
Welcome to 2025 Maryland Fishing

License Free Fishing Days!
In Maryland, anyone may fish without a recreational fishing license on June 7, June 14 and July 4, 2025.
All other fishing regulations apply.
What's New for 2025
Statewide:
- Northern snakehead was renamed Chesapeake Channa in Maryland (see Invasive Species)
- There is now a recreational oyster license required for residents to harvest oysters (see Oysters and Clams)
In Tidal Waters:
- There is a 12" minimum size for sheepshead
- The aggregate catch limit for snapper remains 20 fish per day, but there is a limit of 10 of any one species of snapper per day
In Nontidal Waters:
- Some put-and-take trout closures have changed
In the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tidal Tributaries:
- There is no targeting of striped bass allowed from April 1–May 15
- Targeting of striped bass is additionally prohibited in the Susquehanna River, Susquehanna Flats, and Northeast River from May 16–May 31
2024 State Records |
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Nontidal |
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3.2 lbs. |
Blake Cronk |
4/1/2024 |
North Branch of Potomac, Westernport |
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17.4 lbs. |
Jean-Philippe Lartigue |
2/10/2024 |
Antietam Creek |
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Atlantic Coast |
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20.6 lbs. |
London J. Anthony |
8/24/2024 |
Poor Man's Canyon |
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38.0 lbs. |
Jian Feng Li |
8/27/2024 |
Poor Man's Canyon |
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Chesapeake |
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1.0 lbs. |
Thomas Over, Jr. |
1/6/2024 |
Lower Susquehanna River |
