It’s a fishing day

Flag Ponds Nature Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until 8 pmStriped bass

The bite peaks at 97. Water is 64°, close to the 62° striped bass like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Small Craft Advisory until Monday 6 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 97 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. 974 pm
  2. 93
  3. 93
  4. 937 pm
  5. 83
  6. 83
  7. 8710 pm
  8. 87
  9. 87Sun
  10. 831 am
  11. 83
  12. 83
  13. 834 am
  14. 83
  15. 87
  16. 837 am
  17. 83
  18. 83
  19. 8310 am
  20. 87
  21. 87
  22. 831 pm
  23. 83
  24. 83
  25. 874 pm
  26. 87
  27. 83
  28. 837 pm
  29. 83
  30. 83
  31. 8310 pm
  32. 87
  33. 87Mon
  34. 831 am
  35. 83
  36. 83
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
64°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
13 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:00 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
58°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.

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

97GoNow until 8 pm

Water

64°
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. 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. More on striped bass

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

73Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

64°
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

73Worth the tripNow until 8 pm

Water

64°
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

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

65MarginalNow until 8 pm

Water

64°
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

The water

  • Water temperature64°F
  • Barometer29.91 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:00 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:39 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

Flag Ponds Nature Park on the Calvert County western Bay shore offers beach and cliff shoreline fishing in a relatively undeveloped setting. White perch and stripers are the primary targets from the beach. Good fossil-hunting site as a bonus.

Day-use fee. No fishing pier — shoreline/beach only. Calvert Cliffs geology makes for an unusual fishing setting. Closed in winter.

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.

Jefferson Patterson Park & Museum6 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Greenwell State Park6 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Snow Hill Farm Park8 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Myrtle Point Park8 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
Solomons Island Fishing Pier9 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pmSmall Craft Advisory
97Go
Breezy Point Beach12 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pmSmall Craft Advisory
97Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Flag Ponds Nature Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Flag Ponds Nature Park 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 Flag Ponds Nature Park?

Flag Ponds Nature Park is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: White Perch, Striped Bass, Bluefish, Spotted Seatrout. 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 Flag Ponds Nature 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 Flag Ponds Nature 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 Flag Ponds Nature Park have?

Flag Ponds Nature Park has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Day-use fee. No fishing pier — shoreline/beach only. Calvert Cliffs geology makes for an unusual fishing setting. Closed in winter.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Flag Ponds Nature Park?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Flag Ponds Nature 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 Flag Ponds Nature Park tidal water?

Yes. Flag Ponds Nature Park 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 Flag Ponds Nature Park?

Day-use fee. No fishing pier — shoreline/beach only. Calvert Cliffs geology makes for an unusual fishing setting. Closed in winter.