Maryland Fishing Report - August 23

Maryland’s fishing conditions for the week of August 19–25 cover freshwater, the brackish Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. In the Bay, recreational crabbing is described as very good, with anglers finding a variety of options. The state Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that targeting striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries is prohibited through August 31 as a conservation measure. Water temperatures in the main Bay and river mouths remain in the low 80s, with upper 70s in smaller rivers and streams. Oxygen is adequate in most bottom waters, but problems are noted near Indian Head to Colonial Beach and in the Upper Bay from Sassafras down to the Chester River mouth. Higher-than-normal salinities and warm temperatures are favoring sea nettles around the Bay Bridge and the Potomac.