Contact Fisheries
2013 Spring Trout Closure Dates
Closure 0 - No Closure
Closure 1 - March 10 to March 30
Closure 2 - March 24 to March 30
Closure 3 - April 14 to April 20
Closure 4 - April 22 to April 27
Wording from COMAR
Closure 0 - No Closure
Closure 1 - From the first Sunday after March 4 to the last Saturday in March
Closure 2 - From Sunday to Saturday of the last full week of March
Closure 3 - From the first Sunday after April 8 to the following Saturday and
Closure 4 - From the first Sunday after April 15 to the following Saturday
Help To Stop Poachers
Reminder - If you spot poaching please place a call to our Catch a Poacher Hotline at 1-800-635-6124 - a cash reward is available for information leading to an arrest and conviction of a violator.
Felt Soled Waders and Shoe Ban
Felt-soled waders and wading shoes are now banned in the State of Maryland. Click here to read news item. Further information can be found through our FAQ on the felt sole ban.
Stocking Hotline
During the stocking season updates are posted on the website daily and on the phone line (1-800-688-3467) weekly.
Trout Fishing FYI
Maryland has several locations which are managed as Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing Areas
As the title implies, these locations are restricted to catch and release fishing only up until a specific date. Delaying harvest offers several benefits to anglers, including a larger number of fish to be caught, and these longer term acclimated fish exhibit a more natural trout feeding behavior, allowing fly fishermen to have additional opportunities to test their skills matching hatches on the streams with delayed harvest regulations. In contrast, most put and take streams are "fished down" after several days and the fish that are stocked are often geared toward feeding on pellet food from the hatcheries. Multiple stockings of delayed harvest areas offer trout fishermen a higher success rate over a longer period of time, with the bonus of providing a late spring or early summer five fish creel limit long after most of the put and trout streams have seen peak catches of trout. There are two distinct groups of designated Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing Areas. They are:
Delayed Harvest Trout Fishing Areas
1. Group Ia. Areas:
i. Catoctin and Little Catoctin Creek (Frederick County) from U.S.Route 40 near its intersection with Maryland Route 17 within Doubs Meadow Park downstream to the lower park boundary near Myersville.
ii. Catoctin Creek within Catoctin Creek Park in southern Frederick County
iii. Middle Patuxent River (Howard County) from U.S.Route 29 downstream to Murray Hill Road.
iv. Town Creek mainstem (Allegany County) within Green Ridge State Forest, from a red post located approximately 3/4 mile downstream of the upper ford on Lower Town Creek Road, just south of the Wagner Road intersection, downstream to a red post located just upstream of the lower ford on Lower Town Creek Road (Mallory Place), and from a post located approximately 1/2 mile downstream of Maniford Road to a red post located approximately 1 3/4 miles downstream (Bull Ring Ranch).
b. Restrictions for these areas:i. From June 1 through September 30, inclusive, the daily creel limit and possession limit is five trout (all species of trout in aggregate), with no tackle restrictions.ii. From October 1 through May 31, inclusive, a person:(a) May not have any trout in possession while fishing.
(b) Shall immediately release any trout caught to the water from which the trout was taken.
(c) Except for artificial lures, may not possess or use any natural bait, live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish in these areas.
2. Group II located on the south side of the Interstate 68 eastbound bridge downstream to the Pennsylvania state line.a. Areasi. Casselman River mainstem (Garrett County) from a boundary marked by two red posts on both stream banks
ii. North Branch Potomac River mainstem (Garrett County) from the lowermost boundary of the Potomac State Forest near Lostland Run to the uppermost boundary of the Potomac State Forest at Wallman.
iii. Youghiogheny River mainstem (Garrett County) below Friendsville from a site located 50 yards downstream of Maple Street (at the confluence of Minnow Run) downstream 1.8 miles to the powerline crossing upstream of the Youghiogheny Reservoir.b. Restrictions for these areas:i. From June 16 through September 30, inclusive, the daily creel limit and possession limit is five trout (all species of trout in aggregate), with no tackle restrictions.ii. From October 1 through June 15, inclusive, a person:(a) May not have any trout in possession while fishing in these areas.
(b) Shall immediately release any trout caught to the water from which the trout was taken.
(c) Except for artificial lures, a person may not possess or use any natural bait, live bait, or any device enhanced with a scent capable of catching fish in these areas.
Whirling and Other Diseases
MDNR is asking anglers to continue to be vigilant about not spreading whirling, other disease and invasive organisms. Please remember to clean your gear between streams or outings to prevent moving around unwanted invaders like didymo and whirling disease. You can wash with dish soap or a 5% salt solution or use one of the convenient wader wash stations if present at your location. For information on how you can help, look below this article and go to Additional Disinfection Methods for Fishing Gear. A detailed synopsis of our 2007 whirling disease testing results and related information is now available at this site. For more information go to The Whirling Disesase Update Page.
An invasive and potentially detrimental algae known as Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) has been identified in the Gunpowder River below Prettyboy Dam. This algae, also known as 'rock snot', can have negative impacts on stream biota such as aquatic insects. It can also hinder reproduction of trout and other fish species.
Anglers and boaters are asked to take the same precautions that were suggested for containing whirling disease and other invasive species.
- Scrub all gear to remove mud and plants
- Drain all water from bilges and livewells, don't move water from one area to another
- We recommend the use of new 'sticky rubber' wading boots to facilitate cleaning, if you must use felts allow them to dry completely before moving to another waterbody
- Additional Disinfection Methods for Fishing Gear
Other useful web pages with information pertaining to didymo include:
Currently raises a majority of the fish for Maryland's freshwater trout fishery, check out the hatchery through the video provided. If you can't view the embedded video just go to YouTube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZlTJno8Of0.
The DNR trout stocking program is funded entirely by the sale of nontidal fishing licenses, trout stamps and Federal Sportfish Restoration Program (Wallop-Breaux) funds which are generated by a special excise tax on boating and angling equipment.