Maryland Department of Natural Resources

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Maryland Fish Facts

​Welcome to fish facts, a collection of information about the wide variety of fish you can find in the state of Maryland. Below are listings of fish and aquatic life that are common to Maryland waters. The individual fact sheets provide identification information as well as where you can find the species, what they eat, breeding patterns and resource concerns.

Before you go fishing, make sure you know the rules and regulations for the individual species, so you know if you are allowed to catch them, how big they must be and when it is legal to do so.​


Official Dividing Lines For Tidal/Non-tidal License Free Fishing Locations Public Lakes and PondsPublic Lakes and Ponds
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Public Angler Access Map​
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Amercan Eel American Shad American Gizzard Shad Atlantic Croaker Atlantic Sturgeon​Black CrappieBlack DrumBlack Sea BassBluefishBluegillBrook TroutBrown TroutChain PickerelChannel CatfishCobiaCommon CarpMahi MahiFallfishHickory ShadLargemouth BassLongnose GarMenhadenMonkfishMuskellungeKingfish​Northern PikeRainbow TroutRiver Herring - Alewife and Blueback Herring Sheepshead SheepsheadSmallmouth BassSpanish MackerelSpiny Dogfish SharkSpotSpotted SeatroutStriped BassStriped BurrfishSummer FlounderTautogTiger MuskieWahooWalleyeWeakfishWhite CatfishWhite MarlinWhite PerchYellow Perch

Invasive Fish  Blue Catfish Flathead Catfish  Chesapeake Channa - Northern Snakehead 

Blue Crab Bay Scallop 
Eastern OysterHard Shell ClamHorseshoe Crab ​


Maryland Department of Natural Resources Fishing and Boating Services also has information available online that provides survey data of juveniles of various species from the striped bass seine survey. Please check out the information at: Juvenile Striped Bass Survey

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  Fish Identification Posters and Invasive Species Signage​
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Illustrations by Duane Raver provided by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); Illustrations by Diane Rome Peebles, Provided by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Marine Fisheries Management; NOAA; Illustration by Susan Trammell/ Courtesy of the United States Geological Survey (USGS); Maine Department of Marine Resources, Recreational Fisheries Program and the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund. All Illustrations used with permission or by contract with said artists.
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