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Maryland freshwater size limits and seasons

49 species, 2026 rules for state waters. Tap a species for every zone, the exact Maryland DNR Fishing & Boating Services wording and a keeper check. Updated 2026-10-04. All 92 Maryland species A–Z →

Species	Season	Size limit	Daily limit
Alewife and Blueback Herring (nontidal)	Closed	—	—
American Eel (nontidal)	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	25 daily / 25 possession
American Eel (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	25 per day
American Shad (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	3 per day
American Shad and Hickory Shad (nontidal)	Closed	—	—
Baitfish (including madtoms)	Open year-round	No size limit	35 in aggregate daily and in possession
Baitfish (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	50 in aggregate per day
Bass - Largemouth, Smallmouth and Spotted (Youghiogheny River Lake)	November 1 – April 10, June 13 – October 31	12 inch minimum	June 13-Oct 31: 6 in aggregate, 12 inch min; Nov 1-Apr 10: 4 in aggregate, 15 inch min; Apr 11-June 12 catch and release only
Brook Trout	Closed	—	—
Brown Trout	Closed	—	—
Carp	Open year-round	No size limit	15 per person per day
Catfish	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Chain Pickerel	May 1 – March 14	14 inch minimum	10 per person per day
Chain Pickerel (nontidal)	Open year-round	14 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Channel Catfish	Open year-round	No size limit	5 per person per day
Crappie	Open year-round	No size limit	15 per person per day
Crayfish (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per day
Gizzard Shad (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	50 per day
Largemouth Bass	Open year-round	15 inch minimum (March 1 – June 15); 12 inch minimum (June 16 – February 29)	5 largemouth + smallmouth combined
Largemouth Bass (nontidal)	June 16 – February 29	12 inch minimum	5 largemouth + smallmouth combined
Longnose Gar	Open year-round	None	5 (1 during Apr 15 – Jun 30)
Mud Bugs (Dragonfly Nymphs) (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Muskellunge	Open year-round	36 inch minimum	1 per person per day
Muskellunge and Tiger Muskie (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	40 inch minimum	1 in aggregate per day
Northern Pike	Open year-round	30 inch minimum	2 per person per day
Northern Pike (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	24 inch minimum	2 per day
Northern Snakehead (invasive)	Open year-round	None	No limit
Northern Snakehead (nontidal)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Paddlefish, Mussels, Clams and Threatened/Endangered Species (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Closed	—	—
Panfish aggregate - Sunfish, Yellow Perch, White Perch, Crappies, Catfish, Rock Bass, Suckers, Carp and White Bass (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	50 in aggregate per day, all listed species combined
Pickerel (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	18 inch minimum	4 per day
River Herring (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	No size limit	50 in aggregate per day
Sauger (Youghiogheny River Lake)	May 2 – March 14	12 inch minimum	6 per day
Saugeye	Open year-round	15 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Smallmouth Bass	Open year-round	15 inch minimum (March 1 – June 15); 12 inch minimum (June 16 – February 29)	5 largemouth + smallmouth combined
Striped Bass (lakes and ponds)	Open year-round	18 inch minimum	2, only 1 over 30 in
Striped Bass (nontidal rivers and streams)	Closed	—	—
Striped Bass and Hybrid Striped Bass (Youghiogheny River Lake)	Open year-round	20 inch minimum	2 in aggregate per day
Suckers	Open year-round	No size limit	30 per person per day
Sunfish	Open year-round	None	15 per person per day
Trout	Open year-round	None	2 per person per day
Trout (Put-and-Take, Delayed Harvest and Catch-and-Return areas)	Open year-round	No size limit	5 daily / 10 possession, all trout except brook (brook = 0)
Trout and Salmon (all species) (Youghiogheny River Lake)	April 18 – September 7, September 8 – February 28	7 inch minimum	5 in aggregate Apr 18 (8 a.m.)-Sept 7; 3 in aggregate Jan 1-Feb 28 and Sept 8-Dec 31; no harvest Mar 1-Apr 18 8 a.m.
Walleye	Open year-round	15 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Walleye (nontidal)	Open year-round	15 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Walleye and Hybrids (Youghiogheny River Lake)	May 2 – March 14	15 inch minimum	6 in aggregate per day
White Perch (nontidal)	Open year-round	No size limit	No daily limit
Yellow Perch	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	5 per person per day
Yellow Perch (nontidal)	Open year-round	9 inch minimum	5 per person per day