Garrett County, MD · Reservoir

Piney Reservoir

Frostburg's 120-acre water-supply reservoir (aka Frostburg Reservoir) near Finzel in northeastern Garrett County. A warmwater fishery with a strong largemouth bass and panfish reputation — crappie and yellow perch — plus hatchery trout stocked spring and fall for a cold-water bonus. One of the region's most popular ice-fishing lakes. Shoreline-only, with a handicapped-access fishing platform.

Live · updated Jul 12, 4:35 PM ET

Top picks today

Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Rainbow Trout & Channel Catfish — tied at the top (23/100)

4 species tied for best of 5 tracked at Piney Reservoir.

23 /100

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Atmosphere

Air Temp

76°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind

8 mph

Rain

27%

This Afternoon

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

—

Inland

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:58 AM

Sunset

8:44 PM

Moon · 4%

new

Species at Piney Reservoir

5 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 4 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Largemouth Bass Skip the Largemouth Bass trip today. In season 23/100

What's helping

8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Micropterus salmoides — Most popular gamefish in MD non-tidal waters. Ambush predator around cover — lily pads, submerged timber, docks, grass edges. Hits plastics, spinnerbaits, jigs, and topwater across the season.

Prefers. Water 55–85°F (ideal 72°F) · either tide · depth 3–25 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 81 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size: 12"
Daily creel: 5

Non-tidal MD: 12-inch minimum, 5 per day in aggregate with smallmouth bass. Harvest season is June 16 through the last day of February. March 1–June 15 is catch-and-release only to protect the spawn. Some waters have special regulations (slot limits, lower creel) — check the water-specific page.

Source: Maryland non-tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#1 Crappie Skip the Crappie trip today. In season 23/100

What's helping

8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Pomoxis spp. — Covers both black crappie (P. nigromaculatus) and white crappie (P. annularis). Schooling panfish around brush, docks, and submerged timber. Spring pre-spawn is the prime season — small minnows and 1/16-oz jigs are the go-to.

Prefers. Water 50–80°F (ideal 65°F) · either tide · depth 3–20 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 81 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Daily creel: 15

Non-tidal MD: no minimum size, 15 per day in aggregate (black + white crappie). Open year-round.

Source: Maryland non-tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#1 Rainbow Trout Check local Rainbow Trout regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 23/100

Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Rainbow Trout in MD on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.

What's helping

8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Oncorhynchus mykiss — The most heavily stocked trout in Maryland. Put-and-take fisheries across the state plus holdover/wild fish in Western MD streams (Savage, Youghiogheny tailwater, Gunpowder). Takes PowerBait, small spinners, and standard dry/nymph patterns.

Prefers. Water 45–68°F (ideal 55°F) · either tide · depth 3–20 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland non-tidal / non-tidal. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

#1 Channel Catfish Skip the Channel Catfish trip today. In season 23/100

What's helping

8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Ictalurus punctatus — Native catfish of MD non-tidal rivers, reservoirs, and farm ponds. Bottom-feeder that takes chicken liver, stinkbait, nightcrawlers, and cut bait. Most active at night and in warm water.

Prefers. Water 60–85°F (ideal 75°F) · either tide · depth 5–30 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 81 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Daily creel: 5

Non-tidal MD: no minimum size, 5 per day, open year-round. Standard freshwater fishing license required.

Source: Maryland non-tidal regulations · verified 2026-04-22.

#5 Yellow Perch Check local Yellow Perch regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 17/100

Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Yellow Perch in MD on file yet. The live conditions score still applies — but confirm the current regulations with your state agency before keeping any fish.

What's helping

8 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed

What's hurting

incoming tide — yellow perch prefers slack tide
Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Perca flavescens — Late-winter and early-spring favorite. Schools up in tidal tributaries for the pre-spawn run in February and March, taking small minnows, shad darts, and small jigs. A classic Eastern Shore "neds" fishery.

Prefers. Water 45–70°F (ideal 58°F) · slack tide · depth 5–30 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland non-tidal / non-tidal. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

Location Info

Water Body

Reservoir

Access

Shoreline access

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.7071, -79.0050

Notes

The City of Frostburg owns the entire shoreline; public shore and ice fishing are permitted. No boating. No fishing along the dam face (posted). Reached from Piney Run Road north of US 40.

What anglers are reporting

From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026 · 46 days old — a newer report may be available.

Freshwater Fishing

Maryland’s spring trout stocking season is now complete. Stocking began in February and wrapped up on May 18. A total of 254,810 trout were stocked; 182,260 trout were stocked into open waters and 72,550 stocked under the closure period. Trout were stocked into 118 waterbodies, including 53 streams and rivers and 65 lakes and ponds. The next period of regular trout stocking will begin in October. Due to warming water temperatures, some delayed harvest trout management waters (known as Group I) in the central and parts of the western region will open to trout harvest from June 1 to September 30.

Species mentioned: trout

Excerpts are anecdotal and reflect a single week's observations from DNR biologists and reporting anglers — not predictions. Use as one signal among many; verify against current conditions before planning a trip.

Local reports & rules for Piney Reservoir: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows

12 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Shore · River

Savage River Reservoir

14 mi

Garrett Co., MD · Ramp · Reservoir

Evitts Creek Ponds

16 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Shore · Lake

Evitts Creek

17 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Shore · River

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Piney Reservoir?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Piney Reservoir 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 Piney Reservoir?

Piney Reservoir is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Yellow Perch, Rainbow Trout, and 1 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 Piney Reservoir?

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 Piney Reservoir 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 Piney Reservoir have?

Piney Reservoir has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. The City of Frostburg owns the entire shoreline; public shore and ice fishing are permitted. No boating. No fishing along the dam face (posted). Reached from Piney Run Road north of US 40.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Piney Reservoir?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Piney Reservoir. 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 Piney Reservoir tidal water?

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