It’s a fishing day

Potomac River — Point of Rocks fishing conditions · Maryland

Tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 amWalleye

The bite peaks at 100. Water is 59°, close to the 62° walleye like best, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 18 mph out of the northwest by today at 4:00 pm.

Log a trip here
Right now: 76 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.

  1. 764 pm
  2. 87
  3. 95
  4. 957 pm
  5. 100
  6. 100
  7. 10010 pm
  8. 100
  9. 100Sun
  10. 1001 am
  11. 100
  12. 100
  13. 1004 am
  14. 100
  15. 100
  16. 1007 am
  17. 100
  18. 100
  19. 10010 am
  20. 100
  21. 100
  22. 1001 pm
  23. 100
  24. 100
  25. 1004 pm
  26. 100
  27. 100
  28. 1007 pm
  29. 100
  30. 100
  31. 10010 pm
  32. 100
  33. 100Mon
  34. 1001 am
  35. 100
  36. 100
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
59°F

Walleye range 50–72°

Wind
18 mph

From the northwest · rough for small boats

Flow
1,400 cfs

steady · +1% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:03 pm

Sky
Partly Sunny

4% chance of rain

Air
57°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

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.

Walleye

Walleye

Sander vitreus

100GoTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

59°
40°50–72° · ideal 62°82°

Why

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

Keep

15" minimum · 20" maximum · 5 a day (Jan 1–Apr 15); 15" minimum · 5 a day (Apr 16–Dec 31)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. 15" minimum, 5 a day; from Jan 1 to Apr 15 no walleye over 20" may be kept.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Potomac River main stem

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

80Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

59°
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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. 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

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

59°
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

White Perch

White perch

Morone americana

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

59°
40°50–78° · ideal 65°88°

Why

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

Keep

no daily limit

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: no minimum size and no daily limit, open all year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on white perch

Common Carp

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

74Worth the tripTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

59°
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

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

59°
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 temperature59°F
  • River1,400 cfs · steady · +1% in 24 h
  • Barometer29.98 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:03 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:45 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 · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The Point of Rocks boat ramp opens onto a productive stretch of the upper Potomac for smallmouth bass, walleye, and channel catfish. A common put-in for float trips down toward Edwards Ferry; shore access in either direction along the C&O Canal towpath.

MD DNR boat ramp — free with valid MD launch permit. C&O Canal NHP visitor parking adjacent. Heavy current after upstream rain.

Nearby

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

Monocacy River — Buckeystown7 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am
86Go
Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake15 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Antietam Creek — Burnside Bridge17 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am
74Worth the trip
Greenbrier State Park19 mi · MarylandBest tonight 9 pm to Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Riverbend Park — Upper Potomac25 mi · VirginiaBest now until Monday 4 am
72Worth the trip
Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin25 mi · MarylandBest tomorrow 11 am to Monday 3 am
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Potomac River — Point of Rocks?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Potomac River — Point of Rocks 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 Potomac River — Point of Rocks?

Potomac River — Point of Rocks is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, and 2 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 Potomac River — Point of Rocks?

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 Potomac River — Point of Rocks 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 Potomac River — Point of Rocks have?

Potomac River — Point of Rocks has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. MD DNR boat ramp — free with valid MD launch permit. C&O Canal NHP visitor parking adjacent. Heavy current after upstream rain.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Potomac River — Point of Rocks?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Potomac River — Point of Rocks. 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 Potomac River — Point of Rocks tidal water?

No. Potomac River — Point of Rocks is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.