It’s a fishing day

Occoquan Regional Park fishing conditions · Virginia

Tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amWhite perch

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 62°, close to the 65° white perch like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 87 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. 874 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
62°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
16 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:03 pm

Sky
Sunny

1% chance of rain

Air
58°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 Potomac River Fisheries Commission regulations for these waters.

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

100GoTonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
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. PRFC's 2026 recreational order (#2026-03) does not list white perch, so the Commission sets no recreational size or catch limit for it on the tidal Potomac main stem.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

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

80Worth the tripToday 5 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Right in striped bass's ideal range. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Striped bass prefers incoming tide. Holds 5–35 ft down.

Keep

19" minimum · 24" maximum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC), 2026: catch and release only Jan 1–May 15; harvest May 16–Jul 6 and Aug 21–Dec 31 at 1 fish a day, 19–24"; closed to targeting Jul 7–Aug 20. Non-offset circle hooks with cut or whole natural bait; no live eels; no more than 2 hooks per line.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on striped bass

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripToday 5 pm to 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. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC): 5 black bass a day; 15" minimum Mar 1–Jun 15 and 12" the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

74Worth the tripToday 5 pm to 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. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC): blue catfish have no size limit and no possession limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

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 tripToday 5 pm to 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. PRFC's 2026 recreational order (#2026-03) sets limits only for bullhead catfish (6" minimum, no limit) and blue catfish (no limits); it sets no recreational size or catch limit for channel catfish on the tidal Potomac main stem.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on channel catfish

Northern Snakehead

Northern snakehead

Channa argus

74Worth the tripToday 5 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

62°
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. Tidal Potomac main stem (PRFC): no size limit, no possession limit. It is unlawful to possess a live snakehead or to release one alive.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River Fisheries Commission

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on northern snakehead

The water

  • Water temperature62°F
  • Barometer29.93 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:03 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:43 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

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Virginia DWR has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: PRFC · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

At the confluence of Occoquan Bay and the Potomac River, this regional park offers a boat ramp and fishing pier with access to prime tidal-bass water. Blue catfish are now extremely abundant in this stretch.

Parking fee for non-NVRPA residents. Boat ramp on-site. Tidal current can be significant at the confluence.

Nearby

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

Pohick Bay Regional Park5 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Mason Neck State Park5 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Burke Lake Park6 mi · VirginiaBest today 5 pm to Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Leesylvania State Park7 mi · VirginiaBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 amSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Chapman State Park9 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Friendship Farm Park17 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Occoquan Regional Park?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Occoquan Regional Park you need a Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) Sport Fishing License — separately issued from MD or VA tidal licenses, with reciprocity for some classes of MD/VA license holders. See the agency's current rules: https://prfc.us/sports.html

What fish are commonly targeted at Occoquan Regional Park?

Occoquan Regional Park is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Striped Bass, Blue Catfish, White Perch, 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 Occoquan Regional 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 Occoquan Regional 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 Occoquan Regional Park have?

Occoquan Regional Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Parking fee for non-NVRPA residents. Boat ramp on-site. Tidal current can be significant at the confluence.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Occoquan Regional Park?

Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) regulations — separate from both MD DNR and VA VMRC apply at Occoquan Regional 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 Occoquan Regional Park tidal water?

Yes. Occoquan Regional 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 Occoquan Regional Park?

Parking fee for non-NVRPA residents. Boat ramp on-site. Tidal current can be significant at the confluence.