It’s a fishing day

Fort Smallwood Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Tomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 amWhite perch

The bite peaks at 92. Water is 72°, inside their 50–78° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 84 for white perch, worth the tripTap 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. 844 pm
  2. 80
  3. 80
  4. 807 pm
  5. 80
  6. 88
  7. 9210 pm
  8. 92
  9. 84Sun
  10. 801 am
  11. 80
  12. 80
  13. 884 am
  14. 88
  15. 92
  16. 887 am
  17. 88
  18. 88
  19. 8810 am
  20. 92
  21. 92
  22. 881 pm
  23. 88
  24. 88
  25. 924 pm
  26. 88
  27. 88
  28. 887 pm
  29. 88
  30. 88
  31. 8810 pm
  32. 92
  33. 92Mon
  34. 881 am
  35. 88
  36. 88
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
72°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
16 mph

From the west

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:59 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

1% chance of rain

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.

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

92GoTomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 am

Water

72°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

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

Striped Bass

Striped bass

Morone saxatilis

84Worth the tripTomorrow 4 am to Monday 4 am

Water

72°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

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. Inside striped bass's active range. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

19" minimum · 24" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Catch and release only Jan 1–May 31: in May, harvest is only allowed in the main Bay, not in its bays, rivers and creeks. 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 · Bay tributary outside the spawning areas

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

The water

  • Water temperature72°F
  • Seas1.3 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer29.91 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:59 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:41 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

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

An Anne Arundel County park at the mouth of the Patapsco River, with a fishing pier. DNR reports striped bass at the river mouth and white perch around the mouth of the Patapsco and nearby Curtis Creek.

Nearby

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

Downs Park4 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
94Go
North Point State Park5 mi · MarylandBest tonight 9 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
67Marginal
Rocky Point Park — Essex7 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 6 am to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
67Marginal
Cox's Point Park9 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Miami Beach Park11 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Sandy Point State Park11 mi · MarylandBest now until 5 pmSmall Craft Advisory
81Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Fort Smallwood Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Fort Smallwood 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 Fort Smallwood Park?

Fort Smallwood Park is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch. 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 Fort Smallwood 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 Fort Smallwood 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 Fort Smallwood Park have?

Fort Smallwood Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Fort Smallwood Park?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Fort Smallwood 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 Fort Smallwood Park tidal water?

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