStevensville, MD
Good Time ChartersStevensville, MD
Hook Mash Charter FishingAnnapolis, MD
TWT Fishing ChartersStevensville, MD
Shore Shot Guide ServiceStevensville, MD
Chasin Tail ChartersStevensville, MD

Stevensville Species Breakdown: Best Times

When preparing for Stevensville fishing adventures, anglers need to know what species they can target in the local waters. Below, we’ll provide the list of the targeted species in Stevensville. Also, we’ll explain when and where to catch these species in the region.    

Striped Bass

Fishing for striped bass in Stevensville is best between April and November. Oftentimes, striped bass bites well in the early morning and in the late afternoon. Anglers can target striped bass in the waters near Chester. 

Bluefish

The season to catch bluefish in Stevensville starts in the late spring and ends in the late fall. The best time of the year to fish for bluefish in the region is between June and August.

Bluefish bites well in the morning and in the late evening. Bluefish can be found in the waters near Annapolis.  

Black Drum

Black drum fishing in Stevensville is good between April and September. The best months to target black drum in the area are: May – June. It would be great to go fishing for black drum in the waters near Chester.   

Black Seabass

The best times of the year to fish for black seabass in Stevensville is May and between September and October. Black seabass bites well at sunrise and at sunset. Annapolis is one of the best places to target black seabass in the area. 

Cobia

Cobia fishing in Stevensville is good between the late spring and the late fall. The best times of the year to target cobia in the region are between June and July and in September. Cobia bites well in the middle of a day. Cobia can be found in the waters near Chester. 

Flounder

Flounder is the main target in Stevensville. Flounder is active in the local waters between the early spring and the late fall. Flounder fishing is the most productive in the region between April and November.

Flounder bites well in the early morning and late afternoon. It’s a good idea to target flounder near Grasonville. 

King Mackerel

Fishing for king mackerel in Stevensville is best between July and October. King mackerel is the most active in the early morning. Annapolis is the right place to target king mackerel. 

White Perch

White perch is active in the waters near Stevensville between March and October. However, a peak white perch season in the region is between the early summer and the early fall.

White perch feeds actively between morning and early afternoon. It’s possible to catch white perch in the waters near Grasonville.  

Spanish Mackerel

Fishing for Spanish mackerel is good in Stevensville between June and October. The best time of the year to target Spanish mackerel in the area is between July and August.

The early morning and late afternoon are the best times of day to target Spanish mackerel. Spanish mackerel can be caught in the waters near Chester.

Redfish

The season to catch redfish in Stevensville starts in April and ends in October. The best months to target redfish in the local waters are: June and August.

Redfish bites well in the morning and in the afternoon. Rock Hall is one of the best places to target redfish in the area. 

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.

Best Seasons to Book a Stevensville Charter 

As we have already said, it’s possible to fish in Stevensville at any time of the year. However, anglers can target more fish species and get better results during certain times of the year.

That’s why it’s so important to book a Stevensville charter at the right time. Let’s try to find out what anglers can expect from fishing in Stevensville during the spring, summer, fall, and winter months.  

Spring

It’s getting warmer in the early spring and the fishing season in Stevensville is about to begin. Water temperatures rise and the activity of fish increases.

More species are active and fishing is becoming more productive in the late spring. Among the fish species that anglers can target in spring are: striped bass, flounder, black seabass, spotted seatrout as well as tautog.

Summer

Fishing in Stevensville is excellent during the summer months. Water is getting hotter and more fish species are active. The demand for fishing is high in the area in summer. So, it would be better to book a charter in advance.

It’s a good idea to experience fishing in bays, rivers, and creeks during the summer months. Anglers can catch striped bass, bluefish, cobia, flounder, white perch, redfish, sheepshead, spadefish, Spanish mackerel as well as spotted seatrout in summer.     

Fall

Fall is a good time of the year to go fishing in the bay. The weather is getting colder in the area in the late fall. That’s why fishing is becoming less productive.

Nevertheless, fall fishing can be very productive. Fall is the time of the year when anglers can target striped bass, bluefish, cobia, flounder, white perch, black seabass, and spotted seatrout. 

Winter

The fishing season in Stevensville ends in the early winter. The waters are cold and that’s the reason why many fish species are inactive. However, some anglers choose to continue fishing during the winter months.

It makes a lot of sense to fish in the rivers in winter. Among fish species that anglers can catch in the local waters during the winter months are striped bass, spotted seatrout as well as tautog.  

Best Time of Day to Fish near Stevensville

Most fish in the local waters feed either early in the morning or at sunset during warm months. However, it would be better to go fishing in Stevensville in the afternoon during the cold months.    

Stevensville Fishing & Tidal Impacts

Tides affect fishing in Stevensville. That’s why it’s so important to study the tide tables for Stevensville before fishing adventures. Analyzing local tide charts provides anglers with information on low and high tide times in the region. 

Keep in mind that low tides and high tides are not the best tide times for fishing in the area. However, it makes sense to fish Stevensville during ongoing and outgoing tides. Rising tides and falling tides cause movement of water and increase the activity of fish.  

Anglers also need to know how tides affect fish species that they are targeting. For example, black drum is the most active two hours before and after high tide.

man holding a fish
(Image courtesy of Hook Mash Charter Fishing (Annapolis) & Fishing Booker)

Storms & Stevensville Fishing

Storms affect Stevensville fishing. Fish move deeper and stay inactive during storms. It’s also important to note that bad weather makes fishing difficult and dangerous. High waves and strong waves pose risk to anglers. So, anglers should avoid fishing during storms for safety reasons.     

Anglers should always study monthly weather forecasts for Stevensville before booking a fishing trip. It’s necessary to reschedule or cancel a trip if bad weather is expected in the region.

Storms as well as rainstorms can be expected in the region between April and August. The rainy season in the region is between June and July. It usually rains a lot during these months.      

Is Winter Fishing Bad or Good in Stevensville?

Winter is the coldest season of the year in Stevensville. Cold weather affects fishing in the region. That’s why winter fishing is less productive in the region. 

However, it’s possible to experience fishing in the area at any time of the year. That means that fishermen can go fishing in the region during the winter months. 

In winter, anglers prefer to fish in the rivers. Oftentimes, fishermen land a trophy during winter months. Among fish species that anglers can target during winter months are: spotted seatrout, striped bass as well as tautog.  

Night Fishing in Stevensville

Some anglers give a preference to night fishing in Stevensville. Summer is the best time of the year to fish Stevensville at night. It can be hot in the area during the summer months. However, anglers can avoid heat during night fishing adventures. 

Only a few anglers choose to fish in the area during night hours. That means that night fishing adventures allow anglers to avoid high competition. 

It’s a good idea to fish from shore at night. There are no swimmers during night hours. So, the ideal conditions for shore fishing are created during nighttime. 

But most importantly, night fishing is good in Stevensville. Among fish species that bite in the local waters during night hours are: bluefish, flounder, spotted sea trout, redfish as well as striped bass.       

Top Fishing Spots in Stevensville

1. Annapolis

Annapolis is the East Cost’s fishing destination that provides anglers with great fishing opportunities. There are many different fishing spots in Annapolis and its surrounding areas.

Here, anglers can fish in the bay, rivers or from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Fishing in Annapolis is best in summer.

Among fish species that anglers can catch in the region are: black drum, black seabass, bluefish, carp, cobia, flounder, king mackerel, largemouth bass, redfish, smallmouth bass, striped bass, Spanish mackerel, striped bass, sheepshead, spadefish, spotted seatrout, tarpon, tautog as well as white perch. 

2. Rock Hall

Rock Hall is a fishing town with long fishing traditions. This fishing destination is known as “Pearl of the Chesapeake”. Rock Hall provides anglers with easy access to the upper part of the Chesapeake Bay.

It’s the place where angling enthusiasts can enjoy inshore fishing. Rock Hall fishing is productive between May and October.

When fishing in Rock Hall, anglers can target such species as bluefish, black drum, black seabass, bull shark, catfish, carp, cobia, flounder, king mackerel, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, redfish, sheepshead, spadefish, striped bass, Spanish mackerel, tarpon, tautog and white perch. 

3. Grasonville

Grasonville is a fishing location that provides anglers with many great fishing spots. Anglers can go fishing in the Chester River and in the Prospect Bay. The area has a lot to offer to anglers, who want to enjoy inshore fishing as well as river fishing.

Fishing in Grasonville is successful between the late spring and the early fall. Such fishing techniques as bottom fishing, light tackle and trolling are popular in the area. Grasonville is the place where anglers can target such species of fish as bluefish, Spanish mackerel, striped bass and white perch. 

4. Chester 

Chester is another good location near Stevensville. It’s the place where anglers can enjoy nearshore fishing, inshore fishing as well as river fishing. Here, anglers use such fishing techniques as bottom fishing, jigging and light tackle. The fishing season in Chester is high between June and September.

Chester is home to such species as largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, striped bass, black seabass, black drum, bluefish, carp, cobia, flounder, king mackerel, white perch, redfish, bull shark, sheepshead, spadefish, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, tarpon and tautog.  

5. Pasadena

Pasadena is located near Stevensville. Here, anglers choose to do inshore fishing. It’s the place where angling enthusiasts can use such fishing techniques as jigging, light tackle and jigging.

Fishing in Pasadena is best between June and September. Such species as black drum, bluefish, cobia, flounder, striped bass, white perch, Spanish mackerel and others can be caught in the waters near Pasadena.        

Shore/Surf Fishing: Best Times & Seasons 

Shore fishing is popular in Stevensville. There are many places where anglers can do surf fishing in the region. A lot of shore anglers prefer to do fishing in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. It’s possible to fish from shore in parks, from beaches, from bridges and from piers in Stevensville. 

There are fishing piers near Stevensville. The most popular piers in the region and its surrounding areas include Patuxent Wetland Park Pier, Deale Wharf, Crab Away Pier, Fort Smallwood Pier, Downs Park Public Pier, Carrs Wharf, Lower Marlboro Pier, Green Haven Wharf, Cox Point Fishing Pier as well as Bill Burton Fishing Pier State Park.    

For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish near Virginia Beach, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in the Chesapeake Bay, check out this article. For a complete breakdown of the best times to fish in Maryland, check out this article.

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