Fishing in
Maryland
3,616 named waters · 0 stocked in the last 30 days
The Chesapeake Bay defines Maryland fishing, and striped bass, locally called rockfish, are the fish everyone's after, whether trolling open water or working structure near the bridges. Blue catfish, an invasive species that's taken over parts of the bay's tributaries, has become its own booming fishery for anglers targeting numbers and size.
Maryland holds 3,616 fishable waters on the books. Maryland DNR has logged 664 stockings in the last year, led by rainbow trout. The biggest water in the state is Deep Creek Lake at 3,679 acres.
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When does Maryland stock?
Stocking peaks in March, going by every record on the books.
What you'll catch here
- Rainbow Trout57 waters
- Golden Rainbow Trout55 waters
- Brown Trout11 waters
Freshest stockings
Full report →- Owens CreekBrown TroutMay 11, 2026
- Owens CreekGolden Rainbow TroutMay 11, 2026
- Owens CreekRainbow TroutMay 11, 2026
- Bear CreekRainbow TroutMay 11, 2026
- Bear CreekGolden Rainbow TroutMay 11, 2026
Most-stocked waters, last 12 months
- North Branch Potomac River22× stocked
- Antietam Creek21× stocked
- South Branch Patapsco River18× stocked
- Bear Creek14× stocked
- Big Elk Creek14× stocked
- Evitts Creek14× stocked
- Owens Creek10× stocked
- Wills Creek10× stocked
- Savage River9× stocked
- Great Seneca Creek9× stocked
Biggest waters
- Deep Creek Lake3,679 ac
- Liberty Lake2,920 ac
- Loch Raven Reservoir2,200 ac
- Prettyboy Reservoir1,508 ac
- Triadelphia Reservoir794 ac
- Rocky Gorge Reservoir655 ac
- Little Seneca Lake480 ac
- Savage River Reservoir361 ac
Major rivers
- Susquehanna Riverorder 8 · ~34,341 cfs
- Potomac Riverorder 8 · ~14,870 cfs
- Manokin Riverorder 7 · ~1,587 cfs
- Transquaking Riverorder 7 · ~1,388 cfs
- Monocacy Riverorder 7 · ~1,089 cfs
- North Branch Potomac Riverorder 6 · ~1,521 cfs
- Patuxent Riverorder 6 · ~982 cfs
- Nanticoke Riverorder 6 · ~842 cfs
Waters by county
All counties →Anne Arundel (506) · Dorchester (342) · Worcester (250) · Somerset (225) · St. Mary's (203) · Garrett (195) · Wicomico (188) · Baltimore (185) · Frederick (151) · Charles (151) · Talbot (132) · Harford (124) · Kent (111) · Calvert (111) · Prince George's (110) · Queen Anne's (106) · Montgomery (103) · Cecil (100) · Allegany (70) · Carroll (65) · Washington (61) · Caroline (61) · Howard (35) · Baltimore (city) (31)
Seasons, limits, and rules are Maryland's call — read the official regulations and buy your license from the state, not a middleman. We link the source; we never restate the rules.
Explore nearby states
Maryland fishing — FAQ
Where does Maryland stock fish?+
Maryland DNR logged 664 stockings across Maryland in the last year, led by rainbow trout, golden rainbow trout and brown trout. Browse the map and most-stocked waters above for exact locations.
When does Maryland stock fish?+
Stocking in Maryland peaks in March, going by every record on the books. See each water's page for its own seasonality.
Do I need a license to fish in Maryland?+
Yes — Maryland requires a fishing license for most anglers. Buy one from the state agency and check current seasons and limits before you go.
How many fishable waters are in Maryland?+
Maryland has 3,616 named fishable waters mapped on FishableWaters, from stocked reservoirs to wild streams.