2020 Potomac Rockfish Regulations

The 2020 Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) Blue Sheet has been published.  Here are the Rockfish (Striped Bass) regulations for this year.

Striped Bass (Rockfish)

Spring Season
Season Open: May 1 through May 15
Season Closed: n/a
Open Area: Below Harry W. Nice Bridge (Rt. 301)
Minimum Size Limit: 35”
Possession Limit: 1 per person/day (inc. charter capt.)
Bait Restrictions: No live eel. No more than 2 hooks


Summer/Fall Season
Season Open: May 16 – July 6 and Aug. 21 – Dec. 31
Season Closed: July 7 thru Aug. 20 (No Direct Targeting)
Open Area: Below Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95)
Minimum Size Limit: 20”
Possession Limit: 2 per person/day
Bait Restrictions: No more than 2 hooks


Special Restriction: When Fishing for Striped Bass During the Closed Season – Barbless Hooks are Required
Non-Offset Circle Hooks Are Recommended in 2020, And Required in 2021

2018 PRFC Rockfish Regulations Size and Limits

Potomac River Fisheries Commission (PRFC) 2018 Blue Sheet

Striped Bass (Rockfish) Spring Season 
Season Open: April 21 through May 15
Open Area: Below Harry W. Nice Bridge (Rt. 301)
Minimum Size Limit: 35”
Possession Limit: 1 per person/day (inc. charter capt.)
Bait Restrictions: No live eel. No more than 2 hooks
Special Restriction: When Fishing for Striped Bass During the Closed Season Barbless Hooks are Required


Striped Bass (Rockfish) Summer/Fall Season
Season Open: May 16 through December 31
Open Area: Below Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95)
Minimum Size Limit: 20” with only 1 over 28”
Possession Limit: 2 per person/day
Bait Restrictions: No more than 2 hooks
Special Restriction: When Fishing for Striped Bass During the Closed Season – Barbless Hooks are Required

2017 PRFC Potomac Fishing Sizes and Limits

2017 POTOMAC RIVER FISHERIES COMMISSION

SPORT FISHING IN THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER

LEGAL SIZES, LIMITS AND OTHER RESTRICTIONS

PDF link to official PRFC published document

Striped Bass (Rockfish) Spring Season
Season Open: April 15 through May 15
Open Area: Below Harry W. Nice Bridge (Rt. 301)
Minimum Size Limit: 35”
Possession Limit: 1 per person/day (inc. charter capt.)
Bait Restrictions: No live eel. No more than 2 hooks
Special Restriction: When Fishing for Striped Bass During the Closed Season – Barbless Hooks are Required


Striped Bass (Rockfish) Summer/Fall Season
Season Open: May 16 through December 31
Open Area: Below Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95)
Minimum Size Limit: 20” with only 1 over 28”
Possession Limit: 2 per person/day
Bait Restrictions: No more than 2 hooks
Special Restriction: When Fishing for Striped Bass During the Closed Season – Barbless Hooks are Required

Black Bass (Largemouth Bass)
Season: 15” March 1 – June 15
Minimum Size Limit: 12” all other times
Possession Limit: 5 per person

Pike (Chain Pickerel)
Minimum Size Limit: 14”
No Possession Limit

Black Drum
Minimum Size Limit: 16”
Possession Limit: 1 per person

Red Drum (Puppy Drum)
Minimum Size Limit: 18”
Maximum Size Limit: 25”
Possession Limit: 5 per person

Black Sea Bass
Season: TBA
Minimum Size Limit: TBA(1)
Possession Limit: TBA
(1) Tail filament is not incl. in total length of the fish

Spanish Mackerel
Minimum Size Limit: 14”
Possession Limit: 15 per person

Bluefish (Taylor)
Minimum Size Limit: 8”
Possession Limit: 10 per person

Spotted Sea Trout
Minimum Size Limit: 14”
Possession Limit: 10 per person

Catfish – Bullhead
Minimum Size Limit: 6”
No Possession Limit

Summer Flounder
Minimum Size Limit: TBA
Possession Limit: TBA

Crappie
No Minimum Size Limit
Possession Limit: 10 per person

Tautog
Minimum Size Limit: 14”
No Possession Limit

Croaker (Hardhead)
Minimum Size Limit: 9”
Possession Limit: 25 per person

Weakfish (Sea Trout)
Minimum Size Limit: 12”
Possession Limit: 1 per person

Eel
Minimum Size Limit: 9”
Possession Limit: 25 per person

Yellow Perch
Minimum Size Limit: 9”
Possession Limit: 10 per person

Catfish – Blue
Season: Year Round Blue catfish are likely causing detrimental impacts throughout
Minimum Size Limit: None their expanding range, potentially creating unbalanced
Possession Limit: Unlimited ecosystems.

Snakehead
No Minimum Size Limit It shall be unlawful to possess a live snakehead fish or to
No Possession Limit return, release, or otherwise discard any living snakehead fish
to the Potomac River.

Shad – American
Season Closed – Moratorium

Sturgeon
Season Closed – Moratorium

Shad – Hickory
Season Closed – Moratorium

River Herring (Blueback, Alewife)
Season Closed – Moratorium

Colonial Beach Rockfish Tournament 12 and 13 Nov 2016

The Fall Colonial Beach Rockfish Tournament is going on this weekend.  If I hear any updates, I will post them here.  Otherwise, here's a link to their official site:

http://rockfishtournament.org/

Potomac Fishing Report (by Coles Point Marina) 08 NOV 2016

This report was written by the folks at Coles Point Marina.  Visit Coles Point Marina on Facebook

Colonial Beach (VA) - there have been multiple reports this week of acres of breaking fish just off the beach in Colonial Beach. with birds giving their movements away. Fish have been spotted from the bridge to well below CB. Troll bucktails, clark spoons and tandem parachutes with 6” sassy shads in white & chartreuse. Jigheads with bass assassins or BKD’s work well with fish on top or heavy jigheads or stingsilvers on bottom below schools to locate larger resident fish.

St Clements Island (MD) - Trollers have had luck for a couple of weeks in 25-35’ of water in front of the island. Occasional breaking fish between here & Coles Point.

Coles Point/Tall Timbers (VA) - Casters targeting structure have caught plenty of healthy fish early on topwater plugs to 32”. Occasional afternoon breakers.

#7 & #9 - Keeper rockfish to 24” are being caught underneath school of small breakers. Trollers are catching too when they can track with the schools without spooking them

Point Lookout (MD) & Mouth of Potomac - Schools of undersized breakers seen as recently at this morning dominate the action at the mouth. Reports of keeper trout on bottom under schools on jigs in deeper water.

Chesapeake Bay - If you know where structure is and you can get there at first light there are a few local fish to 36” around the Middle Grounds. Jigs & topwater are the ticket. Look for plenty breakers in the afternoon with sub-legal rockfish.

Visit Coles Point Marina on Facebook

Potomac Rockfish Opening Season Tide Tables (18 and 19 April 2015)

Here are the tide reports for tide stations on the Potomac for Opening Day 18 April, 2015.

Colonial Beach
Nomini Creek
Ragged Point (Coles Point)
Lewisetta
Piney Point

Good luck this season!!

Colonial Beach, Potomac River Tide Charts

Mount Holly, Nomini Creek, Potomac River Tide Charts

 Ragged Point, Coles Neck Potomac River Tide Charts

Lewisetta, Potomac River Tide Charts

Piney Point, Potomac River Tide Charts

2015 Potomac Rockfish Regulations and Limits

There is a slot limit this Spring season, meaning that one fish in the slot between 28 inches to 36 inches can be kept, or one fish over 40 inches.  So, you CANNOT keep a fish between 36 and 40 inches.

2015 Potomac Rockfish Limits:

Striped Bass (Rockfish) SPRING Season 2015
Season Open:  April 18 through May 15
Open Area:  Below Harry W. Nice Bridge (Rt. 301)
Minimum / Slot Limit:  28" to 36" -OR- 1 fish over 40"
Possession Limit:  One (1) per person (including charter captain)
Bait Restrictions:  No Live Eel, No more than two (2) hooks

Striped Bass (Rockfish) SUMMER/FALL Season 2015
Season Open:  May 16 through December 31
Open Area:  Below Woodrow Wilson Bridge (I-95)
Minimum / Slot Limit:  20" with only one (1) over 28"
Possession Limit:  Two (2) per person
Bait Restrictions:  No more than two (2) hooks

Here's  a screenshot of the actual PRFC regulation card for 2015.