MARYLAND NONTIDAL HOOK AND LINE FISHING SEASONS

(Open year round except where noted)

* Amendment to 2007 Maryland Freshwater Sportfishing Guide

Fish Species Minimum Size Creel Limit
Daily Possession Limit		 Other regulations
Bass, Largemouth and Smallmouth 12 inches or as provided for by special regulations 5 - daily
10 - possession, in aggregate		 Closed March 1 - June 15
Note: Catch and release is permitted during closed seasons
Bivalves/Shellfish (Mussels/Clams) No Harvest No Harvest No open season
Channel Catfish None 5 - daily
10 - possession		  Open year round
Madtoms None Bait restriction of 35 per day Open year round
Chain Pickerel (Pike) 14 inches 5- Daily  Open year round

Crappie
   (White and Black)
 

 None 15 - daily
30 - possession, in aggregate		  Open year round
Eels 6 inches 25  Open year round
Herring (Blueback and Alewife) None None Open Season: January 1 through June 5
Muskellunge and
Tiger Muskie (Hybrid)		 36 inches 1  Open year round
Northern Pike 30 inches 2  Open year round
Shad, American (white)
and Hickory
CLOSED SEASON 
Striped bass (Rockfish) and
Hybrid Striped Bass		  Special regulations Note: Special Regulations 1
(See below)
Sunfish, including bluegills, rock bass (commonly known as Red Eye or Goggle-Eye)
 None 15 - daily
30 - possession, in aggregate		  Open year round
Trout
  - Statewide
  (all species)		 None- except where otherwise noted
 2 - daily and possession in aggregate (except as provided for by special regulation.)  None(except where noted)
  -Put-and-Take areas
  (all species)		 None 5 - daily and possession in aggregate Check closures and stocking schedule when available.
Walleye 15 inches, except a 20 inch maximum in the Potomac River mainstem approximately 0.5 miles upriver from Chain Bridge upstream to the spillway in Cumberland from Jan. 1 - April 15 5 daily and possession Open year round all state waters except on Deep Creek Lake and the Youghiogheny Reservoir downstream of the Rt. 42 bridge where a closure of March 1 through April 15 is in effect
Yellow Perch

None
(if caught in nontidal lakes or ponds)

9 inches in nontidal streams and rivers

  None in lakes and ponds, or upstream of them

 

5- daily and possession

Open year round, but see special restrictions below

(See below)

ALL OTHER FISH SPECIES have no size limits, no creel limits and no closed seasons.

Fish caught during closed season shall be returned to waters of the State immediately after being caught.

Fish with size limits are measured from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail or caudal fin.

SPECIAL REGULATIONS:

1. NONTIDAL STRIPED BASS Requirements

The following requirements are in effect for fishing for striped bass and hybrid striped bass in nontidal waters and these fish may be taken only from the following areas:

Open Season: No closed season
Minimum size: 18 inches
Creel limit: 2 striped bass/striped bass hybrids per day, only one of which may be over 30 inches.

2. YELLOW PERCH Regulations

  1. Yellow perch cannot be harvested from the following designated yellow perch watershed spawning areas including all tidal and nontidal tributaries at any time. (This does not apply to nontidal impoundments)
    1. Magothy River watershed
    2. Nanticoke River watershed
    3. Patapsco River watershed
    4. Severn River watershed
    5. South River watershed
    6. West River watershed
  2. Daily Catch Limit - Except for reservoirs, lakes, ponds, and impoundments, the daily limit for yellow perch taken by hook and line from the waters of the State of Maryland is 5 (five) in possession per person per day.
  3. Minimum Size Limit - Minimum size in nontidal rivers and streams is 9 inches. No minimum size in lakes, ponds, and impoundments.
  4. From February 1 - March 15, a person fishing with hook and line may only use single barbless hooks while taking and possessing yellow perch in tidal waters.


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