Seasonal Considerations

• Bass move into shallower, warmer water in spring, seeking food, warmth and spawning opportunities. By summer, in most Maryland lakes, bass move into a pattern of hunting in shallow water in morning and evening but moving deeper during the heat of midday. Fall finds bass feeding in moderate depths in preparation for winter, when they will stay in deep water and become less active; they return to shallow waters only during warming trends. Late spring, early summer and fall are the best times for bass fishing in Maryland.
  
  

Maryland Bass Lakes

• The best and most popular lakes in Maryland for catching good numbers of good-sized largemouth and smallmouth bass are Deep Creek Lake, Liberty Reservoir, Little Seneca Lake, Loch Raven Reservoir, Prettyboy Reservoir, Rocky Gorge Reservoir, St. Mary's Lake, Triadelphia Reservoir and Youghiogheny River Lake.
  
  

Bait and Tackle

• Spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms are popular springtime lures in Maryland lakes; in the summer months, when fish may move into deeper water, jigs also come into play. Topwater lures are good to use in morning and evening during the summer, and soft plastics excel throughout most of the bass fishing season. Spoons may be used in the fall. During winter, downsizing is often the best option, with smaller jigs and worms being most effective.
  
  

Seasons and Rules

• The fishing season for both smallmouth and largemouth bass in Maryland is closed from March 1 to June 15, to protect fish during the spawning season. Bass may still be caught and released during this time. The minimum size for bass during the season is 12 inches, and the daily limits are five each of largemouth and smallmouth bass.
  
  

Trophy Bass Fishing Areas

• The state of Maryland manages many of its best waters for trophy bass fishing. These include Blair Valley Lake, Centennial Lake, all ponds located within the Chesapeake Ranch Estates, Johnson Pond, Leonard Mill Pond, Little Seneca Lake, all ponds located within the Patuxent Naval Air Test Center and St. Mary's Lake. In these waters, a person may possess five bass per day, but all bass from 11 inches up to (but not including) 15 inches must be released. Only one bass longer than 15 inches may be kept per day in these areas. This is to promote and maintain the state's trophy bass fisheries.
  
  

Tidal Bass Fishing

• The Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River in Maryland offer opportunities for tidal bass fishing, mostly for largemouths. Tidal bass fishing is found almost nowhere else in the country. Water levels can fluctuate as much as seven feet over the course of a day, making this an exciting area to fish. Grass beds and rock piles on the Potomac River are top bass producers.