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Maryland

Fishing

Fishing

Special Management Areas—Trout

Catch-and-Return Trout Fishing Areas— Limited to Artificial Fly Fishing

Areas:

  • Big Hunting Creek, Frederick County—all waters of Big Hunting Creek and its tributaries within Cunningham Falls State Park and Catoctin Mountain Park except Owens Creek, Little Hunting Creek, Cunningham Falls Lake and Frank Bentz Pond.
  • Beaver Creek, Washington County—from the confluence with Black Rock Creek downstream approximately 1 mile to the red post located 0.1 mile above Beaver Creek Road.
  • Patuxent River, Montgomery and Howard Counties—from red bank posts located on both sides of the river, approximately 400 yards below Brighton Dam downstream to Mink Hollow Road.

Restrictions:

  • You may not possess trout while fishing in these areas.
  • All trout must be immediately released.
  • You may only fish with artificial flies and streamers constructed in a normal fashion using natural and/or synthetic materials, which may include feathers, fur, hair, tinsel, thread, fiber, plastic, cork, wire and rubber on a single hook with the components wound on or around the hook. Specifically prohibited are the use of molded replicas of insects, earthworms, fish eggs, fish or any invertebrate or vertebrate either singly or in combination with other materials, or other lures commonly described as spinners, spoons, or plugs made of metal, plastic, wood, rubber or similar substance or a combination of these.
  • You may only fish with conventional fly fishing tackle, fly rods, fly reels, and fly line. Any method of angling when the fly is cast directly from the reel is prohibited. The use of spinning, spincast, and casting reels is prohibited.
  • You may not possess or use any natural bait, or live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.
  • You may not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Catch-and-Return Trout Fishing Areas—Limited to the Use of Artificial Lures

Areas:

  • Patuxent River, Howard and Montgomery counties—the mainstem of the Patuxent River from the crossing of MD Route 97 upstream to the crossing of MD Route 27 and Cabin Branch from its confluence with the Patuxent River upstream to Hipsley Mill Road.
  • Morgan Run, Carroll County—from bridge on London Bridges Road upstream to bridge on MD Route 97.
  • Paint Branch and tributaries, Montgomery County—upstream of Fairland Road.
  • Gunpowder Falls, Baltimore County—mainstem from Prettyboy Reservoir Dam downstream to Bluemount Road.
  • North Branch Potomac River—from an overhead cable and red bank post located approximately 345 yards below the Jennings Randolph Reservoir spillway downstream approximately one mile to a red post, located approximately 100 yards above the upstream concrete abutments at Barnum, West Virginia, and from a red post located below a pool known as Blue Hole, approximately 1⁄3 mile upstream of Bench Mark 1110 on the Westernport United States Geological Survey Quadrangle, downstream approximately 4 miles to the confluence of Piney Swamp Run.
  • Youghiogheny River, Garrett County—mainstem beginning at the red post approximately 100 yards upstream of the Deep Creek Lake tailrace and extending downstream 4 miles to the Sang Run Bridge.
  • Little Hunting Creek, Frederick County—mainstem from the red post located approximately 0.25 mile downstream of Route 806, upstream to include all waters of Little Hunting Creek within the boundaries of Cunningham Falls State Park.

Restrictions:

  • You may not possess trout while fishing in these areas.
  • All trout must be immediately released.
  • You may only fish with artificial lures, including artificial flies.
  • You may not possess or use any natural bait, live bait or any device enhanced with scent capable of catching fish.
  • You may not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Catch-and-Return Trout Fishing Area—North Branch Potomac River

Area:

  • North Branch of the Potomac River from the Upper Potomac River Commission Wastewater Treatment Plant discharge at Westernport downstream to the Route 956 bridge at Pinto.

Restrictions:

  • You must immediately release any trout.
  • You may not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Catch-and-Return Trout Fishing Area—Savage River

Area:

  • Savage River mainstem and tributaries upstream of the Savage River Reservoir dam, excluding the put-and-take-areas

Restrictions:

  • You may not possess brook trout in this area.
  • You must immediately release any brook trout.
  • Creel Limit: All other trout species combined—2 Daily / 4 Possession.
  • You may only fish with artificial flies and artificial lures.
  • You may not possess or use natural or live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.
  • You may not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Catch-and-Return Trout Fishing Area—Waters East of Interstate 81

Area:

  • All nontidal waters east of Interstate 81.

Restrictions:

  • You may not possess brook trout in this area.
  • You must immediately release any brook trout.

Trophy Trout Fishing Areas—Limited to the Use of Artificial Lures and Flies

Area:

  • Savage River mainstem from the downstream side of the Rt. 135 Bridge upstream for a distance of approximately 2.7 miles to the lower suspension bridge (Allegany Bridge).

Restrictions:

  • Creel Limit: All trout species combined—
    2 Daily / 4 Possession.
  • Minimum Sizes:
    • Brook trout—12 inches
    • Brown trout—18 inches
    • All other trout species—no minimum size
  • You may not possess any trout smaller than the minimum size limit.
  • You may only fish with artificial lures, including artificial flies.
  • Treble hooks are prohibited.
  • Each artificial lure is restricted to a single hook with a single hook point.
  • You may not possess or use any natural bait, live bait or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.

Trophy Trout Fishing Areas—Limited to Use of Artificial Flies

Area:

  • Savage River mainstem from the Savage River Reservoir Dam downstream to the lower suspension bridge (Allegany Bridge).

Restrictions:

  • Creel Limit: All trout species combined—
    2 Daily / 4 Possession.
  • Minimum Sizes:
    • Brook trout—12 inches
    • Brown trout—18 inches
    • All other trout species—no minimum size
  • You may not possess any trout smaller than the minimum size limit.
  • You may only fish with artificial flies and streamers.
  • You may only fish with conventional fly fishing tackle (fly rods, fly reels, and fly line. Any method of angling when the fly is cast directly from the reel is prohibited.
  • The use of spinning, spincast, and casting reels is prohibited.
  • You may not possess or use any natural bait, live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.

Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing Areas

Group I Areas:

  • Catoctin and Little Catoctin Creek, Frederick County—from US Route 40 near its intersection with MD Route 17 within Doubs Meadow Park downstream to the lower park boundary near Myersville.
  • Catoctin Creek, Frederick County—from the southernmost boundary of Catoctin Creek Park upstream to 200 feet north of the Sumantown Road Bridge.
  • Middle Patuxent River, Howard County—from US Route 29 downstream to Murray Hill Road.
  • Town Creek mainstem, Allegany County—within Green Ridge State Forest, from a red post located approximately ¾ mile downstream of the upper ford on Lower Town Creek Road, just south of the Wagner Road intersection, downstream to the red post located just upstream of the lower ford on Lower Town Creek Road (Mallory Place), and from a red post located approximately ½ mile downstream of Maniford Road to a red post located approximately 1¾ miles downstream (Bull Ring Ranch).
  • South Branch Patapsco River from West Friendship Rd (Howard County) and Main Street (Carroll County) upstream approximately 1.1 mile to the upper boundary of the Hugg Thomas Wildlife Management Area.

Restrictions:

  • From June 1–Sept. 30, Creel Limit (all species) combined—5 Daily / 10 Possession, with no tackle restrictions.
  • From Oct. 1–May 31, you:
    • May not possess trout in these areas.
    • Must immediately release any trout from which the trout was taken.
    • May not possess or use any natural bait, live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.
    • May not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Group II Areas:

  • Casselman River mainstem, Garrett County — from a boundary marked by two red posts on both stream banks located on the south side of the Interstate 68 eastbound bridge downstream to the Pennsylvania state line.
  • North Branch Potomac River mainstem, Garrett County—from the lowermost boundary of the Potomac State Forest near Lostland Run to the uppermost boundary of the Potomac State Forest at Wallman.
  • Youghiogheny River mainstem, Garrett County—below Friendsville from a site located 50 yards downstream of Maple Street (at the confluence of Minnow Run) downstream 1.8 miles to the powerline crossing upstream of the Youghiogheny Reservoir.

Restrictions:

  • From June 16–Sept. 30, Creel Limit (all species) combined—5 Daily / 10 Possession. with no tackle restrictions.
  • From Oct. 1–June 15, you:
    • May not possess trout in these areas.
    • Must immediately release any trout.
    • May not possess or use any natural bait, live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.
    • May not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Put-and-Take/Catch-and-Return Trout Fishing Area

Area:

  • Owens Creek, Frederick County—mainstem from Buck Lantz Road downstream to Roddy Road.

Restrictions:

  • From March 1–May 31:
    • No bait, lure or tackle restrictions are in effect.
    • Put-and-Take Trout Area regulations apply.
  • From June 1–the last day of February, you:
    • May not possess trout in these areas.
    • Must immediately release any trout.
    • May not possess or use any natural bait, live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish.
    • May not fish with a barbed hook in these areas.

Beaver Creek

Area:

  • Beaver Creek from Albert Powell State Fish Hatchery downstream to confluence with Antietam Creek.

Restriction:

  • You may not possess brown trout in this area.
  • You must immediately release any brown trout.

Private Property Rights

We urge anglers to respect property rights and seek permission before attempting to park, fish or enter private property. The privilege of fishing and right of entry to private property is at the owner’s discretion. Respect for landowners and their property helps to ensure continued fishing access. Poor behavior encourages landowners to post their property to prevent access. Remember that every angler pays for the improper actions of a few. Always be courteous and respectful.