Skip to main content
Maryland

Fishing

Fishing

Freshwater Seasons, Sizes & Limits

The following tables summarize rules governing the harvest and possession of fish species that anglers commonly catch in Maryland. This summary does not include all regulated species. Full information and updates are available at the Maryland Division of State Documents website.

Nontidal

Species

Minimum Size Limits

Open Season

Creel Limit

Remarks

American Eel

9 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—25

Possession—25

Baitfish (Including Madtoms)

None

Open Year Round

Daily—35 in aggregate

Possession—35 in aggregate

Bass (Largemouth and Smallmouth)

12 inches or as provided for by special regulations.

June 16–Last Day of February

Daily—5 in aggregate

Possession—10 in aggregate

Catch and Release is permitted at all times. Cannot be used as bait.

Carp

None

Open Year Round

Daily—15

Possession—30

Chain Pickerel

14 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—5

Possession—10

Cannot be used as bait.

Channel Catfish

None

Open Year Round

Daily—5

Possession—10

Crappie

None

Open Year Round

Daily—15

Possession—30

Herring (Alewife and Blueback)

CLOSED

Catch and Release is permitted at all times.

Muskellunge and Tiger Muskie

36 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—1

Possession—2

Cannot be used as bait.

Northern pike

30 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—2

Possession­­—4

Cannot be used as bait.

Saugeye

15 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—5

Possession—10

Shad (American/White and Hickory)

CLOSED

Catch and Release is permitted at all times.

Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass (lakes and ponds)

18 inches

Open Year Round

2 striped bass/hybrid striped bass per day, only one of which may be over 30 inches.

Possession—4, only one of which may be over 30 inches

It is illegal to keep striped bass and hybrid striped bass caught in nontidal streams and rivers. Cannot be used as bait.

Suckers

None

Open Year Round

Daily—30

Possession—60

Sunfish, including Bluegills and Rock Bass (commonly known as Red Eye or Goggle-Eye)

None

Open Year Round

Daily—15 in aggregate

Possession—30 in aggregate

Trout—statewide (all species of trout)

None

Open Year Round

Daily—2 in aggregate

Possession—4 in aggregate

Different rules apply for Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Areas, Special Trout Management Areas and Special Management Areas for All Species. Brown and Brook Trout cannot be used as bait.

Walleye

  • 15 inches year round, except in Potomac River and Deep Creek Lake
  • Potomac River minimum size is 15 inches year round, with a 20 inch maximum size from January 1–April 15 in the mainstem approximately 0.5 miles upriver from Chain Bridge to the spillway in Cumberland
  • Deep Creek Lake has a minimum size of 15 inches year round, with a protected slot between 18 inches and 21 inches. All fish in the slot must be released.

Open year round—Except on Deep Creek Lake and the Youghiogheny River downstream of Route 42 bridge where it is closed from March 1 through April 15.

Daily—5

Possession—10

Cannot be used as bait.

White Perch

None

Open Year Round

None

Yellow Perch

Nontidal rivers and streams

9 inches

Open Year Round

Daily—10

Possession—20

The possession of yellow perch eggs requires prior authorization from the department.

Nontidal lakes and ponds

None

Atlantic Sturgeon, Shortnose Sturgeon, and Bivalves/Shellfish

CLOSED