2026 regulation year
Atlantic Ocean 2026 — Maryland Fishing Regulations
Maryland statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Atlantic Ocean carries 2 special-regulation overlays on top of Maryland's 2026 fishing rules — covering Striped bass (rockfish), Summer flounder (fluke). Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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Per-species rules on Atlantic Ocean
Striped bass (rockfish) regulations →
ASMFC harmonized 28–31 in slot + 1 / day; year-round open with closed dates per ASMFC
Summer flounder (fluke) regulations →
17 in min, 4 / day; ocean + Ocean City inlet
Official source
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) — Fisheries Service (Inland + Tidal) publishes the authoritative 2026 Maryland fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official Maryland fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Maryland Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Maryland trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in Maryland
- Allen's Fresh (Wicomico River, Charles County)
- Antietam Creek
- Atlantic Ocean — Ocean City / Assateague
- Beaver Creek Fly-Fishing-Only Catch-and-Return Area
- Beaverdam Run
- Big Hunting Creek
- Casselman River Delayed Harvest Area
- Catoctin Creek Delayed Harvest Area at Doubs Meadow Park
- Chesapeake Bay
- Chesapeake Bay — lower Bay
- Chesapeake Bay — middle Bay
- Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Atlantic Ocean?
- Atlantic Ocean carries 2 special-regulation overlays that override Maryland's statewide 2026 rules, covering Striped bass (rockfish) and Summer flounder (fluke). One of them reads: "ASMFC harmonized 28–31 in slot + 1 / day; year-round open with closed dates per ASMFC." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Atlantic Ocean?
- Yes. Atlantic Ocean is in Maryland, so a valid Maryland fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) — Fisheries Service (Inland + Tidal). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Atlantic Ocean; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Maryland rules.
- Do Atlantic Ocean's special rules replace Maryland's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Maryland's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Atlantic Ocean by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Atlantic Ocean?
- Striped bass (rockfish) and Summer flounder (fluke) have a water-body-specific rule on Atlantic Ocean, each linking to its full Maryland regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Maryland limits.