Maryland Fishing Report – May 20

Expect water temperatures to cool slightly this week as the Maryland Bay area experiences rainy conditions. As reported from the buoys, main Bay surface and river mouth water temperatures have increased to the low 70s. Smaller rivers and streams temperatures have increased to the low to mid 70s. However, smaller streams and downwind areas on a sunny day will warm faster and will often hold water temperatures in the low to mid 70s. 

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 on Wednesday and Thursday as a result of the May 16 new moon.

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.

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Upper Chesapeake Bay

The Susquehanna River and Flats remain closed to the targeting of striped bass above a line from Abby Point to Worton Point until June 1. Below that line, south to a line from the south corner of the dike at Hart-Miller Island to a point at the end of Route 21 in Tolchester, is catch and release only. South of the Hart-Miller Island/Route 21 in Tolchester Line is open to striped bass fishing south to the Virginia state line. Anglers may keep on striped bass per day within the 19-inch to 24-inch slot.

Anglers in the Susquehanna River are catching large blue catfish and flathead catfish in the Conowingo Dam pool. As one moves down the Susquehanna and out beyond the mouth of the river, the focus turns into a mix of blue catfish and channel catfish. Cut bait of gizzard shad, menhaden, white perch, or scented baits all work well. Biologist Branson Williams, Department of Natural Resources invasive fishes program manager expects that the larger female blue catfish will start spawning late this month into June around cavities and structure. 

On the Susquehanna Flats, anglers are enjoying good fishing for largemouth bass and Chesapeake Channa is the vast grass beds that male up the flats. A variety of topwater lures in the form of buzzbaits, chatterbaits, frogs all work well as do weedless flukes and paddletails. Chesapeake Channa will be spawning now through June and into July in thick grass beds. Once they begin protecting fry balls of young, using noisy topwater lures that are perceived to pose a threat to the fry balls is a good way for the parent fish to strike at a lure. 

Fishing for a mix of largemouth bass and Chesapeake Channa is also good in many of the upper bay’s tidal rivers where the water is brackish. Large grass beds attract both species. The upper reaches of the Bush, Gunpowder, Patapsco, Magothy, Sassafras, Bohemia and Chester are all good places to fish.

Striped bass are being found in a variety of locations in the upper bay this week. Anglers are having good luck casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs in the waters around Pooles Island, the Love Point rocks, the lower Patapsco and Baltimore Harbor waters and the mouth of the Magothy River. Jigging along the channel edges and drop-offs in these same areas is also productive. Trolling along channel edges with umbrella rigs is also a productive way to fish for striped bass this week. 

White perch are being found by anglers this week in the traditional locations that define the late spring to early fall months. White perch can be found over oyster bars, knolls and deep structure in the Bay and the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers. Bottom rigs baited with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworms are popular baits. During the morning and evening hours casting small spin-jigs, soft plastic jigs and spinners near shoreline structure is always a fun way to fish for white perch. 

Middle Bay

Striped bass anglers have been anchoring up-current of the Bay Bridge piers and drifting various cut baits, soft crab and small live white perch back to the pier bases with good success this week. Most of the striped bass activity has been occurring on the east side of the bridge. Other anglers are drifting close to the piers and casting soft plastic jigs and paddletails to the pier bases. Anglers on the west side of the Bay Bridge in the shallower waters are fishing for white perch with good results. 

Striped bass are being found in numerous locations along the Bay shores, Eastern Bay, and the mouths of the Choptank and western shore tidal rivers. Casting soft plastic jigs in the five-inch size range have been a popular way to fish along channel edges. Shallower locations with shoreline structure are producing good catches for anglers casting paddletails. The rocks at Poplar Island, Thomas Point and other favored structure are excellent places to fish during the morning and evening hours.

Anglers are spotting striped bass suspended along channel edges in the main part of the Bay, Eastern Bay and at the mouth of the Choptank. Jigging with soft plastic jigs is very popular once fish can be located. Trolling is another option and a great way to search for fish that may be thinly spread out. Umbrella rigs tend to be the most popular way to get down to the fish. In shallower channels in Eastern Bay or places like the False Channel at the mouth of the Choptank tandem rigged bucktails outfitted with twistertails or sassy shads work well.

White perch can be found in the traditional summer habitat locations now and will provide fun fishing for young and old through the summer months. Fishing off docks and piers with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworms on a simple bottom rig is a good way to fish for them. During the morning and evening hours they can be found along shorelines with inviting structure and caught by casting small lures. 

The lower Bay region is an exciting place to fish this week, as newly arrived red drum and bluefish are creating more opportunities for anglers. There are also reports of the first spot and croakers being found in the past week. Fishing for striped bass and black drum continues to be good.

Red drum are being found on the eastern side of the Bay in Tangier Sound, above the Middle Grounds, and the Target Ship. They are being caught by dropping soft crab baits to them when located on depth finders much the same way the black drum are being targeted. The red drum can also be caught by jigging with large soft plastics, when marked on depth finders or trolling with large spoons for some exciting catch and release action.

Jigging soft plastics along channel edges has been an effective way to catch striped bass and the bluefish that are moving into the region. The channel edges out in the bay, in the lower Potomac and Patuxent rivers are good places to find suspended striped bass. The bluefish are reported to be out in the Bay near the Target Ship area, the mouth of the Patuxent and off Point Lookout. 

The shallow water fishery for striped bass is providing a lot of fun and exciting fishing this week from Tangier Sound to the Potomac and Patuxent rivers. During the morning and evening hours, casting poppers and paddletails are popular ways to work the shallows for striped bass; with a little luck anglers may start to see some speckled trout. 

White perch can now be found in the region’s tidal creeks and rivers. In deeper waters bottom rigs baited with grass shrimp or bloodworms work well. Casting small soft plastic jigs, spin-jigs and spinners are a fun way to fish the shallower shorelines during the morning and evening hours. 

Blue Crabs

Hard core recreational crabbers are out setting their trotlines and collapsible traps in the tidal rivers of the bay. The lower Eastern Shore tends to hold the best opportunities, but crabs are also being caught in the middle and upper Bay regions. Catches can range from a couple dozen to a half bushel or more. The 2026 Chesapeake Bay Winter Crab Dredge Survey results are out and show some promise for the crabbing season. 

Freshwater Fishing

Anglers are now seeing the final stages of the spring trout stocking program move towards the western region where cooler water temperatures are more conducive to the survival of trout. Those stockings will diminish also as the spring trout stocking season ends. 

Due to warming water temperatures, some delayed harvest trout management waters in the central and parts of the western region will open to trout harvest from June 1 to September 30. Other areas known as Group 11, which are in the western region, will open to trout harvest from June 16 to September 30. This strategy allows for anglers to enjoy catch-and-release during months when cold water temperatures provide good trout survival, and to be able to keep five trout per day when water temperatures become too warm for good trout survival. Check our trout fishing webpage for more information

Water flows in the upper Potomac River are still very low and clear, which make for challenging fishing for smallmouth bass. Long casts and light lines help improve the odds of tricking the smallmouth bass. There is rain in the forecast which may increase river flows. 

Many freshwater anglers are focusing on fishing for largemouth bass now the spawn is over in most areas of Maryland. The bass are feeding aggressively, and water temperatures are still cool enough that fishing is good through most of the day. Grass beds are forming up along with emergent vegetation and these areas are a good place to focus on with topwater and weedless lures. The waters outside of the grass beds are good places to target with paddletails, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. 

Crappie can be found holding near structure, which can be in the form of sunken brush, rocks, marina docks, fallen treetops and bridge piers. Drifting small minnows or marabou jigs under a slip bobber are popular ways to target them. Chain pickerel can be found near grass beds and often will be positioned in them covering the open water edges. Chesapeake Channa are beginning to spawn in the thickest grass beds, and it may prove difficult to get their attention with buzzbaits, chatterbaits, or similar lures. 

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

Surf anglers that are fishing with large cut baits of mullet and menhaden are catching and releasing striped bass that are above the slot, some large bluefish and a few inshore sharks. Those fishing with sand fleas or clams are catching black drum, and there were a few recent reports of red drum in the surf.

At the inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers casting soft plastic jigs are catching striped bass, but most must be released due to failing to measure up to the minimum 28 inches. Anglers drifting cut baits in the inlet area at night have been catching and releasing striped bass that are outside the 28-inch to 31-inch slot. Flounder can always be found in the inlet area. The tautog season is now closed until July 1. 

The back bay channels leading from the inlet is the place to be if drifting for flounder is in your plans. The boat traffic is not too bad, even on weekends. That will all change as the summer months progress. 

The boats taking anglers out to the wreck and reef sites are finding good catches of black sea bass for their anglers. Limit catches are common and flounder and ling or red hake can also be in the mix. Farther offshore in the canyons, anglers are finding excellent numbers of dolphin and a few yellowfin tuna. Deep drop anglers are finding good numbers of golden and blueline tilefish.