Anglers in Southern Maryland report abundant striped bass, known locally as rockfish, feeding actively across the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers as of October 27, 2025, according to Ken Lamb of St. Mary’s Tacklebox. The fish surface at dawn and dusk from Sharps Island south to Hooper Strait, with sizes ranging from 23 inches to 35 inches, though keepers fitting the 20- to 31-inch slot limit prove challenging amid larger specimens. Trolling, jigging on light tackle and blind drifts yield results, while side-scan sonar aids midday searches in the main bay stem.
Lamb’s update highlights consistent catches at Cedar Point’s rocks and rips, where multiple techniques succeed. The Patuxent River holds scattered rockfish from Benedict to Cedar Point, including hotspots at Sheridan Point, Broome Island, Sea Breeze, St. Leonard’s Lump, Half Pone Point and Sotterley. On the Potomac, breaking fish appear at dawn and dusk near Dolly Parton and Ragged Point, with steady bites along oyster bar edges. Additional action spans St. Clements Island, St. George Island, the St. Mary’s River mouth to Cornfield Harbor on the Maryland side, and Vero Beach to Lewisetta on the Virginia shore.
Big perch are thick for bottom fishermen near Pasadena. The Miss Susie Charters are loading up after striper limits are reached. Fantastic fishing! Give Captain Greg a call.
White perch, often hooked incidentally by rockfish jiggers, add to the mix in the Patuxent, particularly at Hawk’s Nest and Captain’s Point, where larger specimens exceed 10 inches. These panfish favor bottom rigs with bloodworms or minnows, providing a bonus for multi-species outings in the river’s mid-depth channels.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources regulations for 2025 govern the fall season, open through December 10 in most areas with a one-fish daily limit per angler measuring 20 to 31 inches. Non-offset circle hooks remain mandatory for natural bait rigs targeting rockfish, a measure to reduce gut hooking and aid release of undersized or oversized fish. The Potomac River Management Area, spanning Southern Maryland’s western boundary, aligns with these rules but includes tidal-specific zones where creel limits apply from Lewisetta northward. Anglers must check for updates, as emergency actions earlier this year adjusted spring protections to bolster spawning stocks amid ongoing population concerns.
This fall surge aligns with seasonal migrations, as rockfish push into shallower bays and tributaries chasing baitfish schools like menhaden and spot. Water temperatures hovering near 65 degrees Fahrenheit in late October trigger surface breaks, especially during low light, drawing birds that signal boils from afar. Local charter operators note the pattern holds stronger this year, with young-of-the-year surveys showing improved recruitment over 2024 levels, though overall stocks remain below historic highs. In St. Mary’s County, where the Patuxent meets the bay near Solomons, such runs support a $50 million annual fishery economy, blending recreational boats from marinas like Spring Cove and commercial watermen netting for markets in Leonardtown.
Techniques vary by spot: At Cedar Point, a historic rip formed by converging currents off Drum Point, vertical jigging with 1- to 2-ounce bucktails in chartreuse or white mimics fleeing silversides, often paired with soft plastics for picky fish. Trollers deploy umbrella rigs at 4 to 6 knots, skirting spoons 20 feet behind planer boards to cover water efficiently. On the Potomac’s structure-rich bottom, edges of oyster bars—remnants of 19th-century aquaculture—hold fish tight; drifting live eels or cut mullet on fish-finder rigs scores limits, respecting the 18-inch minimum for perch in tidal sections.
Perch action peaks as temperatures drop, with Patuxent fish staging near creek mouths for winter holds. No creel limit exists for white perch statewide, but a 4-inch minimum applies in some zones; bloodworm-tipped hooks on high-low rigs excel here, yielding table fare that grills well with local seasonings. Recent reports confirm perch mixing with rockfish schools, boosting hauls for those probing 15- to 25-foot depths.
Weather poses a near-term risk, with a Small Craft Advisory in effect from 6 p.m. October 27 through 6 p.m. October 28 across the bay, driven by northeast winds gusting to 25 knots and building seas to 3-5 feet. Lamb warns of a developing nor’easter that could murk waters for days post-passage, urging trips now under clear conditions. Boaters should monitor VHF Channel 16 and file float plans, given the bay’s shoals near Sharps Island Light.
Southern Maryland’s fishing heritage traces to Native American middens along the Patuxent, evolving through colonial oystering to modern conservation under the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. Today’s efforts, including slot limits since 2003, aim to sustain runs for future generations in communities like Hollywood and Callaway, where tackle shops like St. Mary’s Tacklebox in Great Mills stock essentials from G Loomis rods to Yo-Zuri lures.
As November nears, expect rockfish to deepen, shifting focus to chunking bunker over wrecks like the former Potomac River Lightship site. Perch will cluster in warmer creeks, offering family-friendly shore fishing from piers at St. Clements Bay. With Halloween spot runs winding down, this interlude favors dedicated rock hunters before winter blues take hold.
