Maryland fishing and boating activities for Labor Day weekend

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, Maryland waters offer various recreational opportunities for fishing and boating. The striped bass season has reopened in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, with a slot size of 19-24 inches and a limit of two fish per day. Coastal striped bass fishing is also open with a 28-inch minimum size and a one-fish daily limit.

Water temperatures in the Main Bay and river mouths are holding in the low 80s, while smaller rivers and streams are in the upper 70s. Due to dry conditions, salinities in Maryland waters are running higher than normal.

Authorities are emphasizing boating safety following U.S. Coast Guard data from 2024, which reported 112 recreational boating accidents in Maryland. These incidents resulted in six deaths, 72 injuries, and over $8.2 million in property damage. Operator inattention was identified as the leading contributing factor to recreational boating accidents.