2026 regulation year
Chesapeake Bay 2026 — Maryland Fishing Regulations
Maryland statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Chesapeake Bay carries 8 special-regulation overlays on top of Maryland's 2026 fishing rules — covering Striped bass (rockfish), Summer flounder (fluke), Blue catfish (invasive). Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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Per-species rules on Chesapeake Bay
Striped bass (rockfish) regulations →
Spring TROPHY May 16 – May 31 35 in min, 1 / day; summer/fall 19 in min, 1 / day; circle hooks required
Striped bass (rockfish) regulations →
19 in min summer/fall, 1 / day; spring TROPHY approved areas May 16 – May 31 35 in min
Striped bass (rockfish) regulations →
19 in min summer/fall, 1 / day; PRFC compact on Potomac side
Summer flounder (fluke) regulations →
16.5 in min, 4 / day; light populations — fluke skews south in MD Bay
Summer flounder (fluke) regulations →
16.5 in min, 4 / day; spotty distribution
Summer flounder (fluke) regulations →
16.5 in min, 4 / day; densest MD Chesapeake fluke population
Blue catfish (invasive) regulations →
No closed season, no minimum, no bag limit; tidal Susquehanna blue cat
Blue catfish (invasive) regulations →
No closed season, no minimum, no bag limit; tidal tributary blue cat
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
- 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 — lower Bay
- Chesapeake Bay — middle Bay
- Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Chesapeake Bay?
- Chesapeake Bay carries 8 special-regulation overlays that override Maryland's statewide 2026 rules, covering Striped bass (rockfish), Summer flounder (fluke), and Blue catfish (invasive). One of them reads: "Spring TROPHY May 16 – May 31 35 in min, 1 / day; summer/fall 19 in min, 1 / day; circle hooks required." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Chesapeake Bay?
- Yes. Chesapeake Bay 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 Chesapeake Bay; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Maryland rules.
- Do Chesapeake Bay's special rules replace Maryland's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. Maryland's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Chesapeake Bay 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 Chesapeake Bay?
- Striped bass (rockfish), Summer flounder (fluke), and Blue catfish (invasive) have a water-body-specific rule on Chesapeake Bay, each linking to its full Maryland regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Maryland limits.