Waterlands

Species guide · Maryland

Bluefish fishing in Maryland

Pomatomus saltatrix, a nearshore species also called blues, choppers and snapper blues. Listed for the Mid-Atlantic region. Peak season, about 3 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD at 74, one of 14 Maryland bay systems where the Waterlands engine is scoring it.

Season now

Peak season
Where it's scoring nowAll Maryland waters

Season by month

From the Waterlands saltwater species research: when the fish are present and biting, not whether retention is open.

Mid-Atlantic

Peak season, about 3 more weeks
  1. Jan: Not present
  2. Feb: Not present
  3. Mar: Not present
  4. Apr: Shoulder season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Shoulder season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Peak season
  12. Dec: Off season

Peak: May, Oct to Nov. In season (shoulder or peak): Apr to Nov.

Research notes, Mid-Atlantic region

Spring run of large fish in late April and May (VMRC citations for Virginia cluster April-May), summer fish on inlets and ocean lumps, fall run October-November as schools move south. ASMFC 2026 bag is 5 fish for private anglers and 7 for for-hire.

Seasons and limits in these notes are background. The regulations below and the regulator’s own page govern.

Where it's scoring now · 14

Maryland bay systems ranked by the Waterlands engine's bluefish score this hour.

1
74Great
Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (74) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 3 PM (77) · 35 named spots

2
73Great
Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (74) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (78) · 59 named spots

3
72Great
Chester River to Queenstown MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Sun, Nov 8 at 2 PM (78) · 11 named spots

4
72Great
Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 3 PM (74) · 39 named spots

5
72Great
Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (79) · 166 named spots

6
71Great
Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (71) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 5 PM (77) · 10 named spots

7
71Great
Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (78) · 8 named spots

8
71Great
Coastal waters from Fenwick Island DE to Chincoteague VA out 20 NM

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (71) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 5 PM (76) · 53 named spots

9
71Great
Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (72) · Best day Sun, Nov 1 at 5 PM (77) · 11 named spots

10
70Great
Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (70) · Best day Mon, Nov 9 at 3 PM (78) · 33 named spots

11
70Great
Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (70) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 3 PM (78) · 8 named spots

12
70Great
Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (70) · Best day Sat, Nov 7 at 4 PM (76) · 3 named spots

13
65Great
Eastern Bay

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (68) · Best day Sun, Nov 8 at 2 PM (78) · 18 named spots

14
64Good
Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River

Best window today 11 PM-12 AM (71) · Best day Sat, Oct 31 at 6 PM (78) · 46 named spots

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 55°F to 84°F, best between 64°F and 75°F.
Water depth
3 to 70 ft of water.
Structure
Rip, inlet, shoal, surf, point, jetty, pier and bay, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers moving water and outgoing tide, with strong current.Bluefish feed where current concentrates bait: rips, inlet mouths and shoal edges on a hard-running tide. The ebb out of inlets pushes bait to waiting fish. Slack water usually slows the bite.
Light
Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
Pressure
Little response to pressure changes.
Wind and sea limits
20 kt of wind and 5 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Bluefish travel in size-sorted schools and feed where tide pushes bait past structure: inlet mouths, rips, shoal edges and the surf line, mostly in water shallower than 60 feet. Look for birds and breaking bait and cast metal or poppers into it, or soak cut bunker or mullet on the bottom from the beach. Use a short wire or heavy leader because their teeth cut light line.

Methods
casting, surf casting, trolling, chunking, jigging, fly fishing
Lures
metal spoons, diamond jigs, topwater poppers, swimming plugs, bucktail jigs, soft plastic jerkbaits
Bait
cut menhaden (bunker), cut or finger mullet, live peanut bunker, squid strips

Regulations

Maryland DNR saltwater regulations Buy a Maryland fishing license License types

Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Synced with Maryland DNR Oct 31, 2026.

No reviewed bluefish rule for Maryland is on file yet. Check with Maryland DNR before you keep one.

Other Maryland species