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Maryland › Fishing › Tidal / NonTidal Dividing Lines

Tidal / NonTidal Dividing Lines

The following boundaries are designated as dividing lines for tidal and nontidal waters. These boundary lines identify whether a nontidal fishing license or Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Sport Fishing license is required. If you are fishing upstream of the location listed, nontidal fishing regulations apply. If you are fishing downstream of the location listed, tidal regulations apply. An interactive map of these divisions is located on the "Maps" page at dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/pages/maps.aspx

Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties

  • Anacostia River:
    1. Northeast Branch Bridge at northbound lane of Alternate Route 1 Bladensburg Road.
    2. Northwest Branch Bridge at southbound lane of Rhode Island Avenue.
  • Furnace Branch—MD Route 2.
  • Patuxent River:
    1. Mainstem: bridge on MD Route 214.
    2. Lyons Creek: MD Route 4.
    3. Stocketts Run: confluence with the river.
    4. Rock Run: confluence with the river.
    5. Ferry Branch: confluence with the river.
  • Magothy River—Catherine Avenue.
  • Marley Creek—MD Route 10.
  • Severn River—bridge on MD Route 3.
  • South River and its tributaries:
    1. North River: Rutland Road.
    2. Bacon Ridge Branch: Chesterfield Road.
    3. Beards Creek: MD Route 214.
    4. Broad Creek: Harry S. Truman Parkway.

Baltimore County

  • Big Gunpowder Falls—three-fourths of a mile south of MD Route 7, the Old Philadelphia Road at the B&O Railroad Bridge.
  • Little Gunpowder Falls—three-fourths of a mile south of MD Route 7, the Old Philadelphia Road at the B&O Railroad Bridge.
  • Stansbury Park Pond—base of dam.
  • Stemmers Run—Golden Ring Road Bridge.

Baltimore and Howard counties

  • Patapsco River—B&O viaduct at Relay.

Calvert County

  • Battle Creek—bridge about two miles east of Bowens (Sixes Road).
  • Fishing Creek—one and one-half miles upstream from the mouth of the creek at Chesapeake Beach.
  • Hall’s Creek—bridge on MD Route 4.
  • Hellen Creek—Mill Branch Road, near Solomons.
  • Hunting Creek—bridge on MD Route 263 about 100 yards west of MD Route 4.
  • Island Creek—Ross Road, near Brooms Island.
  • Lyon’s Creek—bridge on MD Route 4.
  • Mills Creek—MD Route 760.
  • Parkers Creek—MD Route 765.
  • Plum Point Creek—bridge on MD Route 263.
  • Quaker Swamp—MD Routes 2/4.
  • St. Johns Creek—MD Route 4.
  • St. Leonard’s Creek—Parran Road.

Caroline County

  • Chapel Branch—MD Route 313 near Piney Grove Church.
  • Choptank River—bypass on MD Route 313 on the outskirts of Greensboro.
  • Fowling Creek—wooden bridge on Stratum Road about one mile below MD Route 16.
  • Hunting Creek—MD Route 331.
  • Marshyhope Creek—at its confluence with Faulkner Branch.
  • Mill Creek—MD Route 16.
  • Tuckahoe Creek—abandoned stone railroad bridge upstream of MD Route 404.
  • Watt’s Creek—bridge on American Legion Road.

Cecil County

  • Big Elk Creek—MD Route 213.
  • Bohemia River—Telegraph Road.
  • Happy Valley Branch—confluence with Susquehanna River.
  • Little Elk Creek—US Route 40.
  • Mill Creek—Old Elk Neck Road.
  • North East River—MD Route 7.
  • Octoraro Creek—bridge on US Route 222.
  • Principio Creek—Amtrak crossing below MD Route 7.
  • Rock Run—confluence with the Susquehanna River.

Charles, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties

  • Henson Run—bridge on Old Broad Creek Road.
  • Hoghole Run—MD Route 6.
  • Mattawoman Creek—bridge on MD Route 225.
  • Nanjemoy Creek and its tributaries:
    1. Mainstem: MD Route 6.
    2. Mill Run (Burgess Creek): MD Route 6.
    3. Hill Top Fork: MD Route 6.
    4. Wards Run: MD Route 6.
  • Oxon Creek (Run)—MD Route 210.
  • Patuxent River and its tributaries:
    1. Swanson Creek: MD Route 381.
    2. Mataponi Creek: St. Thomas Church Road.
    3. Spice Creek: MD Route 382, Croom Road.
    4. Full Mill Branch: MD Route 382, Croom Road.
    5. Black Swamp Creek: MD Route 382, Croom Road.
  • Piscataway Creek—bridge on MD Route 224 (Livingston Road).
  • Pomonkey Creek—Fenwick Road.
  • Port Tobacco Creek—bridge on MD Route 6.
  • Potomac River—Little Falls at man-made dam.
  • Western Branch—bridge on MD Route 4.
  • Wicomico River—Allens Fresh, bridge on MD Route 234.

Dorchester County

  • Chicamicomico River—US Route 50.
  • Transquaking River—dam at Higgins Mill Pond.

Harford County

  • Bynum Run—Old Philadelphia Road Bridge on MD Route 7.
  • Deer Creek—railroad bridge located at the mouth of Deer Creek.
  • Gray’s Run—CSX Railroad crossing upstream of US Route 40.
  • James Run—Old Philadelphia Road Bridge on MD Route 7.
  • Winter’s Run—dam located one half mile south of MD Route 7, the Old Philadelphia Road.

Kent and Queen Anne’s counties

  • Chester River—500 yards upstream from the Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge at Millington at the point where the Cypress Branch empties into the Chester River.
  • Herring Branch—MD Route 299.
  • Morgan Creek—Wallis Road.
  • Red Lion Branch—at its confluence with the Chester River.
  • Sassafras River—MD Route 299.
  • Unicorn Branch—U.S. Geological Survey weir just east of MD Route 313.
  • Wye East River—Wye Mills Lake dam.

St. Mary’s County

  • Budds Creek—MD Route 234.
  • Chaptico Run—Chaptico Bridge on MD Route 234.
  • Dynard Run—MD Route 242.
  • Eastern Branch—MD Route 5.
  • Gilbert Swamp Run—MD Route 234.
  • Great Mills Run—bridge on MD Route 5.
  • McIntosh Run—MD Route 5.
  • Park Hall Run—MD Route 5.
  • St. Clements Creek—MD Route 234 bridge at town of Clements.
  • Tomakokin Creek—MD Route 470.
  • Town Run—bridge on MD Route 5.

Susquehanna River

  • Conowingo Dam—at US Route 1.

Wicomico and Worcester counties

  • Barren Creek—US Route 50 Bridge.
  • Beaverdam Creek—dam just upstream of US Route 13 (Business).
  • Nassawango Creek—Furnace Road.
  • Pocomoke River—bridge on Whiton Crossing, three miles south of Powellville.
  • Wicomico River—Isabella Street in Salisbury.
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