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Fishing regulations at Choptank River, MD
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Maryland can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Regulations for top species
Striped bass
Snagging
Harvest of this species by snagging (snatch hooking) is prohibited.
Spears
Harvest of this species by "spearing" is prohibited. Spearing includes the catching or taking of a fish by bow hunting, gigging, spearfishing, or by any device used to capture a fish by piercing the body.
Multiple Hooks
Harvest of this species by or with the use of any multiple hooks in conjunction with live or dead natural bait is prohibited.
MD Snagging
It is illegal to intentionally snag a striped bass.
MD Spawning Areas
It is illegal to fish for striped bass by any means or practice catch-and-release of striped bass in designated spawning areas from March 1–May 31.
MD Spear
It is illegal to take or shoot striped bass with a spear gun and spear in the tidal waters of the state.
MD Gaff
It is illegal to remove a striped bass from the water with a gaff or a cast net.
MD Midnight to 5 am
It is illegal to possess striped bass while fishing in the Chesapeake Bay or its tidal tributaries from midnight to 5 a.m.
MD Culling
It is illegal to cull striped bass.
MD Eels as Bait
It is illegal to use eels as bait while fishing for striped bass with hook and line from Dec. 11–May 15, inclusive, in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries.
MD Multiple Hooks
It is illegal to use more than two hooks or two sets of hooks for each rod or line. Artificial lures or plugs with multiple hooks are considered 1 set of hooks.
MD Land Whole
It is illegal to possess any cut up or filleted striped bass at any time aboard any boat on the tidal waters of Maryland. Striped bass must be landed whole.
IMPORTANT!: YOU MUST SEE Maryland Striped Bass Map for the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries, including the Maryland tributaries of the Potomac River.
Effective 12:01 a.m. January 17, 2025, the minimum size for striped bass is 19 inches and the maximum size for striped bass is 24 inches. This rule is effective for the 2025 striped bass summer and fall season, which runs from May 16, 2025, through July 15, 2025, and August 1, 2025, through December 10, 2025.
For the Atlantic Ocean, its coastal bays and their tributaries:
Effective 12:01 a.m. January 17, 2025: Anglers may keep one striped bass per person per day from the Atlantic Ocean, its coastal bays, and their tributaries. The minimum size for striped bass is 28 inches.The maximum size is 31 inches.
You must use an inline circle hook while using bait to fish for striped bass. For more information, see Striped Bass and Circle Hooks
Striped bass may not be caught, harassed or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which stretches from 3 to 200 miles off the coast.
Channel catfish
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
Keep-Whole
Must remain in whole condition until landed ashore - head and tail must be intact.
MD Ice Fishing
Ice Fishing in Nontidal Waters.A person may fish through the ice in any nontidal waters of the State during the lawful open season if an angler's license first is obtained.A person may not cut a hole through the ice for the purpose of ice fishing that measures more than 10 inches across in any direction.It will be lawful for any person who is ice fishing to use up to five tip ups or rods (hand held devices) when ice fishing.All tip ups and rods used by a person engaged in ice fishing shall be under the immediate control of the person.
No closed season. No size limit.
Possession limit = 10 channel catfish
Blue catfish
Invasive
Do not release alive. Kill immediately.
The department asks anglers to remove and kill any blue catfish and flathead catfish you catch. Catch and release of these fish is discouraged, as they are invasive top predators and pose a serious long-term threat to our native species. In Maryland, it is illegal to transport live blue and flathead catfish into another body of water, anyone in violation of this can be fined up to $2,500.
For more information, see Maryland DNR Invasive Catfish.
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