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Fishing Conditions Forecast

Weekly Fishing Conditions Forecast Summary

March 12 - 18, 2025

forecast iconWith Spring a week away, the signs are everywhere - peepers are peeping, trees are budding, and the crocuses are blooming. As the days grow longer and increasingly warmer, Maryland Bay waters will continue to slowly heat up for gamefish moving up the Bay to spawn. As reported by the NOAA buoys, main Bay surface water temperatures are holding in the mid-40’s (°F). River temperatures are holding in the upper 40's. However, smaller streams and downwind areas on a sunny day will warm faster and will often hold water temperatures in the mid-50's. Such places in low salinity areas will be prime areas to look for yellow perch as they move up from their wintering areas in the downstream portion of rivers and prepare to spawn in the next couple of weeks in Maryland waters.

As always, the best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting them with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish.

For more detailed and up-to-date fishing conditions in your area of the bay, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay's Click Before You Cast.

Fishing Condition Details:

  • Pattern Stability - Warming temperatures this week (day: 60/70's, night: 40/50's) There is a chance of rain on Sunday and Monday. Expect 5-15kt winds this week with windier conditions on Saturday and Sunday. Sunrise next week around 7:15am and sunset around 7:13pm.

  • Salinity - Flows to Maryland waters are running below normal so salinity is still slightly above normal for this time of year.

  • Oxygen - Recent oxygen conditions are as follows:
    • Stateline up to Point Lookout: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Point No Point up to the Gooses: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Little Choptank up to Choptank River: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Bloody Point: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Bay Bridge: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Swan Point: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Still Pond up to the Susquehanna Flats: Adequate oxygen to bottom
    • Potomac River: Adequate oxygen to bottom

    For oxygen forecasts, see VIMS Depth to 3 mg/l.
    To identify your local conditions, see "Don't fish below this depth."
    For information on Maryland's main bay oxygen conditions, see Maryland's latest hypoxia report.

  • Temperature (°F) - Main Bay surface temperatures are holding in the mid-40's (°F). River temperatures are holding in the upper 40's (°F). As recorded at the real-time NOAA and DNR buoys, daytime Bay water temperatures are as follows:

    • For the upper/mid-Bay:
      • Susquehanna River at Darlington (USGS): 44°F
      • Tolchester: NR
      • Baltimore/Patapsco River: NR
      • Thomas Point: NR
      • Annapolis NOAA Buoy: 45°F

    • For the mid/lower-Bay:
      • NOAA/DNR Gooses Reef buoy: 43°F
      • Bishops Head: 50°F
      • Choptank, Cambridge: 46°F

    • For the Potomac River:
      • Point Lookout NOAA buoy (surface): 45°F
      • Lewisetta: 48°F
      • Mallows Bay: NR
      • Washington DC at Little Falls (USGS): 51°F

    To see water temperature by depth, check out our interactive “Water Temperature by Depth map.” For water temperatures in some of Maryland’s smaller rivers and streams, check “NOAA’s Mid-Atlantic Water Temperatures.”

  • Clarity - Expect average water clarity for the Maryland portion of the Bay. To see the latest water clarity conditions on NOAA satellite maps, check "Eyes on the Bay Satellite Maps.”

  • Habitat - To see locations of key Bay bottom habitat, see the ”Bay Bottom Habitat Mapper.”

  • Moving water - Expect average flows for most of Maryland rivers and streams. There will be above average tidal current conditions all week as a result of the full moon on Friday, March 14th.

  • Putting it all together - The best fishing areas could be further refined by intersecting these prime areas with underwater points, hard bottom, drop-offs, and large schools of baitfish.

For a step-by-step way to find the best fishing areas based on water conditions, be sure to check out Eyes on the Bay's Click Before You Cast. Have a safe and enjoyable fishing trip, and as always, drop us a line with comments or suggestions.