The nation’s largest estuary and the northern edge of Tides & Tails’ coverage. Rockfish (striped bass) headline, but reds, specks, Spanish and sheepshead push farther up the bay every warm year.
Region: Mid-Atlantic · MD. Coordinates 38.9833, -76.4816.
This zone reads from NOAA CO-OPS tide station 8575512 — Annapolis, MD — for tide predictions and observed water level, with wind, gusts, air temperature and marine warnings from Open-Meteo and the National Weather Service. Water temperature comes from the same station's thermometer.
Every reading is fetched when you open the page, so nothing here is a published forecast: the tide timeline covers the next 48 hours with highs, lows and moon phase, and the bite outlook scores the current tide stage, water temperature, wind and pressure for the species you pick. Open the console to watch this water on one screen, or see it in context on the coastal map.
For recreation only — not for navigation. In an emergency call 911 or hail the Coast Guard on VHF 16.
Catalog species that hold in this zone: Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum), Sheepshead, Black Drum, Striped Bass, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia.
| Season | Species present |
|---|---|
| spring | Striped Bass, Redfish (Red Drum), Black Drum |
| summer | Striped Bass, Redfish (Red Drum), Speckled Trout, Spanish Mackerel, Cobia, Sheepshead |
| fall | Striped Bass, Speckled Trout, Redfish (Red Drum) |
| winter | Striped Bass |
Regional targets beyond the catalog: White perch · Bluefish.
What to tie on: 32 lures and baits in the lure & bait database are proven for the species that hold in Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis & Lower Bay), and the smart lure tool narrows them to today's conditions on this water.
Spring is trophy rockfish season (tight regulations — always verify current MD rules) plus giant black drum in May. Summer spreads Spanish, cobia and bull reds through the lower bay; heat pushes stripers deep — fish dawn. Fall is the classic: birds, blitzes and topwater rock. Winter is largely closed/catch-and-release for stripers — check before you go.
Base camps and launch areas inside this zone:
Running these waters? Pull the official NOAA chart before you go — it opens centered on this zone. Check the regulations for Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis & Lower Bay) for current size and bag limits, and run the launch-prep checklist before you leave the ramp.
Rather fish Chesapeake Bay (Annapolis & Lower Bay) with someone who runs it every week? These local businesses call this zone home port:
Browse every listing in the charters & guides directory, or — if you run trips here yourself — list your business.
The what's-biting report and the angler reports on this page are sample content, clearly labeled as a demo in the app — posting and replies activate with the community account system. Live tide, water temperature, wind and warning data are real and pull from NOAA and Open-Meteo on every visit.