It’s a fishing day

Chapel Point State Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until Monday 4 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 63°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 100 for striped bass, go · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Striped bass, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 1004 pm
  2. 100
  3. 100
  4. 1007 pm
  5. 100
  6. 100
  7. 10010 pm
  8. 100
  9. 100Sun
  10. 1001 am
  11. 100
  12. 100
  13. 1004 am
  14. 100
  15. 100
  16. 1007 am
  17. 100
  18. 100
  19. 10010 am
  20. 100
  21. 100
  22. 1001 pm
  23. 100
  24. 100
  25. 1004 pm
  26. 100
  27. 100
  28. 1007 pm
  29. 100
  30. 100
  31. 10010 pm
  32. 100
  33. 100Mon
  34. 1001 am
  35. 100
  36. 100
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
63°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
13 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:02 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Potomac River Fisheries Commission regulations for these waters.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

100GoNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

19" minimum · 24" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC), 2026: catch and release only Jan 1–May 15; harvest May 16–Jul 6 and Aug 21–Dec 31 at 1 fish a day, 19–24"; closed to targeting Jul 7–Aug 20. Non-offset circle hooks with cut or whole natural bait; no live eels; no more than 2 hooks per line.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on striped bass

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

80Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

Right in white perch's ideal range. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. White perch prefers outgoing tide. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. PRFC's 2026 recreational order (#2026-03) does not list white perch, so the Commission sets no recreational size or catch limit for it on the tidal Potomac main stem.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on white perch

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside blue catfish's active range. Holds 10–60 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC): blue catfish have no size limit and no possession limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round. More on blue catfish

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside largemouth bass's active range. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day (Jan 1–Feb 29, Jun 16–Dec 31); 15" minimum · 5 a day (Mar 1–Jun 15)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC): 5 black bass a day; 15" minimum Mar 1–Jun 15 and 12" the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside channel catfish's active range. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. PRFC's 2026 recreational order (#2026-03) sets limits only for bullhead catfish (6" minimum, no limit) and blue catfish (no limits); it sets no recreational size or catch limit for channel catfish on the tidal Potomac main stem.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on channel catfish

Northern Snakehead

Northern snakehead

Channa argus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside northern snakehead's active range. Holds 2–10 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC): no size limit, no possession limit. It is unlawful to possess a live snakehead or to release one alive.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on northern snakehead

The water

  • Water temperature63°F
  • Barometer29.93 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:02 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:42 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:30 pm–4:30 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Maryland DNR, Nov 4

Lower Bay. Anglers in the lower Bay are enjoying the excellent striped bass fishing they’ve been patiently waiting for. Striped bass are being caught in a widespread number of locations from shallow water to deep water and everywhere in between. The lower Potomac River from Ragged Point to Piney Point and a few locations upriver have been providing excellent striped bass fishing for anglers casting and jigging . The lower Patuxent River is offering the same good fishing. Casting a mix of paddletails , topwater lures , jerkbaits and crankbaits are all working well in the shallow waters during the morning and evening hours.

Quoted from the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report. Reports are what anglers and biologists saw that week, not a forecast.

Licenses and rules: PRFC · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A state park where the Port Tobacco River meets the tidal Potomac. Largemouth and northern snakehead in the grass and marsh edges, blue and channel catfish year-round, striped bass and white perch on the tide.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Friendship Farm Park7 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Chapman State Park11 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Leesylvania State Park15 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Mason Neck State Park15 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Pohick Bay Regional Park16 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Occoquan Regional Park19 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Chapel Point State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Chapel Point State Park you need a Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) Sport Fishing License — separately issued from MD or VA tidal licenses, with reciprocity for some classes of MD/VA license holders. See the agency's current rules: https://prfc.us/sports.html

What fish are commonly targeted at Chapel Point State Park?

Chapel Point State Park is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Blue Catfish, Largemouth Bass, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Chapel Point State Park?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Chapel Point State Park against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Chapel Point State Park have?

Chapel Point State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Chapel Point State Park?

Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) regulations — separate from both MD DNR and VA VMRC apply at Chapel Point State Park. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Chapel Point State Park tidal water?

Yes. Chapel Point State Park sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.