It’s a fishing day

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier fishing conditions · Maryland

Tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amWhite perch

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 63°, close to the 65° white perch like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 95 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.

  1. 954 pm
  2. 91
  3. 91
  4. 917 pm
  5. 96
  6. 96
  7. 10010 pm
  8. 100
  9. 100Sun
  10. 961 am
  11. 96
  12. 96
  13. 964 am
  14. 96
  15. 100
  16. 967 am
  17. 96
  18. 96
  19. 9610 am
  20. 100
  21. 100
  22. 961 pm
  23. 96
  24. 96
  25. 1004 pm
  26. 100
  27. 96
  28. 967 pm
  29. 96
  30. 96
  31. 9610 pm
  32. 100
  33. 100Mon
  34. 961 am
  35. 96
  36. 96
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
63°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
15 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:00 pm

Sky
Sunny

1% chance of rain

Air
58°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 Maryland tidal regulations for these waters.

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

100GoTonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

63°
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. Maryland Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries: no minimum size by hook and line (8" with other gear) and no daily limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

100GoTonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

63°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder's ideal range. Summer flounder prefers outgoing tide. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–100 ft down.

Keep

16" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 16" minimum Jan 1–May 31 and 17.5" Jun 1–Dec 31, 4 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Sep. More on summer flounder

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

92GoNow 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. 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. Maryland Chesapeake Bay, 2026. Catch and release only Jan 1–Apr 30 and Dec 6–31; harvest May 1–Jul 31 and Sep 1–Dec 5 at 1 fish a day, 19–24"; closed to all striped bass fishing in August. In May, harvest is only allowed in the main Bay (and Tangier and Pocomoke sounds), not in its bays, rivers and creeks. Spawning rivers and the Upper Bay spawning area are closed to all striped bass fishing Mar 1–May 31. Non-offset circle hooks with bait; eels may not be used as bait; no possession midnight–5 a.m.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

68MarginalNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside bluefish's active range. Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Holds 5–50 ft down.

Keep

8" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 8" minimum; 5 a day from shore or a private boat, 7 on a for-hire boat (up from 3 and 5 in 2025). Open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on bluefish

Spotted Seatrout

Spotted seatrout

Cynoscion nebulosus

68MarginalNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 4 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 14" minimum, 4 a day, open all year. May not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on spotted seatrout

The water

  • Water temperature63°F
  • Barometer29.95 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:00 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:40 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: MD DNR · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Chesapeake Beach on the western shore of the mid-Bay has a public fishing pier adjacent to the Rod-N-Reel marina. Stripers and seatrout in season; charter boat fleet operates from here for deeper Bay fishing.

Small pier fee may apply. Charter boats available for deeper water species. Town beach nearby. Water taxi service operates seasonally.

Also a beach: swim conditions and water-quality advisories on itsabeachday.com.

Nearby

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

North Beach (Calvert)1 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Breezy Point Beach5 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pmSmall Craft Advisory
97Go
Kings Landing Park9 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
80Worth the trip
Jug Bay — Patuxent River10 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Beverly Triton Nature Park13 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 6 am to Monday 4 am
100Go
Mayo Beach Park14 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 5 am to Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier you need a Maryland Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport License issued by MD DNR. Anglers may instead qualify for the free Maryland Saltwater Angler Registration in some circumstances (e.g., guest on a boat carrying a Bay & Coastal Sport Boat Decal, or holder of a Virginia saltwater license). See the agency's current rules: https://dnr.maryland.gov/pages/service_fishing_license.aspx

What fish are commonly targeted at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout, and 1 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 Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

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 Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier 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 Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier have?

Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier has a fishing pier — shore-only anglers can fish here without a boat. Small pier fee may apply. Charter boats available for deeper water species. Town beach nearby. Water taxi service operates seasonally.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier. 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 Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier tidal water?

Yes. Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier?

Small pier fee may apply. Charter boats available for deeper water species. Town beach nearby. Water taxi service operates seasonally.