It’s a fishing day

Sandy Point State Park fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until 5 pmWhite perch

The bite peaks at 81. Water is 63°, close to the 65° white perch like best, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 20 mph out of the northwest by tonight at 7:00 pm.

Small Craft Advisory until Monday 6 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 81 for white perch, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap 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. 814 pm
  2. 62
  3. 62
  4. 627 pm
  5. 52
  6. 52
  7. 5610 pm
  8. 71
  9. 71Sun
  10. 671 am
  11. 67
  12. 67
  13. 674 am
  14. 67
  15. 71
  16. 757 am
  17. 75
  18. 75
  19. 7510 am
  20. 79
  21. 79
  22. 751 pm
  23. 75
  24. 75
  25. 794 pm
  26. 75
  27. 75
  28. 757 pm
  29. 75
  30. 75
  31. 7510 pm
  32. 79
  33. 79Mon
  34. 751 am
  35. 75
  36. 75
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
63°F

White perch range 50–78°

Wind
17 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:59 pm

Sky
Sunny

No rain expected

Air
59°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.

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

81Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

63°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

Right in white perch's ideal range. White perch prefers outgoing tide. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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

73Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

63°
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. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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. Likes an incoming tide. More on striped bass

Blue Catfish

Blue catfish

Ictalurus furcatus

55MarginalNow until 5 pm

Water

63°
45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. 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

Bluefish

Bluefish

Pomatomus saltatrix

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

63°
50°60–80° · ideal 70°90°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside bluefish's active range. Bluefish prefers incoming tide. 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

49Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

63°
50°60–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside spotted seatrout's active range. Spotted seatrout prefers incoming tide. 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

The water

  • Water temperature63°F
  • Seas1.3 ft at the nearest buoy
  • Barometer29.91 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:59 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:40 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

A 786-acre state park on the upper Chesapeake Bay near the Bay Bridge. Public boat ramps, fishing pier, and ~1.5 miles of fishable shoreline. One of the most accessible striper spots in Maryland.

Day-use entry fee. Fishing pier free. Ramps fill on summer weekends — arrive early.

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.

Matapeake Pier4 mi · MarylandBest tonight 3 am to Monday 4 am
100Go
Downs Park7 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
94Go
Kent Narrows — Public Fishing Pier9 mi · MarylandBest now until 5 pmSmall Craft Advisory
89Go
Mayo Beach Park10 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 5 am to Monday 4 am
100Go
Romancoke Pier10 mi · MarylandBest tonight 12 am to Monday 4 am
100Go
Beverly Triton Nature Park10 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 6 am to Monday 4 am
100Go

Questions people ask

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

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

Sandy Point State Park is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Striped Bass, White Perch, Bluefish, Blue Catfish, and 1 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 Sandy Point 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 Sandy Point 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 Sandy Point State Park have?

Sandy Point State Park has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Day-use entry fee. Fishing pier free. Ramps fill on summer weekends — arrive early.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Sandy Point State Park?

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

Yes. Sandy Point 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.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Sandy Point State Park?

Day-use entry fee. Fishing pier free. Ramps fill on summer weekends — arrive early.