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 to qualify.
- Milestone Award— Milestone awards 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.
- Governor’s Striped Bass Conservation Award—In addition to a Species Award, those who catch and release an award sized striped bass during the open season will be recognized with a Governor’s Striped Bass Conservation Award at the end of the fishing season. The award recognizes any recreational angler who releases alive a striped bass catch of 40 inches or more while fishing Maryland waters during the open season.
For information on FishMaryland, including rules and registration go to—
FishMaryland Minimum Sizes |
|
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 |
Striped Bass |
36 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 |
30 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 |
Red Drum* (Puppy Drum, Channel Bass, Redfish) |
36 inches |
Rock Bass |
10 inches |
Shad, American* |
24 inches |
Shad, Hickory* |
18 inches |
Sheepshead |
24 inches |
Smallmouth Bass |
20 inches |
Spanish Mackerel |
22 inches |
Spot |
12 inches |
Spotted Seatrout |
24 inches |
Striped Bass |
40 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 |
Northern Snakehead** |
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 |
Blue Marlin* |
any size |
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 |
Red Drum* (Puppy Drum, Channel Bass, Redfish) |
36 inches |
Sailfish* |
any size |
Shad, American* |
24 inches |
Shad, Hickory* |
18 inches |
Shark, Blue* |
any size |
Shark, Hammerhead* |
any size |
Shark, Sand Tiger* |
any size |
Shark, Thresher1 |
80 inches |
Shark, Tiger* |
any size |
Sheepshead |
20 inches |
Snowy Grouper |
31 inches |
Spanish Mackerel |
22 inches |
Spot |
12 inches |
Spotted Seatrout |
24 inches |
Striped Bass |
40 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 |
White Marlin* |
any size |
Winter Flounder |
17 inches |
- * - Only released fish - ** - Invasive species division—only dead fish are eligible - 1 - Use fork length measurement. - 2 - Use lower jaw fork length measurement. - 3 - Use curved fork length measurement. |
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