Size, bag and season for recreational bluefish in Maryland waters, as published by Maryland DNR Fishing and Boating Services.
Also on the agency page: Changed for 2026 (2025 was 3 private/5 for-hire). Identical on Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic/Coastal Bays tables.
Stale: this row was last checked Oct 10, 2026, past our 30-day limit. Treat it as history and go to the agency page.
Rules change in season, sometimes by emergency notice. This page summarizes the agency page on the date shown. If this summary and the agency page disagree, the agency page controls.
Bluefish rules are mostly about the bag limit, and a state can set a different bag for for-hire customers than for private anglers.
Maryland rules apply in state waters, generally out to 3 nautical miles. Bluefish are jointly managed by ASMFC and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council. Federal recreational measures apply in federal waters. NOAA Fisheries · bluefish ↗
Rules for the same fish change at the state line. If you run across it or land in the next state, those rules apply.
| State | Size | Bag | Status as of Oct 13, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | No size limit | 5 fish per person; 7 per person on a party/charter vessel | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Delaware | No minimum size | 5 (private vessel or shore); 7 (charter boat or headboat) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Maryland | 8" minimum | Shore or private boat: 5 per person; for-hire boat: 7 per person | Openas of Oct 13 |
| Virginia | No minimum size | 5 per person (shore, rented/private vessel, and for-hire/charter) | Openas of Oct 13 |
| North Carolina | No minimum size (DMF page lists 'None') | 5 per person per day (private); 7 per person per day on for-hire vessels | Openas of Oct 13 |
Attributed operator claims, not verified catches. The full Bite Wire →
FishTalk's October 2 lower-bay report had Eric Packard catching six striped bass near Point Lookout on shad-head jigs with soft plastics, and editor Dillon Waters reporting slot fish and overs to 26 inches at a lower Potomac creek mouth. Water at 68 degrees; speckled trout running 10-12 inches across the lower bay.
