Waterlands

Species guide · Maryland

Red drum fishing in Maryland

Sciaenops ocellatus, an inshore species also called redfish, reds and puppy drum. Listed for the Mid-Atlantic region. Peak season, about 5 more weeks.

Right now it scores best in Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD at 84, 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 5 more weeks
  1. Jan: Not present
  2. Feb: Not present
  3. Mar: Not present
  4. Apr: Off season
  5. May: Peak season
  6. Jun: Shoulder season
  7. Jul: Shoulder season
  8. Aug: Shoulder season
  9. Sep: Peak season
  10. Oct: Peak season
  11. Nov: Off season
  12. Dec: Not present

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

Research notes, Mid-Atlantic region

Chesapeake Bay Program lists red drum in the bay May to November, with adults most common near the bay mouth in spring and autumn migrations. Virginia Eastern Shore barrier islands and shoals are the main spots. Rare north of Delaware.

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 red drum score this hour.

1
84Great
Chesapeake Bay from Sandy Point to North Beach MD

Best window today 8-10 PM (84) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 8 PM (84) · 33 named spots

2
84Great
Chester River to Queenstown MD

Best window today 8-10 PM (84) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 7 PM (84) · 11 named spots

3
83Great
Eastern Bay

Best window today 8-10 PM (83) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 6 PM (83) · 18 named spots

4
81Great
Tidal Potomac from Indian Head to Cobb Island MD

Best window today 8-11 PM (81) · Best day Sat, Sep 26 at 5 PM (82) · 8 named spots

5
80Great
Coastal waters from Fenwick Island DE to Chincoteague VA out 20 NM

Best window today 8-11 PM (80) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 7 PM (81) · 53 named spots

6
80Great
Tangier Sound and the inland waters surrounding Bloodsworth Island

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (80) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 5 PM (85) · 166 named spots

7
79Great
Chesapeake Bay from Pooles Island to Sandy Point MD

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (79) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (81) · 35 named spots

8
79Great
Patapsco River including Baltimore Harbor

Best window today 8-11 PM (80) · Best day Wed, Sep 16 at 10 PM (80) · 39 named spots

9
78Great
Chesapeake Bay from North Beach to Drum Point MD

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (80) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (85) · 8 named spots

10
76Great
Chesapeake Bay from Drum Point MD to Smith Point VA

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (80) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (86) · 10 named spots

11
75Great
Chesapeake Bay north of Pooles Island MD

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (78) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (83) · 59 named spots

12
75Great
Choptank River to Cambridge MD and the Little Choptank River

Best window today 10 PM-12 AM (77) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (86) · 46 named spots

13
75Great
Tidal Potomac from Key Bridge to Indian Head MD

Best window today 8 PM-12 AM (75) · Best day Sun, Sep 20 at 8 AM (79) · 3 named spots

14
70Great
Patuxent River to Broomes Island MD

Best window today 9 PM-12 AM (76) · Best day Thu, Sep 17 at 6 PM (81) · 11 named spots

How and where it feeds

Water temperature
Feeds from 52°F to 92°F, best between 65°F and 84°F.
Water depth
1 to 40 ft of water.
Structure
Flat, oyster, marsh, grass, channel, pass and surf, in that order of preference.
Tide and current
Prefers incoming tide and outgoing tide, with moderate current.A flooding tide lets reds push onto grass flats and into flooded marsh to feed, where they often tail. A falling tide pulls bait out of creeks, so fish creek mouths, drains and oyster bar points. Very low winter tides concentrate fish in potholes and creek channels.
Light
Bites best around dawn and dusk; feeds at night too.
Pressure
Tends to feed as pressure falls ahead of weather.
Wind and sea limits
18 kt of wind and 3 ft of sea. The Waterlands engine scores hours down as conditions pass them.

Tackle and technique

Redfish feed on shallow grass flats, oyster bars and marsh edges, often in 1 to 4 feet of water, and drop into channels, deep holes and tidal creeks when the water turns very hot or cold. Work a live shrimp under a popping cork or a soft plastic along the grass line on a rising tide, then fish creek mouths and drains as the tide falls. Bull reds over 30 inches school in the surf, passes and jetties in late summer and fall, where cut mullet or a live crab on the bottom is the standard approach.

Methods
sight casting, popping cork, bottom fishing, surf fishing, fly fishing, wade fishing
Lures
gold spoon, soft plastic paddle tail, soft plastic shrimp, jighead and grub, topwater plug, shallow-running plug, crab or shrimp fly
Bait
live shrimp, finger mullet, mud minnow, blue crab, cut mullet, pinfish, Atlantic croaker

Regulations

Maryland DNR saltwater regulations Buy a Maryland fishing license License types

Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Synced with Maryland DNR Sep 16, 2026.

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

Other Maryland species