Choptank River Fishing Guides
The non-tidal upper Choptank above Greensboro, a narrow hardwood-lined river that fishes as a stream long before it becomes the broad tidal water downstream.
Guides on the Choptank River
Claimed profiles take booking requests. Unclaimed profiles are built from public records so the river is never empty; the guide can claim or remove one any time.
No guides listed yet
Guide or outfit this water? Create your profile. Listing is free, the commission is 10% or 7% with a premium profile, and premium profiles list first on this water.
About the Choptank River
Almost everything written about the Choptank describes the wide tidal river downstream, the one that runs past Denton and Cambridge and opens into Chesapeake Bay miles across. The reach at Greensboro is a different river entirely. Here it is a narrow, shaded, non-tidal stream running through Caroline County farmland and hardwood bottom, small enough to cross on foot in places and intimate enough that a canoe is the sensible way to fish it. Anglers who only know the lower river are usually surprised by how little the two have in common.
The fishing reflects that split personality. The upper river holds largemouth bass along the woody cover, chain pickerel in the slower pools and a good head of bluegill and redbreast sunfish through the summer. Channel catfish work the deeper bends. Where the gradient picks up there is even some smallmouth bass water, which is unusual for the Eastern Shore. Below Greensboro the tide begins to reach, and the fishery adds white perch, American eel and a spring run of hickory shad that draws light-tackle anglers to the head of tide when the water warms.
Access is straightforward but modest, built around road crossings, small county landings and the state park at Martinak. Water level matters more here than on the tidal river, because the upper reach is shallow enough that a dry summer turns some stretches into a drag rather than a paddle, and the gauge near Greensboro is the number to check before committing to a shuttle. Guided work on this part of the river is mostly paddle-based light tackle, with the shad run and the spring bass fishing drawing the most interest.
This water needs a real photo
The photo at the top of this page is not Choptank River.
It is a regional stand-in, honestly captioned but generic — we will not put a name to a river we cannot prove. Send us a photograph you took here and it replaces the stand-in, with your credit on it.
Add a photo of this water
Landscape, not fish — the water itself. Reviewed by hand before it appears. The first one published here earns the Pioneer badge.
Fished this water? Add a photo
Reviewed by hand before it appears. Pick the water, not the spot — we never publish exact locations.
Access
Greensboro - the gauge location, with a town landing and the usual put-in for the upper river.
Martinak State Park - the main developed access downstream, with a ramp, camping and parking.
Denton - the county seat just below, with a public wharf and full services.
Red Bridges - an upstream crossing giving canoe access to the narrow water.
Crouse Park - a Denton riverfront park with shoreline access and a launch.
Tuckahoe Creek - the major tributary, a well-known paddle with its own state park.
Tuckahoe State Park - adjoining public land with trails, a lake and additional launch options.
Seasons
Spring: the strongest season, with bass shallow and the hickory shad run reaching the head of tide.
Summer: low and warm on the upper river, with panfish and pickerel carrying the fishing in the shade.
Fall: cooling water brings bass back onto the feed and the hardwood bottom is at its best.
Winter: slow, with pickerel and the occasional catfish the realistic targets in the deeper bends.
From the water
No logged trips yet. Be the first to put this water on your map.
Log this water
Fished it or cleaned it? Log in or create a free account to log a trip with photos and earn the waterway badge.
Questions
What is the current flow on the Choptank River?
As of Nov 2, 6:15 am, the USGS gauge CHOPTANK RIVER NEAR GREENSBORO, MD reads 18 cfs, with water temperature 50.9 F. Conditions update every 15 minutes.
What species can you catch on the Choptank River?
Anglers target American Eel, Black Crappie, Bluegill, Chain Pickerel, Channel Catfish, Hickory Shad, Largemouth Bass, Redbreast Sunfish, Smallmouth Bass, White Perch on the Choptank River in Maryland.
Where can you access the Choptank River?
Greensboro - the gauge location, with a town landing and the usual put-in for the upper river. Martinak State Park - the main developed access downstream, with a ramp, camping and parking. Denton - the county seat just below, with a public wharf and full services. Red Bridges - an upstream crossing giving canoe access to the narrow water. Crouse Park - a Denton riverfront park with shoreline access and a launch. Tuckahoe Creek - the major tributary, a well-known paddle with its own state park. Tuckahoe State Park - adjoining public land with trails, a lake and additional launch options.
When is the best time to fish the Choptank River?
Spring: the strongest season, with bass shallow and the hickory shad run reaching the head of tide. Summer: low and warm on the upper river, with panfish and pickerel carrying the fishing in the shade. Fall: cooling water brings bass back onto the feed and the hardwood bottom is at its best. Winter: slow, with pickerel and the occasional catfish the realistic targets in the deeper bends.
Where are the fishing regulations for the Choptank River?
Regulations change by season and section. Read the current rules on the Maryland agency site: https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/regulations/index.aspx