Code of Maryland Regulations › Title 08 - DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES › Subtitle 02 - FISHERIES SERVICE › Chapter 08.02.11 - Fishing in Nontidal Waters › Section 08.02.11.04 - Statewide General Regulations

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 14, July 12, 2024
A. Open Seasons, Creel, Possession, and Size Limits on Game and Fresh Water Fish in Nontidal Waters. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter for specific areas, the following apply Statewide:
(1) Open Seasons.
Species
Open Season
(a) Walleye
No closed season, except a closed season on Deep Creek Lake and the Youghiogheny River downstream of the Route 42 Bridge, from March 1 through April 15
(b) Trout (all species)
No closed season, except as provided in Regulation .01B, C, E, F, and G of this chapter.
(c) Catfish, suckers, carp, eel, gudgeon, all species of sunfish, including bluegills, rock bass (commonly known as red eye or goggle-eye), fallfish, crappie, perch (white and yellow)
No closed season
(d) Largemouth bass
June 16 through the last day of February.
(e) Smallmouth bass
June 16 through the last day of February.
(f) Pickerel
No closed season
(g) Northern pike
No closed season
(h) Muskellunge and hybrids including tiger musky
No closed season
(i) Herring
No open season
(j) American (white) shad, hickory shad
No open season
(k) Striped bass and striped bass hybrids
(i) Nontidal streams and rivers
Closed
(ii) Nontidal lakes and ponds
No closed season
(l) Fish caught during closed seasons shall be returned to waters of the State immediately after being caught.
(m) Bivalve/shellfish (mussels and clams)
No open season
(n) Yellow Perch
No closed season
(o) Saugeye
No closed season
(2) Creel and Possession Limits.
Daily Creel
Possession
(a) Trout (all species) in aggregate
2, except as specified in Regulation .01 of this chapter
4, except as specified in Regulation .01 of this chapter
(b) Largemouth bass and smallmouth bass in aggregate
5
10
(c) Walleye
5
5
(d) Pickerel
5
10
(e) Northern pike
2
4
(f) Muskellunge and hybrids including tiger musky
1
2
(g) Sucker species in aggregate
30
60
(h) White perch
No daily limit
(i) American (white) and hickory shad
Closed season-none permitted
(j) Herring (Blueback and Alewife)
Closed season-none permitted
(k) Striped bass and striped bass hybrids
(i) Nontidal streams and rivers
Closed season - none permitted
(ii) Nontidal lakes and ponds
2, only one of which may be over 30 inches
4, only 1 of which may be over 30 inches
(l) Gudgeon
No daily limit
(m) Crappie species in aggregate
15
30
(n) Channel catfish
5
10
(o) Fallfish
No daily limit
(p) Sunfish species in aggregate, including Bluegills and Rock Bass (commonly known as Red Eye or goggle-eye)
15
30
(q) Carp
15
30
(r) Eel
25
25
(s) Yellow Perch
10
20
(t) Bivalve/shellfish (mussels and clams)
Closed season - none permitted
(u) Saugeye
5
10
(3) Minimum Size from Tip of Nose to End of Caudal Fin or Tail
(a) Largemouth bass
12 inches, except as provided in Regulation .03A and E of this chapter.
(b) Smallmouth bass
12 inches, except as provided in Regulation .03A of this chapter.
(c) Walleye
(d) Pickerel
14 inches
(e) Northern pike
30 inches
(f) Muskellunge and hybrids including tiger musky
36 inches
(g) Striped bass and striped bass hybrids
(i) Nontidal streams and rivers
Closed season - none permitted
(ii) Nontidal lakes and ponds
18 inches
(h) Gudgeon
No minimum size
(i) Trout (all species)
No minimum size
(j) Fallfish
No minimum size
(k) Catfish
No minimum size
(l) White Perch
No minimum size
(m) Suckers
No minimum size
(n) Crappie
No minimum size
(o) Sunfish, including bluegills, rock bass (commonly known as red eye or goggle-eye)
No minimum size
(p) Carp
No minimum size
(q) Eel
9 inches
(r) Yellow Perch
(i) Nontidal streams and rivers
9 inches
(ii) Nontidal lakes and ponds
No minimum size.
(s) Saugeye
15 inches