Waterlands

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Spotted seatroutShoulder season

Bay · Maryland

Jackson Creek

38.97°N · 76.22°W · Bay · Chester River to Queenstown MD

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Best score today · 12 AM · Spotted seatrout

72/100Great
Now
493 AM EDT
Best window
3-10 AMEbb tide
Tide now
Flooding2.0 ft ▲

Data from: NOAA CO-OPS + NDBC + ECMWF + Open-Meteo Marine · Waterlands engine

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24-hour conditions · rolling from now

Conditions · 3 AM · now

Time3ANOW
Score49Good
Tide2.0 ft ▲Flooding
CurrentFlood0.4 kn · toward N
Wind15 kn NEgusts 25 · steady
Sea stateLight chop1.4 ft · 3 s
Air temp60°Mild
WeatherOvercast73% chance of rain
Water74°FObserved

Current regulations

What you can keep here today

IN EFFECT NOW

No rule for Spotted seatrout is on file here yet, so its status is unknown, not closed. Confirm limits with Maryland DNR before you keep a fish.

Source: Maryland DNR · synced yesterday

Seasonality · 52-week view · this week ringed

When Spotted seatrout is best here

Shoulder season for Spotted seatrout · 1 more week at shoulder

Spotted seatrout season by week of the year. Shoulder season for Spotted seatrout · 1 more week at shoulder.
  • Peak
  • Shoulder
  • Off
  • Not here
  • This week

Spotted seatrout in Maryland

Spot profile

Jackson Creek

Depth
1-7 ftFlat bottom
Structure
Estuary · Inner · Semi-exposedEstuary · flat bottom
Season
Shoulder seasonSpotted seatrout

NOAA NCEI DEM, sampled Sep 13 on a 3.4 m grid. Depths are feet below NAVD 88, not chart datum (MLLW), so they can differ from a chart by a few feet. Not for navigation.

About this spot

Fishing Jackson Creek

Jackson Creek is a bay in Chester River to Queenstown MD, Maryland. Depth is 1-7 ft, with a flat bottom. Its profile reads estuary, inner water and semi-exposed.

Waterlands scores 17 species here; the best right now are spot, scup and red drum. It is peak season now for spot, scup, red drum and summer flounder, and shoulder season for Atlantic croaker, weakfish, bluefish and spotted seatrout. Spot peak from August through October. Scup peak from June through October. Red drum peak in May and from September through October.

Tackle & technique

Spotted seatrout
Trout hold over grass beds and sandy potholes in 2 to 8 feet of water most of the year and slide into channels, deep creek bends and canals during cold snaps. A live shrimp under a slip or popping cork, a paddle tail on a light jighead, or a topwater walked at first light covers most situations. Keep the drag light because their mouths tear easily.
Spot
Spot school over mud and sand in bays, tidal creeks and channels and around piers and bridges, generally in less than 25 feet of water. Fish a two-hook bottom rig with small hooks and bits of bloodworm or shrimp, and move until you find a school. In fall the biggest fish run out of the sounds past piers and inlets, and the bite can go all day.
Scup
Scup school over hard and mixed bottom, rock piles, mussel beds, piers and jetties, usually in 10 to 60 feet of water. Fish a high-low rig with small hooks and squid or clam strips on the bottom, and chum with clam to hold a school under the boat. If nothing bites within 15 minutes, move to the next piece of structure.

Nearby spots

Other spots within an easy run

  • Muddy Creek

    Bay · 0.5 mi

    71
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 71
    • Scup 67
    • Red drum 59

    15 kt NEH 3:25 AM · 2.0 ftL 10:28 AM · 0.9 ft

  • Cabin Creek

    Bay · 2.0 mi

    71
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 71
    • Scup 67
    • Red drum 59

    15 kt NEH 3:25 AM · 2.0 ftL 10:28 AM · 0.9 ft

  • Long Point

    Cape · 0.8 mi

    65
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 65
    • Scup 61
    • Little tunny 55

    15 kt NEH 3:25 AM · 2.0 ftL 10:28 AM · 0.9 ft

  • Bluff Point

    Cape · 1.1 mi

    65
    Top: SpotPeak season
    • Spot 65
    • Scup 61
    • Little tunny 55

    15 kt NEH 3:25 AM · 2.0 ftL 10:28 AM · 0.9 ft

Scores and forecasts are for planning only and can be wrong. Conditions on the water change fast; check the marine forecast before you go. Regulations change during the season, so confirm limits and closures with Maryland DNR before you keep a fish.