It’s a fishing day

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area fishing conditions · Maryland

Now until Monday 4 amRainbow trout

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 68 for rainbow trout, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Rainbow trout, 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.

  1. 684 pm
  2. 68
  3. 68
  4. 687 pm
  5. 68
  6. 68
  7. 6810 pm
  8. 68
  9. 68Sun
  10. 681 am
  11. 68
  12. 68
  13. 684 am
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 687 am
  17. 68
  18. 68
  19. 6810 am
  20. 68
  21. 68
  22. 681 pm
  23. 68
  24. 68
  25. 684 pm
  26. 68
  27. 68
  28. 687 pm
  29. 68
  30. 68
  31. 6810 pm
  32. 68
  33. 68Mon
  34. 681 am
  35. 68
  36. 68
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Rainbow trout range 45–68°

Wind
15 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:00 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

3% chance of rain

Air
56°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

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.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

68MarginalNow until Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take areas and special trout management areas have their own rules.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

68MarginalNow until Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Brown trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take areas and special trout management areas have their own rules. Brown trout 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–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on brown trout

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

68MarginalNow until Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Smallmouth bass bite in 55–78° water, best near 68°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: 12" minimum, 5 bass a day combined, kept only Jun 16 to the last day of February; catch and release 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

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.91 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:00 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:43 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:30 pm–4:30 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:00 pm–12:00 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 5:50 am–6:50 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

The Patapsco River through the Daniels area of Patapsco Valley State Park is a stocked trout stream with good smallmouth populations in the warmer months. Scenic gorge setting with easy bank access.

Stocked trout in spring; catch-and-keep allowed. Smallmouth fishing picks up in summer. Parking at Daniels Area lot off Old Frederick Road.

Nearby

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

Liberty Reservoir7 mi · MarylandBest today 5 pm–8 pm
78Worth the trip
Triadelphia Reservoir12 mi · MarylandBest today 5 pm to Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Loch Raven Reservoir18 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Prettyboy Reservoir22 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm–8 pm
84Worth the trip
Cox's Point Park22 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
92Go
Gunpowder Falls — Big Falls24 mi · MarylandBest now until 8 pm
100Go

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Smallmouth Bass. 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area have?

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Stocked trout in spring; catch-and-keep allowed. Smallmouth fishing picks up in summer. Parking at Daniels Area lot off Old Frederick Road.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area. 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area tidal water?

No. Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.