Maryland Fishing Report – May 6

As reported from the buoys, main Bay surface and river mouth water temperatures are holding around 60 degrees. Smaller rivers and streams temperatures are also holding in the 60s. However, smaller streams and downwind areas on a sunny day will warm faster and will often hold water temperatures in the upper 60s. 

Expect below average flows for most Maryland rivers and streams. Expect average clarity for most Maryland portions of the Bay and rivers. However, expect reduced water clarity from algal blooms in the tidal portions of the Bush and Gunpowder rivers. To see the latest water clarity conditions on NOAA satellite maps, check Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps. There will be above average tidal currents on Wednesday and Thursday as a result of the May 1 full moon.

For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the Bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay’s Click Before You Cast.

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Upper Chesapeake Bay

Anglers fishing in the lower Susquehanna River and the Susquehanna Flats are focusing on white perch and blue catfish. The white perch are being targeted with small jig heads tipped with grass shrimp, small minnows, or pieces of bloodworm. These baits also work well on a bottom rig. The blue catfish found in the river are being caught on various cut baits and scented baits. Largemouth bass are providing catch-and-release action on the flats, and Chesapeake Channa are also being caught in the same grassy areas. 

The area above the boundary line of Abbey Point to Worton Point is still off-limits to targeting striped bass until June 1 and the area between that boundary and the Brewerton Channel remains catch-and-release only until June 1. 

The waters below the Brewerton Channel line are providing some good fishing for striped bass within the 19- to 24-inch slot. Most anglers enjoyed good fishing over the weekend. Trolling umbrella rigs and tandem rigged medium sized bucktails with sassy shads or twistertails were popular. Casting paddletails along shoreline structure and jigging are good choices for light tackle anglers. The Love Point rocks is a popular area to fish this week.

White perch are moving into their summer habitat this week and often can be found near structure such as submerged rocks, old piers, docks, bulkheads, and oyster bars near the mouths of the region’s tidal rivers. Small jigs, spinners, and spin jigs are popular lures to cast to shoreline structure. The white perch will soon be found on various knolls and lumps out in the upper Bay. Grass shrimp and bloodworms are the most popular baits on bottom rigs. 

Large blue catfish can be found in the open waters of the Bay this time of the month, usually on flats near the edges of the channels down to the Bay Bridge. The salinity values are high due to the lack of rain, but the large blue cats don’t seem to mind. Small to medium sized blue catfish are usually more prevalent in the region’s tidal rivers. The Chester River is one of the most populated upper Bay rivers with blue catfish.

Middle Bay

The Bay Bridge piers are a popular location to cast soft plastic jigs near the pier bases this week. A few anglers are also drifting small white perch or cut bait back towards the pier bases. Circle hooks are a must, and eel baits – live or cut – are not allowed. 

Many anglers are focusing on targeting striped bass within the slot parameters, so they are trolling umbrella rigs with medium sized lures or jigging and casting with medium sized baits. Medium sized bucktails outfitted with sassy shads or twistertails are popular trailers on umbrella rigs. Jigging with 3/4-ounce soft plastic jigs along channel edges when fish can be spotted suspended off the bottom is popular. Casting paddletails near shoreline structure is also a productive way to catch a striped bass within the slot size. The Poplar Island rocks, Thomas Point Light, and the rocks in front of the Naval Academy are a few popular areas. The Choptank River is still closed to the targeting of striped bass. 

White perch are showing up in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers and are beginning to provide good fishing in favorite locations. Prominent points, deepwater docks and piers, and shoreline structure are good places to target. Often the shallower shoreline water are best targeted during the morning and evening hours by casting small paddletails, jigs, spin jigs and spinners. Deeper waters can be fished with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworms on a simple bottom rig. 

Blue catfish can be found in all the region’s tidal rivers, but the Choptank holds the greatest numbers. The general area from Cambridge to Denton holds large numbers of blue catfish. The salinities in the river are high due to the lack of rain so the area above the Dover Bridge holds a lot of medium sized blue cats. The larger blue cats tend to be a little farther downriver.

Striped bass anglers in the lower Bay enjoyed their first weekend when they could keep a fish that measured within the 19- to 24-inch slot. Many were trolling with umbrella rigs, while others jigging with soft plastic jigs or fished in the shallower waters of the lower Bay shorelines. Good success was found casting paddletails and poppers in the morning and evening hours. 

The Potomac River will not be open to striped bass fishing until May 16. The tidal rivers in Maryland are still closed to targeting striped bass. 

The channel edges off Cove Point and the channel edge from the 76 Buoy south to the 72B and 72A buoys were good places to troll. Jigging along those same channel edges where fish that are suspended off the bottom can be located with depth finders also worked well for anglers. Soft plastic 3/4 -ounce jigs in the 5-inch to 6-inch size range and in a variety of bright colors are popular. The cuts through Hoopers Island, the Tangier Sound sedge banks, and the Cedar Point rocks are locations that proved rewarding for anglers casting paddletails, jigs, and poppers this past weekend. 

Black drum are reported to be caught in the Tangier Sound area and near the Target Ship at the Mud Leads, which is just north of the Target Ship. Anglers are spotting them on depth finders and using soft crab baits. Large red drum should not be too far behind.

White perch are moving into their summer habitat locations in the lower sections of the region’s tidal rivers and creeks, as well as in the Bay. Casting small jig heads tipped with grass shrimp or pieces of bloodworms is a good tactic in less deep waters. In the evening hours, casting a variety of small jigs, spin jigs, and spinners near shoreline structure is a fun light-tackle way to catch white perch.

May is a good month to fish for blue catfish. The cooler water temperatures are allowing the blue catfish to move freely in a variety of water depths near channels. The larger blue catfish are in a pre-spawn mode of aggressive feeding. Most cut baits and scented baits will work well. The Potomac, Patuxent and Nanticoke all have large populations of blue catfish. The DNR blue catfish webpage offers some information for anglers targeting these invasive fish.

Freshwater Fishing

Trout anglers fishing the put-and-take areas continue to enjoy stocking in the central and western regions. As the month of May progresses and water temperatures rise, anglers will see less stockings in the central region and more in the western where cooler water temperatures prevail. A look back at March reveals that hatchery crews provided more than 91,000 trout for stockings in more than 100 locations. 

Smallmouth bass and walleye have completed their spawning activities and are active in the upper Potomac River and Deep Creek Lake. Water flows in the upper Potomac River are very low and the water clear. Long casts with light lines will often bring the best results when casting near current breaks and underwater ledges. Grass beds are emerging, and casting poppers in the early morning hours near the grass bed edges can provide some exciting topwater action. The Monocacy River and the Prettyboy and Liberty reservoirs also hold populations of smallmouth bass. 

Largemouth bass are either finished spawning or are close to completing their spawning activities everywhere except the western region. The male largemouth will linger at the nest sites to protect the larvae, but the females can be found in waters outside of the shallow spawning areas.

May is a wonderful time to fish for a variety of sunfish species. Various species can usually be found in abundance in most waters around the state. Sunfish often provide that first fish for our younger anglers but can provide lots of fun for adults as well, given the right tackle. A lightweight fly rod and small poppers or ants or an ultra-light spinning rod with small lures can brighten up any fishing trip.

Atlantic Ocean and Coastal Bays

Surf anglers are enjoying a steady run of striped bass, black drum and large bluefish along the beaches of Assateague and Ocean City. The striped bass are usually measuring far beyond the legal slot but provide a catch-and-release thrill. The black drum are of medium size, and the bluefish are large but thin. The striped bass and bluefish are being caught on cut bait, the black drum on sand fleas and clams. Dogfish and clearnose skates are unfortunately present.

At the inlet and Route 50 Bridge area, anglers are catching tautog, flounder, and large catch-and-release striped bass. The tautog are being caught on sand fleas, the flounder on Gulp baits and squid strips, and the striped bass by drifting cut bait. Small striped bass that often fall short of the 28-inch minimum are being caught by casting soft plastic jigs near dock and bridge piers, bulkheads and jetty rocks. 

Flounder continue to move through the inlet into the back bay areas. The channels leading from the inlet are the best locations to drift for flounder. Striped bass are providing plenty of fun catch and release fishing at the bridge piers of the Route 611 and Route 90 bridges. Casting paddletails and soft plastic jigs are the most popular way to fish. Most of the striped bass fall short of the 28-inch minimum. 

Anglers headed out to the offshore and nearshore wreck and reef sites are enjoying good fishing for tautog, black sea bass, and a mix of flounder when targeting them. The 2026 black sea bass regulations for federal waters finally came into place with a 15-fish per day creel limit per angler and 12.5-inch size limit. The 2026 black sea bass season will run from May1 through December 31. The tautog season will be open until May 16 and then be closed until July 1.