Chesapeake Bay Seasons, Sizes & Limits

Fishermen of the Chesapeake Bay! Here is a list of fish, the minimum size they need to be in order for you to cook, eat and swallow them, how many you can catch a day, and any additional remarks deemed helpful or necessary.

American Eel

• Minimum Size Limit: 9 inches
• Season: Jan 1–Aug 31, except open year round for spears and baited traps or pots
• Creel Limit: Daily—25

Largemouth & Smallmouth Bass

• Minimum Size Limit: 15 inches, March 1–June 15 | 12 inches, June 16 through last day in February
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creel Limit: Daily — 5 in aggregate

Black Drum

• Minimum Size Limit: 16 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creel Limit: Daily—1 / Boat Limit—6

Black Sea Bass

• Minimum Size Limit: 13 inches
• Season: May 15 - December 11
• Creel Limit: Daily—15

Bluefish

• Minimum Size Limit: 8 inches
• Season: Open Year Round /
• Creed Limit: Shore or Private Boat: Daily—3 / For-Hire Boat: Daily—5

Catfish

• Minimum Size Limit: None
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: None

Chain Pickerel (Pike)

• Minimum Size Limit: 14 inches
• Season: CLOSED March 15–April 30
• Creed Limit: Daily—10

Cobia

• Minimum Size Limit: 40 inches
• Season: June 15–September 15
• Creed Limit: 1 cobia per person per day; or up to 2 cobia per vessel per day if there are 2 or more individuals on the vessel

Croaker (Hardhead)

• Minimum Size Limit: 9 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—25

Northern Snakehead

• Minimum Size Limit: None
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: None
• Note: Illegal to possess live snakehead fish.

Red Drum (Channel Bass or Puppy Drum)

• Minimum Size Limit: 18–27 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—1

Sharks

See Highly Migratory Species

Sheephead

• Minimum Size Limit: None
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—4

Shrimp (Brown, White)

• Minimum Size Limit: None
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: None
• Note: Must use authorized gear.

Snapper Species

• Minimum Size Limit: None
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—20
• Note: Snapper species

Spanish Mackerel

• Minimum Size Limit: 14 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—15
• Note: Must be landed with head and fins intact.

Spot

• Minimum Size Limit: None
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—50

Spotted Seatrout

• Minimum Size Limit: 14 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—4

Striped Bass

See Chesapeake Bay Striped Bass Section

Summer Flounder (Fluke)

• Minimum Size Limit: 16.5 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—4
• Note: To maximize summer flounder survivability, use a 3/0 or larger hook and be prepared to release undersized fish (pliers, wet rag, and a ruler).

Tautog

• Minimum Size Limit: 16 inches
• Season: CLOSED May 16–June 30
• Creed Limit: January 1–May 15: Daily—4 | July 1–October 31: Daily—2 | November 1–December 31: Daily—4

Walleye

• Minimum Size Limit: 15 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—5

Weakfish

• Minimum Size Limit: 13 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—1

White Perch

• Minimum Size Limit: None if caught with hook and line; 8 inch minimum if caught with other gear
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: None

Yellow Perch

• Minimum Size Limit: 9 inches
• Season: Open Year Round
• Creed Limit: Daily—10

Alewife Herring, American Shad, Atlantic Sturgeon, Blueback Herring, Hickory Shad and Shortnose Sturgeon

CLOSED.