Chapman State Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amWhite perch

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 62°, close to the 65° white perch like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Right now: 87 for white perch, goTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

White perch, 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.

874 pm
83
91
917 pm
96
96
10010 pm
100
100Sun
961 am
96
96
964 am
96
100
967 am
96
96
9610 am
100
100
961 pm
96
96
1004 pm
100
96
967 pm
96
96
9610 pm
100
100Mon
961 am
96
96

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: 62°F
Wind: 16 mph
Light: Daylight
Sky: Sunny
Air: 60°F
Barometer: Rising
Moon: 5% lit

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.

White perch

Morone americana

100GoTonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

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

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

92GoTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

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. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

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

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

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

Ictalurus punctatus

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

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

Channa argus

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

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

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°

42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside common carp's active range. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. The Potomac River Fisheries Commission's recreational limits sheet has no carp rule, so carp on the tidal Potomac main stem have no size limit, creel limit or closed season.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on common carp

The water

Water temperature62°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

Undeveloped state park on the tidal Potomac main stem below Indian Head, with a long natural shoreline. Tidal Potomac fishing for striped bass, white perch, blue catfish, and largemouth bass, plus the river's notorious northern snakehead in the shallow grass.

Tidal Potomac main stem — PRFC regulations apply regardless of which shore you fish from. Largely undeveloped, with limited facilities.

WaterPotomac River
AccessShoreline
RulesPotomac River Fisheries Commission
WhereCharles County · 38.6151, -77.1160

Nearby

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

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Leesylvania State Park8 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory

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Occoquan Regional Park9 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

100Go

Friendship Farm Park11 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am

100Go

Chapel Point State Park11 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am

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Questions people ask

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

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Chapman 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 Chapman State Park?

Chapman State Park is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Blue Catfish, Largemouth Bass, and 3 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 Chapman 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 Chapman 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 Chapman State Park have?

Chapman State Park has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Tidal Potomac main stem — PRFC regulations apply regardless of which shore you fish from. Largely undeveloped, with limited facilities.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Chapman State Park?

Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) regulations — separate from both MD DNR and VA VMRC apply at Chapman 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 Chapman State Park tidal water?

Yes. Chapman 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.