Deep Creek Lake fishing conditions · Maryland

Tonight 11 pm to tonight 4 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 86. Water is 55°, inside their 50–72° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Right now: 73 for walleye, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Walleye, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

734 pm
69
69
697 pm
74
74
7410 pm
86
86Sun
821 am
82
82
744 am
74
78
787 am
74
74
7410 am
78
78
821 pm
74
74
784 pm
78
59
597 pm
59
59
5910 pm
63
63Mon
631 am
59
59

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: 55°F
Wind: 17 mph
Light: Daylight
Sky: Cloudy
Air: 42°F
Barometer: Rising
Moon: 5% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Maryland non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Walleye

Sander vitreus

86GoTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

Walleye feeds aggressively in low light. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside walleye's active range. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

15" minimum · 5 a day

Release 18–21".

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Deep Creek Lake: 15" minimum and 5 a day, but every walleye from 18 to 21" must be released. Closed to walleye fishing Mar 1–Apr 15.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Deep Creek Lake

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–May, Oct–Dec. More on walleye

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

86GoTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in rainbow trout's ideal range. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Put-and-take trout area: 5 trout a day combined (10 in possession), no minimum size; brook trout must be released. No closure.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Put-and-take trout area

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov. More on rainbow trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

86GoTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in brown trout's ideal range. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Put-and-take trout area: 5 trout a day combined (10 in possession), no minimum size; brook trout must be released. No closure.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Put-and-take trout area

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on brown trout

Yellow perch

Perca flavescens

86GoTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

35°45–70° · ideal 58°80°

Why

Right in yellow perch's ideal range. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal lakes and ponds: no minimum size, 10 yellow perch a day (20 in possession).

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Nontidal lakes and ponds

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Feb–Apr, Oct–Dec. More on yellow perch

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

45°55–85° · ideal 72°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside largemouth bass's active range. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: 12" minimum (or as set by special regulation), 5 bass a day combined with smallmouth, kept only Jun 16 to the last day of February. Catch and release is allowed at all times. Bass may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Nov. More on largemouth bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

74Worth the tripTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside smallmouth bass's active range. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: 12" minimum (or as set by special regulation), 5 bass a day combined with largemouth, kept only Jun 16 to the last day of February. Catch and release is allowed at all times. Bass may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on smallmouth bass

Muskellunge

Esox masquinongy

74Worth the tripTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside muskellunge's active range. Holds 10–40 ft down.

Keep

36" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: muskellunge and tiger muskie 36" minimum, 1 a day (2 in possession), open all year. May not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Jul, Sep–Nov. More on muskellunge

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

74Worth the tripTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

40°50–80° · ideal 65°90°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside crappie's active range. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: no minimum size, 15 a day (30 in possession), open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov. More on crappie

Chain pickerel

Esox niger

74Worth the tripTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

35°45–80° · ideal 60°90°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside chain pickerel's active range. Holds 3–15 ft down.

Keep

14" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: 14" minimum, 5 a day (10 in possession), open all year. May not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on chain pickerel

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

74Worth the tripTonight 11 pm to tonight 4 am

Water

55°

42°52–86° · ideal 72°96°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside common carp's active range. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

15 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland non-tidal waters: no minimum size, open year-round, 15 a day and 30 in possession.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on common carp

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

55°

50°60–85° · ideal 75°95°

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Below channel catfish's active range (60–85°F). Holds 5–30 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: no minimum size, 5 a day (10 in possession), open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on channel catfish

The water

Water temperature55°F
Barometer29.99 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunset today5:09 pm
Sunrise tomorrow6:53 am
MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
Minor solunarTomorrow 6:00 am–7:00 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

Maryland DNR, Nov 4

Freshwater Fishing. Although the fall trout stocking program has reached its end, there are still plenty of opportunities for put-and-take anglers in the many community ponds and reservoirs that were stocked. If anglers try switching from Powerbait and work the waters distant from the usual stocking locations with spinners, they might be surprised with the trout that are still there. The delayed harvest and catch-and-return trout management waters will provide catch-and-release fishing from now until June. At that time there will be dates when they revert to put-and-take for the summer months. More information about the special trout management areas is on the DNR website.

Quoted from the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report. Reports are what anglers and biologists saw that week, not a forecast.

Licenses and rules: MD DNR · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

Maryland's largest freshwater lake at ~3,900 acres in the Garrett County mountains. Multiple public boat ramps and shoreline access points around the lake. A year-round fishery with deep, clear water.

State Park day-use fee at the main state park area. Many access points are free. Lake freezes in winter — ice fishing popular.

WaterLake
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesMaryland non-tidal
WhereGarrett County · 39.5039, -79.2834

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Savage River Reservoir8 mi · MarylandBest tonight 12 am–8 am

92Go

Broadford Lake Park8 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm to tomorrow 10 pm

68Marginal

North Branch Potomac River — Barnum10 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am

92Go

Jennings Randolph Lake10 mi · MarylandBest tonight 8 pm to Monday 4 am

92Go

North Branch Potomac River — Luke10 mi · MarylandBest today 5 pm to tomorrow 9 am

92Go

Youghiogheny River — Friendsville13 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am

90Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Deep Creek Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Deep Creek Lake you need a Maryland non-tidal fishing license issued by MD DNR (and a separate Maryland trout stamp if targeting trout in non-tidal waters). See the agency's current rules: https://dnr.maryland.gov/pages/service_fishing_license.aspx

What fish are commonly targeted at Deep Creek Lake?

Deep Creek Lake is listed on this site for 11 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, and 7 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Deep Creek Lake?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Deep Creek Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Deep Creek Lake have?

Deep Creek Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. State Park day-use fee at the main state park area. Many access points are free. Lake freezes in winter — ice fishing popular.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Deep Creek Lake?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Deep Creek Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Deep Creek Lake tidal water?

No. Deep Creek Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Deep Creek Lake?

State Park day-use fee at the main state park area. Many access points are free. Lake freezes in winter — ice fishing popular.