It’s a fishing day

Jug Bay — Patuxent River 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
14 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:00 pm

Sky
Mostly Sunny

1% chance of rain

Air
59°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

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel

Esox niger

86GoNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
35°45–80° · ideal 60°90°

Why

Right in chain pickerel's ideal range. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal waters: 14" minimum, 10/day. Open May 1–March 14 (closed to harvest mid-March through April during spawning).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on chain pickerel

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside largemouth bass's active range. Holds 3–25 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: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

Northern Snakehead

Northern snakehead

Channa argus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside northern snakehead's active range. Holds 2–10 ft down.

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland tidal waters ("Chesapeake Channa"): no size limit, no daily limit, open all year. Illegal to possess alive.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on northern snakehead

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside blue catfish's active range. 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

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside common carp's active range. 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

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

68MarginalNow until Monday 4 am

Water

63°
35°45–70° · ideal 58°80°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside yellow perch's active range. Yellow perch prefers slack tide. 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. More on yellow perch

The water

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

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:00 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

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

Jug Bay, a freshwater tidal section of the upper Patuxent River, is a productive fishery for white perch, tidal largemouth, and chain pickerel. Northern snakehead are now abundant. Access via Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary and Patuxent River Park.

Patuxent River Park (Prince George's County) has a boat ramp and canoe/kayak rentals. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (Anne Arundel County) charges a small fee and requires registration for some access. Snakehead must not be released alive.

Nearby

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

Kings Landing Park10 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
80Worth the trip
North Beach (Calvert)10 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Chesapeake Beach — Rod N' Reel Pier10 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
Breezy Point Beach14 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pmSmall Craft Advisory
97Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Jug Bay — Patuxent River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Jug Bay — Patuxent River 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 Jug Bay — Patuxent River?

Jug Bay — Patuxent River is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: White Perch, Yellow Perch, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel, and 3 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 Jug Bay — Patuxent River?

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 Jug Bay — Patuxent River 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 Jug Bay — Patuxent River have?

Jug Bay — Patuxent River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Patuxent River Park (Prince George's County) has a boat ramp and canoe/kayak rentals. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (Anne Arundel County) charges a small fee and requires registration for some access. Snakehead must not be released alive.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Jug Bay — Patuxent River?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Jug Bay — Patuxent River. 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 Jug Bay — Patuxent River tidal water?

Yes. Jug Bay — Patuxent River 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 Jug Bay — Patuxent River?

Patuxent River Park (Prince George's County) has a boat ramp and canoe/kayak rentals. Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (Anne Arundel County) charges a small fee and requires registration for some access. Snakehead must not be released alive.