2026 regulation year
Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay 2026 — Maryland Fishing Regulations
Maryland statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay carries a special-regulation overlay on top of Maryland's 2026 fishing rules. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
MD-distinctive striped bass: spring trophy May 16 – May 31 (35 in min, 1 / day in approved areas) + summer/fall Jun 1 – Aug 31 + Sep 1 – Dec 10 (19 in min, 1 / day); Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Fishing Licence + MD DNR Tidal registration required; circle hooks REQUIRED on natural bait for striped bass
Source: Maryland special-water list
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
- Chesapeake Bay — lower Bay
- Chesapeake Bay — middle Bay
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay?
- Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay carries one special-regulation overlay that overrides Maryland's statewide 2026 rules. It reads: "MD-distinctive striped bass: spring trophy May 16 – May 31 (35 in min, 1 / day in approved areas) + summer/fall Jun 1 – Aug 31 + Sep 1 – Dec 10 (19 in min, 1 / day); Chesapeake Bay & Coastal Sport Fishing Licence + MD DNR Tidal registration required; circle hooks REQUIRED on natural bait for striped bass." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Chesapeake Bay — upper Bay?
- Yes. Chesapeake Bay — upper 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 — upper 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 rule 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.