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Choptank River Fishing Report

Updated Fri, Sep 4, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

The Eastern Shore’s river: the Choptank runs white perch, stripers and blue crabs through Maryland farmland.

2/5
Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.
Flow
17 cfs
Air / High
87 / 87 F
Wind
WNW 8 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01491000, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Friday
4
September 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

2/5Slow. Work for them.Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Choptank River offers the kind of conditions this water was made for. The river is running 17 cfs, dropping and clearing. Today brings clear skies, wind WNW around 8 mph, rising pressure near 1012 hPa and a high of 87. Water sits around 72 F for the season (estimated). With the last quarter, the solunar majors run 5:39 AM-7:39 AM and 5:39 PM-7:39 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

BluefishExcellent

Follow the bunker and mullet schools: blitzes can erupt anywhere on the beach. Wire or heavy leader always.

Redfish (red drum)Excellent

Prime sight-fishing: tailing fish on shallow flats, schools pushing water. Weedless spoons, shrimp under a popping cork, cut mullet in the guts.

Striped bassGood

Surface action windows at dawn; otherwise free-lines and planer boards over long points and humps.

Tomorrow: Similar at 83 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Sat, Sep 5, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Water and weather

Live readings from Choptank River near Greensboro.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01491000.

19396017 cfs08/0508/1508/2509/04

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp87 F
High / Low87 / 72 F
WindWNW 8-12 mph
Pressure1012.4 hPa, rising
Sky / Rain1% cloud, 76%
Sunrise / Sunset06:36 / 19:30
MoonLast Quarter, 50%
Water temp (seasonal)~72 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunset

Next 7 days

Tap a day for the detailed outlook.

Fri Sep 4 · Rain, 87/72 F, wind 16 mph, rain 76%

Slow. High rain chance; fish the front edge before it arrives.

Species guide

The species that matter on Choptank River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Striped bass illustration

Striped bass

Best: spring and fall

The reservoir heavyweight. Follows shad and herring schools in open water year-round. Surface action windows at dawn; otherwise free-lines and planer boards over long points and humps.

Bluefish illustration

Bluefish

Best: Sep-Oct blitzes

The ocean's most honest fish: when blues blitz bait on the beach, everything with hooks gets bit. Follow the bunker and mullet schools: blitzes can erupt anywhere on the beach. Wire or heavy leader always.

Redfish (red drum) illustration

Redfish (red drum)

Best: Sep-Nov bull run

The copper-flanked king of the flats and surf: tailing in inches of water, schooling by the hundred in fall. Prime sight-fishing: tailing fish on shallow flats, schools pushing water. Weedless spoons, shrimp under a popping cork, cut mullet in the guts.

When to come: the Choptank River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Striped bass
Bluefish
Redfish (red drum)
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 72 F (estimated, not a reading).

4050607080JanMarMayJulSepNovSep, ~72 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Choptank River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Thu, Sep 3

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 88 F, wind to 14 mph.

Wed, Sep 2

5/5 Excellent. Go now. Everything lines up: pressure, wind and light are in your favor. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 83 F, wind to 10 mph.

Tue, Sep 1

4/5 Good. Solid day ahead. Stable-to-falling pressure and workable wind line things up. Striped bass led the card at excellent. High of 91 F, wind to 10 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
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Before you go

License

Maryland requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Maryland license. Striped bass seasons and slot limits change annually: check current DNR regulations, plus crabbing rules if applicable.

Access

Ramps at Cambridge, Denton and Choptank; extensive kayak access on the tributary creeks.

About this water

A 71-mile tidal river across Maryland’s Eastern Shore to the Chesapeake at Cambridge, Talbot and Caroline counties.

Fishing Choptank River: the full guide

Maryland’s longest Eastern Shore river

The Choptank River flows about 71 miles across Maryland’s Eastern Shore to the Chesapeake Bay at Cambridge, the longest river on the Delmarva Peninsula. Tidal through most of its length, it holds striped bass, white perch, catfish, largemouth bass in the fresh upper reaches, and the blue crabs that define Chesapeake summers.

Stripers and perch

Striped bass follow bait through the river on the tides, holding on the channel edges, points, bridge structure and the Dover Bridge area: plugs, plastics and live bait on moving water. White perch are abundant year-round and provide steady light-tackle action, concentrating in the upper river and creeks during the cooler months.

Bass and crabs

The freshwater upper river above Denton holds largemouth bass, crappie and sunfish in classic tidal-freshwater habitat, fished from small boats and kayaks. Blue crabs fill the middle river in summer, taken with traps and trotlines, and are as much a part of the local fishing culture as any fish.

Eastern Shore logistics

Ramps at Cambridge, Denton, Choptank and along the river serve anglers, with extensive kayak access on the creeks. Tides drive everything: plan around them rather than the clock. Cambridge and Easton provide services, and the Blackwater refuge nearby adds wildlife viewing to a trip.

Common questions

What is the main species?

Striped bass and white perch on the tides, with largemouth in the fresh upper river above Denton.

Do tides matter?

Entirely: plan around the tide rather than the clock, as moving water concentrates bait and fish.

Can I crab?

Yes: blue crabs fill the middle river in summer and are a central part of local fishing culture.

Is fishing good at Choptank River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Slow. Work for them. Conditions favor short windows and patient fishing.

Nearby waters

Nanticoke River25 miChesapeake Bay (Annapolis)30 miPatuxent River39 miSilver Lake44 miBroadkill River47 miDelaware Bay49 mi
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