Summary of Maryland Tidal Recreational Fisheries Regulations April 1 - April 30, 1999 FISH HEALTH HOTLINE:1-888-584-3110 Revised 3/30/99



Species
Minimum Size
Season, Days, Times, Creel Limits
 Special Conditions/Comments
Bass, Black Sea

10"

OPEN YEAR ROUND
Bass, Largemouth

Bass, Smallmouth

12"

15" Mar - Jun 15
OPEN YEAR ROUND 5/person/day
Bass, Striped (Bay)

$2 Permits Required

28"

Apr 23-May 31

1 fish/person/day

PLEASE Use Circle Hooks when bait fishing
No Eels, restricted to the mainstem Chesapeake Bay

Tangier & Pocomoke Sounds (no tributaries)
Bass, Striped (Bay)

18"

Jun 1-Jun 13-1 fish 18"-28" and

1 larger than 28"/person/day

 Charter boat captain and mate 1/Boat/Day
Bass, Striped (Bay)
18"
Jun 14 -Nov 30-2/person/day
 Charter boat captain and mate 1/Boat/Day
Bass, Striped

Potomac River and Md Tribs

 28"

18"

 Apr 24-May 16-1/person/day



Jul 1-Dec 31-2/person/day

 Striped Bass Permits and REPORTING REQUIRED



Call the Potomac River Fisheries Commission at 800 266-3904

Bass, Striped (Ocean) 28"
OPEN YEAR ROUND 2 /person/day
Bluefish
8"
OPEN YEAR ROUND 10/person/day
Catfish: Blue,Channel,White
10"
OPEN YEAR ROUND

Chain Pickerel or Pike
14"
10/person/day
CLOSED Mar 15 - Apr 30
Clam, Hard

7/8"

Jun 1-Aug 31-1 bushel/person/day
Special requirements in Worcester County
Crab, Blue



Without License



5" Hard



3½" Soft



3" Peeler

Apr 1 - Nov 30

Closed Wednesdays Except handlines, dip nets, pots at private piers



5:30 AM-5:00 PM main bay, 5:30 AM-sunset in tributaries,



1 bushel/person-2 bushels if 2 or more on boat



1 dozen peeler and soft shell/person

 Combination of up to 10 Traps/Rings/Person



Combination of up to 25/Traps/Rings/Boat if 2 or more on boat



600' Trotline/Person. Floats same color, shape and size.



2 Trotlines of 600' per Boat if 2 or more on boat



2 Crab Pots/Private Pier with a turtle reduction device attached to each entrance or funnel in lower chamber constructed of wire or plastic, rectangular in shape with dimensions no larger

than 1¾" x 4¾".

Crab, Blue



With Non-commercial License



CHESAPEAKE BAY

and Tributaries

 SEE ABOVE
SEASON AND TIMES SAME AS ABOVE



2 bushel/person/day-3 bushel/boat/day

if 2 or more on boat and 1 has license

3 doz peeler and soft shell/person
 Combination of up to 30 Traps/Rings/Person



1,200' Trotline/person. Floats same color, shape and size



Croaker
9"

CLOSED Dec 1- Mar 15

Drum, Black
16"

1/person/day & not more than 6/boat/day
Drum, Red
18"
OPEN YEAR ROUND 5/person/day-1 fish over 27"
Eel, American
6"
If pot mesh less than 1/2" x 1/2" escape panel required
 With a non-commercial crab license-10 pots for bait.

(License is required to set pots)

Flounder, Summer

15"

OPEN YEAR ROUND 8 fish/person/day

* PROPOSED CHANGES PENDING
Herring
NONE
CLOSED Jun 6 - Dec 31

Lobster
3 1/4" carapace
OPEN YEAR ROUND

Mackerel, Spanish
14"
OPEN YEAR ROUND 10/fish/person/day

Oysters
3"
Oct 1-Mar 31-1 Bushel/day

Mon-Fri sunrise-3 PM-Sat sunrise to noon
CLOSED AREAS

shaft tongs, rakes, hand and diving
Perch, White
NONE HLI

8" Dipnet
OPEN YEAR ROUND

Perch, Yellow

8½"

9" Select Rivers
Single Barbless Hooks Required Feb 1-Mar 15

5 fish/per/day
 CLOSED Watersheds: Magothy, Nanticoke, Patapsco, Severn,

South and West Rivers

9": Miles, Wye, Patuxent, Choptank and Chester Rivers

Scup

7"

OPEN YEAR ROUND

Sea Trout, Spotted
14"
OPEN YEAR ROUND 10 fish/person/day

Shark (Not Including Dogfish)

NONE

2/vessel/trip +2 Atlantic Sharpnose/vessel/trip

 NO finning, NO longlining
Tautog
14"
OPEN YEAR ROUND 5/Person/Day
Tuna, Bluefin
27"
1/Boat between 27" and 73"
 National Marine Fisheries Service Quota Information

(301) 713-2347

Tuna, Yellowfin
27"
 National Marine Fisheries Service Quota Information

(301) 713-2347

Weakfish

14"

OPEN YEAR ROUND 10 fish/person/day



THE TAKING OF SHAD AND STURGEON IS PROHIBITED. This is an abridged version of the regulations and does not include all regulated species. May not include Emergency Amendments, Quota Closures/Modifications or Proposed Amendments. Consult the MD Register, Code of MD Regulations and Natural Resources Article of the Annotated Code of Md for full legal text For additional information call DNR Fisheries Service, 410 260-8260 or 1-800-688-FINS.

Tidal Sport Fishing License Required for all finfish in the Chesapeake Bay.







SUMMER FLOUNDER - Seasonal restrictions for the Bay and Ocean and size limit adjustments for Ocean being proposed:



Bay - 15" minimum size 8/person/day May 8 - December 31



Ocean - 15½" minimum size 8/person/day April 15 - November 30