U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Blackwater

National Wildlife Refuge

Fishing, Crabbing and

Boating Regulations

$

p

&
Sport fishing, crabbing and boating

on Blackwater National Wildlife

Refuge are permitted within refuge

boundaries from April 1 - September

30, dawn till dusk. The refuge is

closed to boating and canoeing at all

other times of the year to prevent

impacts to refuge wildlife. Airboat

use is not permitted.

Fishing and crabbing are restricted

to boats and the Key Wallace

roadway across the Little

Blackwater River. No fishing or

crabbing is permitted along the

Refuge shoreline or the Wildlife

Drive. Blackwater NWR waters

include the Blackwater and Little

Blackwater Rivers and the

associated expansive shallow water

marsh areas. Navigation can be

difficult due to submerged mudflats,

a meandering unmarked channel,

and shallow water tidal changes.

Boat launching is not permitted

from the refuge. A public launching

ramp is available at Shorter’s

Wharf.

All fishing and crab lines must be

attended.

No special refuge permits are

required, however, a valid State

sport fishing license is required to

fish in the Blackwater River and the

Little Blackwater River. State

regulations apply while fishing and

crabbing on the refuge.

Season

Waters Open to

Fishing and

Crabbing

Permit
Fishing on the Refuge is poor to fair

in the Blackwater River for tidal

largemouth bass (black bass),

striped bass (rockfish), white and

yellow perch, black crappie, and

bullhead and channel catfish. The

Little Blackwater River is a very

popular spot for the spring run of

white perch. Other species available

in the waters of the refuge are carp,

bluegill and pickerel.

Species

black crappie

bluegill

channel catfish.

largemouth bass

(black bass)

striped bass

(rockfish)

white perch

yellow perch
North

River

Blackwater

Buttons Creek

Meekins C

White Oak Swamp

Russell

Swamp

335

Bridge

336

335

335

LEGEND

Visitor Center

Refuge Headquarters

Refuge Boundary

Observation Tower

Public Boat Ramp 0 1 2 3 Miles

Riggins

Corner

Blackwater Road

H i p R o o f R o a d

Bea v er Dam Creek

Smithville Road

16

Parson's Creek

N

Refuge Headquarters

Visitor Center

Wildlife Drive

Observation Site

Public Boat Ramp
Map el Dam Road

Bucktown Road

Bestpitch Ferry Road

Blackwater River

Creek

Kentuck

Swamp

Green

Brier

Swamp

Raccoon Creek Marsh

Seward

Bucktown

Little Blackwater R.

Shorters Wharf Road

Key

Wallace

Bridge

Shorters

Wharf

Public

Ramp

Sh o rt e rs Wharf Road

Wildlife Drive

Green Brier Road

Egypt Road

Cole's Creek

Barnes Landing

5/96

N

Blackwater

National Wildlife Refuge
The most popular fishing areas are

located near the bridges over the

Little Blackwater River on Key

Wallace Drive and the Blackwater

River on Route 335. Visitors should

check with the Maryland

Department of Transportation and

Dorchester County Highway

Administration regulations

regarding fishing from bridges since

regulations are subject to change.

Key Wallace Drive has no road

shoulders on which to park near the

bridge. Although there are no

parking areas, visitors with small

boats or canoes often carry them

from their vehicles to the water near

the bridges.

Fishing Near

the Refuge
U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service

Blackwater is one of more than 510

refuges in the National Wildlife

Refuge System administered by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The

National Wildlife Refuge System is

a network of lands and waters

managed specifically for the

protection of wildlife and wildlife

habitat and represents the most

comprehensive wildlife management

program in the world. Units of the

system stretch across the United

States from northern Alaska to the

Florida Keys and include small

islands in the Caribbean and South

Pacific. The character of refuges is

as diverse as the nation itself. The

Service also manages National Fish

Hatcheries, and provides Federal

leadership in habitat protection, fish

and wildlife research, technical

assistance and the conservation and

protection of migratory birds,

certain marine mammals, and

threatened and endangered species.
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

2145 Key Wallace Drive

Cambridge, Maryland 21613-9535

410/228 2677

fax 410 228 3261

email RSRW_BWNWR@mail.fws.gov

Hearing impaired visitors may call the

Maryland Relay Service at TDD/800 735 2258 voice

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov

January 1999