FishMaryland

Recreational fishing offers opportunities for families and friends to spend quality time together, enjoying the abundant natural resources Maryland has to offer. FishMaryland is Maryland’s recreational fishing award program and is a fun way to explore year-round recreational fishing and enjoy Maryland’s affordable, accessible, diverse and high quality fishing opportunities.
Components:
- Species Award (includes catch and release)—Any angler fishing legally in Maryland may catch and report a trophy sized fish by landing any of more than 60 eligible species in three categories at or above a certain minimum size. If you catch a fish that meets or exceeds the official award size, simply lay the fish on a tape measure and photograph so that the species and size can be verified (HMS species cannot be removed from the water unless being kept. A photograph in the water is acceptable as long as the species can be identified). Submit your catch through our online registration process. Once your catch is verified, you will receive your award certificate within 45 days.
- Invasive Species Award—Recognizes anglers for reporting their harvest of certain eligible invasive fish species. “Invasive” describes a species that, when introduced into an ecosystem, aggressively establishes itself and has the potential to negatively impact native plants, animals, or habitat. Currently there are three invasive fish species which naturally reproduce or migrate into Maryland waters and are eligible for the Invasive Species Award: blue catfish, northern snakehead and flathead catfish. Fish must be kept or harvested to qualify.
- Milestone Award—Milestone awards (Angler Award, Expert Angler Award and Master Angler Award) recognize those skillful anglers who catch multiple species, each milestone is marked with a certificate and a corresponding sticker. To qualify, anglers can only submit eligible catches caught from 2019 to present.
For details on FishMaryland, including rules and registration, visit the FishMaryland Challenge page.
FishMaryland Minimum Sizes |
|
---|---|
Catch and Release Division* |
|
American Shad* |
24 inches |
Blue Marlin* |
any size |
Blue Shark* |
any size |
Hammerhead Shark* |
any size |
Hickory Shad* |
18 inches |
Red Drum* |
36 inches |
Sailfish* |
any size |
Sand Tiger Shark* |
any size |
Striped Bass* |
40 inches |
Swordfish* |
any size |
Thresher Shark* |
any size |
Tiger Shark* |
any size |
White Marlin* |
any size |
Nontidal Division |
|
Bluegill |
11 inches |
Brook Trout |
12 inches |
Brown Trout |
21 inches |
Bullhead Catfish |
15 inches |
Carp |
36 inches |
Chain Pickerel |
24 inches |
Channel Catfish |
30 inches |
Crappie, Black |
15 inches |
Cutthroat Trout |
20 inches |
Largemouth Bass |
21 inches |
Muskellunge |
40 inches |
Northern Pike |
38 inches |
Pumpkinseed |
10 inches |
Rainbow Trout |
20 inches |
Redbreast Sunfish |
8 inches |
Redear Sunfish |
11 inches |
Rock Bass |
10 inches |
Smallmouth Bass |
20 inches |
Tiger Muskie |
40 inches |
Walleye |
26 inches |
White Catfish |
20 inches |
White Perch |
13 inches |
Yellow Perch |
14 inches |
Chesapeake Bay Division |
|
Black Drum |
48 inches |
Blue Crab |
8 inches |
Bluefish |
34 inches |
Carp |
36 inches |
Chain Pickerel |
24 inches |
Channel Catfish |
30 inches |
Cobia |
44 inches |
Crappie, Black |
15 inches |
Croaker (Hardhead) |
18 inches |
Florida Pompano |
17 inches |
Longnose Gar |
36 inches |
Largemouth Bass |
21 inches |
Northern Whiting (Kingfish) |
14 inches |
Pumpkinseed |
10 inches |
Rock Bass |
10 inches |
Sheepshead |
24 inches |
Smallmouth Bass |
20 inches |
Spanish Mackerel |
22 inches |
Spot |
12 inches |
Spotted Seatrout |
24 inches |
Summer Flounder |
24 inches |
Tautog |
24 inches |
Walleye |
26 inches |
Weakfish |
24 inches |
White Catfish |
20 inches |
White Perch |
13 inches |
Yellow Perch |
14 inches |
Invasive Species Division |
|
Blue Catfish** |
40 inches |
Flathead Catfish** |
34 inches |
Chesapeake Channa |
30 inches |
Atlantic Coast Division |
|
Amberjack1 |
45 inches |
Atlantic Cod |
36 inches |
Atlantic Spadefish |
24 inches |
Black Drum |
48 inches |
Black Sea Bass |
20 inches |
Bluefish |
34 inches |
Blueline Tilefish |
25 inches |
Cobia1 |
44 inches |
Croaker (Hardhead) |
18 inches |
Dolphin Fish (Mahi-Mahi)1 |
45 inches |
False Albacore1 |
24 inches |
Florida Pompano1 |
17 inches |
Golden Tilefish |
35 inches |
Grey Triggerfish |
18 inches |
King Mackerel1 |
40 inches |
Northern Whiting (Kingfish) |
14 inches |
Pollock |
32 inches |
Sheepshead |
20 inches |
Snowy Grouper |
31 inches |
Spanish Mackerel |
22 inches |
Spot |
12 inches |
Spotted Seatrout |
24 inches |
Summer Flounder |
24 inches |
Swordfish2 |
47 inches |
Tautog |
24 inches |
Tuna, Albacore (Longfin)3 |
36 inches |
Tuna, Bigeye3 |
60 inches |
Tuna, Blackfin3 |
30 inches |
Tuna, Bluefin3 |
55 inches |
Tuna, Yellowfin3 |
50 inches |
Wahoo1 |
60 inches |
Weakfish |
24 inches |
Winter Flounder |
17 inches |
* Only released fish ** Invasive species division—only harvested fish are eligible 1 - Use fork length measurement. 2 - Use lower jaw fork length measurement. 3 - Use curved fork length measurement. |