It’s a fishing day

Martinak State Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until Monday 4 amStriped bass

The bite peaks at 92. 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: 92 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. 924 pm
  2. 92
  3. 92
  4. 927 pm
  5. 92
  6. 92
  7. 9210 pm
  8. 92
  9. 92Sun
  10. 921 am
  11. 92
  12. 92
  13. 924 am
  14. 92
  15. 92
  16. 927 am
  17. 92
  18. 92
  19. 9210 am
  20. 92
  21. 92
  22. 921 pm
  23. 92
  24. 92
  25. 924 pm
  26. 92
  27. 92
  28. 927 pm
  29. 92
  30. 92
  31. 9210 pm
  32. 92
  33. 92Mon
  34. 921 am
  35. 92
  36. 92
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
62°F

Striped bass range 50–72°

Wind
10 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:57 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
57°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

92GoNow 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. 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

Yellow Perch

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

88GoNow until Monday 4 am

Water

62°
35°45–70° · ideal 58°80°

Why

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

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

80Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

62°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

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

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

62°
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

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

62°
50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

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

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripNow until Monday 4 am

Water

62°
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

The water

  • Water temperature62°F
  • Barometer29.89 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:57 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:38 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 state park where Watts Creek meets the tidal Choptank River near Denton; the park lists bass, perch, sunfish and catfish. DNR reports white perch running up past Denton in March and April, yellow perch spawning upriver, blue and channel catfish from Martinak to Denton, and striped bass spawning in this reach in spring.

Nearby

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

Choptank River — Cambridge22 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier23 mi · MarylandBest now until 5 pmSmall Craft Advisory
89Go
Great Marsh Park (Gerry Boyle Park)24 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 1 pm to Monday 1 am
100Go
Rolph's Wharf24 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go
South Bowers Beach27 mi · DelawareBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Romancoke Pier27 mi · MarylandBest tonight 12 am to Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Martinak State Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Martinak State 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 Martinak State Park?

Martinak State Park is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Yellow Perch, Blue Catfish, 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 Martinak State 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 Martinak State 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 Martinak State Park have?

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

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Martinak State Park?

Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) tidal regulations apply at Martinak State 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 Martinak State Park tidal water?

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