| Species |
Seasons |
Average Weights |
| Amberjack |
June - October;
peak July - middle September
|
30 - 60 pounds |
| Black Sea Bass |
April - December;
Species move to waters offshore (20 fathoms and more) during winter, where they can be caught over wrecks and ledges |
1 - 3-1/2 pounds |
Bluefish
(large) |
Middle April - July;
October - December |
8 - 16 pounds |
Bluefish
(small) |
May - October |
1 - 5 pounds |
| Cobia |
May - September
peak mid June - mid September |
20 - 50 pounds |
| Croaker |
April - October |
1/2 - 2 pounds |
| Dolphin |
May - October |
2 - 20 pounds |
| Black Drum |
May - September; peak
May - early June along Eastern Shore bayside and seaside inlets; peak late June - early August at 2nd and 3rd islands of Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel |
40 - 60 pounds |
| Red Drum |
May - early July on shoal at mouth of the Chesapeake Bay;
August - September along Eastern Shore bayside channel edge;
May - early June around Parker's Island;
mid-May - June and mid-September - October for surfcasting;
late April - May in Smith island inlet
March - June in Rudee Inlet.
|
30 - 50 pounds |
| Flounder |
March - November; peak
May - July on Eastern Shore seaside;
July - October in Chesapeake Bay |
1 - 3 pounds |
| Kingfish (Roundhead, Whiting) |
May - October |
1/2 - 1-1/2 pounds |
| Mackeral, Atlantic (Boston Mackerel) |
Mid - February - mid April
peak March - early April |
1/2 - 3 pounds |
| Mackerel, King |
June - October; peak
September - middle October |
5 - 20 pounds |
| Mackerel, Spanish |
June - October; peak
June - September |
|
| Blue Marlin |
June - October; peak Middle June - September |
150 - 400 pounds |
| White Marlin |
June - October; peak
August - September |
40 - 60 pounds |
| Sailfish |
June - October; peak
July - September |
20 - 40 pounds |
| Sharks |
June - October |
50 - 250 pounds |
| Sheepshead |
May - October |
3 - 8 pounds |
| Spadefish |
May - September |
3 - 8 pounds |
| Spot |
June - October; peak July - September for Chesapeake Bay and tributary rivers; peak middle August - middle October in lower Bay and coastal ocean areas |
8 - 12 ounces |
| Striped Bass |
January - December; peak for large fish in November and December; peak fishing for school fish generally in spring and fall |
5 - 25 pounds |
| Swordfish |
April - October; peak
August - September |
|
| Tautog |
January - December
peak March - June and
October - December
|
3 - 6 pounds |
| Trout, Gray (Weakfish) |
May - November; peak at Cheaspeake Bay Bridge Tunnel May June and October; peak in Chespeake Bay, Bay tributary rivers, and Easter Shore seaside inlets June - September; peak in ocean waters off Eastern Shore from middle September - November |
1 - 8 pounds |
| Trout Speckled |
April - Middle December; peak May - middle June and September - November |
2 - 4 pounds |
| Tuna Bigeye |
June - October; peak late June - July |
100 - 175 pounds |
| Tuna Bluefin |
June - September; peak
June - August; big fish occasioonally found around Chesapeake Light Tower in late November and December |
30 - 70 pounds |
| Tuna Yellowfin |
May - October; peak
June - September |
30 - 70 pounds |
| Tunny Little (False Albacore) |
May - November |
6 - 14 pounds |
| Wahoo |
June - October |
20 - 40 pounds |