Maryland fishing reports
123 reports for Maryland — what's biting, water temps, and where to focus.
Post-Spawn Striper Exodus Underway on the Chesapeake; Water at 51°F
On The Water's May 1 Striper Migration Map signals the turn of the season: "the striper migration really snowballs once the large post-spawn females leave the Chesapeake," and NOAA buoy 44009 confirms we're squarely in that window with water reading 51°F Sunday morning. Winds were running around 24 mph with air temps near 48°F — expect a brisk, coat-weather day on the water. The wider Northeast corridor corroborates the momentum: The Fisherman (Northeast) reports aggressive stripers from 25 to 40 inches swarming Narragansett Bay and pressing into Long Island's bays and surf, with larger fish in the mix. That same migratory pulse originates from the Chesapeake's spring spawn — post-spawn cows are actively transiting the lower Bay and Bay mouth right now, moving north and out of the estuary. Full Moon tidal exchange is running at its monthly peak this weekend, concentrating bait and tightening the feeding windows that will define the bite.
Striper Migration Snowballing into Potomac as Patapsco Runs 70.9 CFS
On The Water's May 1 striper migration map notes the post-spawn push out of the Chesapeake is reaching peak momentum — timing that lines up well for intercepting migrating fish in the Potomac's freshwater reaches. USGS gauge 01589000 logs the Patapsco at a steady 70.9 cfs this afternoon, a moderate flow that keeps water fishable without the off-color surge that buries presentations. No water temperature reading is available from current sensors, though early May in this corridor typically falls in the upper 50s to low 60°F range based on historical norms. Tonight's full moon adds a high-activity window worth targeting — catfish and bass routinely feed hard around lunar peaks, especially on slower inside bends and wood-lined banks. With stripers migrating and bass approaching their spawn window, this opening weekend of May is traditionally one of the Potomac and Patapsco's most productive stretches of the year.
Post-spawn stripers exit the Chesapeake as water reaches 50°F
Water temperatures at NOAA buoy 44009 are reading 50°F as of this morning — right in the optimal feeding band for striped bass. On The Water's April 24 striper migration map puts the Chesapeake squarely in focus: post-spawn fish are actively moving out of the Bay, while a broad coastal push of quality bass rolls northward through New Jersey and into southern New England. The Fisherman (Northeast) describes the regional striper front as being in "rapid expansion" mode, with schoolies quickly giving way to slot and over-sized fish over the course of just a few days. For Bay anglers, the late-April window — when larger post-spawn rockfish linger near tributary mouths before their northward run — may be starting to narrow. Light winds (~6 knots) are keeping boat conditions manageable. White perch are typical for the upper Bay's tidal rivers in late April, though no specific reports flagged them by name for the region this week.