It’s a fishing day

Cove Road Beach fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until Monday 4 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 62°, 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
62°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
14 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:58 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

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.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

100GoNow until 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. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. 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. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

98GoTomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Bluefish prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

98GoTomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Summer Flounder

Summer flounder

Paralichthys dentatus

90GoTomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
48°58–75° · ideal 65°85°

Why

Right in summer flounder'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 10–100 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. Likes an outgoing tide. More on summer flounder

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

90GoTomorrow 1 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

Right in white perch'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 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. Likes an outgoing tide. More on white perch

Red Drum

Red drum

Sciaenops ocellatus

57MarginalTomorrow 11 pm to Monday 1 am

Water

62°
55°65–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Red drum prefers incoming tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

18" minimum · 26" maximum · 3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland Chesapeake Bay: 18–26" slot, 3 a day, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Jun–Nov. More on red drum

The water

  • Water temperature62°F
  • Barometer29.90 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:58 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:37 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:20 pm–4:20 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:40 am–6:40 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

Middle Bay. It is all about striped bass this week as the fall fishery kicks into gear. Anglers are enjoying excellent fishing along the shores of the tidal rivers and Bay this week. Casting paddletails , crankbaits , and topwater lures during the morning and evening hours has been very successful. This is a wonderful time of the year to get out for a short trip to the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers for some evening casting for striped bass. A few anglers are magically finding the last of the spot and live-lining them along channel edges and the Bay Bridge piers with good success. Using live eels and cut bait also works well.

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

A Wicomico County beach near the mouth of the Nanticoke River. Lower-bay water: striped bass, speckled trout, red drum and summer flounder, with bluefish in summer. White perch in the river.

Nearby

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

Roaring Point Waterfront Park2 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Tyaskin Wharf3 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Deal Island Wildlife Management Area9 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm–9 pm
100Go
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area15 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 1 am
96Go
Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)22 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 1 am
100Go
Choptank River — Cambridge22 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Cove Road Beach?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Cove Road Beach 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 Cove Road Beach?

Cove Road Beach is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout, Red Drum, 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 Cove Road Beach?

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 Cove Road Beach 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 Cove Road Beach have?

Cove Road Beach has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Cove Road Beach?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Cove Road Beach. 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 Cove Road Beach tidal water?

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