It’s a fishing day

Conowingo Dam Tailrace fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until 8 pmWhite perch

The bite peaks at 98. Water is 72°, inside their 50–78° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 98 for white perch, go · inside the best windowTap 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. 984 pm
  2. 94
  3. 94
  4. 947 pm
  5. 84
  6. 84
  7. 8810 pm
  8. 88
  9. 88Sun
  10. 841 am
  11. 84
  12. 84
  13. 844 am
  14. 84
  15. 88
  16. 847 am
  17. 84
  18. 84
  19. 8410 am
  20. 88
  21. 88
  22. 841 pm
  23. 84
  24. 84
  25. 884 pm
  26. 84
  27. 84
  28. 847 pm
  29. 84
  30. 84
  31. 8410 pm
  32. 88
  33. 88Mon
  34. 841 am
  35. 84
  36. 84
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
72°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
12 mph

From the west

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:56 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

1% chance of rain

Air
55°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

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

98GoNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

White perch prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

96GoNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Right in channel catfish's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal waters: no minimum size and no daily creel limit; open year-round.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on channel catfish

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

96GoNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Right in blue catfish's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–60 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland tidal waters: catfish have no size limit and no daily limit, open all year. DNR encourages anglers to keep invasive blue catfish.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Year-round. More on blue catfish

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

96GoNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 5/day, open year-round.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec. More on walleye

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

96GoNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Right in common carp's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland's tidal Chesapeake rules list no carp limit, size or season. The 15-a-day carp limit applies only to non-tidal waters above the tidal line.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on common carp

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

90GoNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Striped bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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. A designated striped bass spawning river or area: catch and release only Jan 1–Feb 29 and closed to all striped bass fishing Mar 1–May 31. Harvest Jun 1–Jul 31 and Sep 1–Dec 5 at 1 fish a day, 19–24"; closed in August; catch and release Dec 6–31.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Striped bass spawning river or area

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

84Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

72°
45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside smallmouth bass's active range. Holds 3–30 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. Maryland tidal waters: 5 black bass a day (largemouth and smallmouth combined); 15" minimum Mar 1–Jun 15 and 12" the rest of the year. Bass may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on smallmouth bass

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

42Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

72°
35°45–70° · ideal 58°80°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Above yellow perch's active range (45–70°F) — fish move deep. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

9" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries: 9" minimum, 5 a day (down from 10 in 2025), open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Apr, Oct–Dec. Likes slack water. More on yellow perch

The water

  • Water temperature72°F
  • Barometer29.88 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:56 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:41 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 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

Upper Chesapeake Bay. Cooler water temperatures are turning up the fishing action for striped bass anglers casting paddletails and topwater lures in the shallower waters, especially near the edges of the Susquehanna Flats and structured shorelines along the Bay and tidal river shores. The best action occurs during the morning and evening hours when a good tide is running, and a flood tide is always an advantage. Upper Bay water temperatures are holding around 60 degrees this week. Baitfish in the form of juvenile menhaden are moving out of the major tidal rivers into the upper Bay, and into a gauntlet of hungry striped bass hoping to put on some weight after a long hot summer.

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

The tailrace below Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River is one of the most productive fisheries on the East Coast. Stripers, walleye, white perch, and catfish concentrate below the dam. Access via Fisherman's Park on the west bank.

Parking at Fisherman's Park (west bank, Harford County). Flow and access vary with dam generation schedule — check Exelon's generation forecast. High water after storms can make the area unfishable.

Nearby

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

Jean S. Roberts Memorial Park (Perryville)9 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Havre de Grace Fishing Pier9 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
98Go
Susquehanna Flats11 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
98Go
Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)12 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
100Go
North East Community Park13 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
100Go
Flying Point Park16 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pmSmall Craft Advisory
85Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Conowingo Dam Tailrace?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Conowingo Dam Tailrace 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 Conowingo Dam Tailrace?

Conowingo Dam Tailrace is listed on this site for 8 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Smallmouth Bass, and 4 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 Conowingo Dam Tailrace?

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 Conowingo Dam Tailrace 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 Conowingo Dam Tailrace have?

Conowingo Dam Tailrace has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Parking at Fisherman's Park (west bank, Harford County). Flow and access vary with dam generation schedule — check Exelon's generation forecast. High water after storms can make the area unfishable.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Conowingo Dam Tailrace?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Conowingo Dam Tailrace. 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 Conowingo Dam Tailrace tidal water?

Yes. Conowingo Dam Tailrace sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.