It’s a fishing day

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake fishing conditions · Maryland

Tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 amLargemouth bass

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 60 for largemouth bass, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Largemouth bass, 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. 604 pm
  2. 60
  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

Water
No reading

Largemouth bass range 55–85°

Wind
17 mph

From the northwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:02 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.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass

Micropterus salmoides

68MarginalTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Largemouth bass bite in 55–85° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Crappie

Crappie

Pomoxis spp.

68MarginalTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Crappie bite in 50–80° water, best near 65°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish

Ictalurus punctatus

68MarginalTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Channel catfish bite in 60–85° water, best near 75°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Chain Pickerel

Chain pickerel

Esox niger

68MarginalTonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am

Water

No water reading here right now. Chain pickerel bite in 45–80° water, best near 60°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. 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

Common carp

Cyprinus carpio

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Common carp bite in 52–86° water, best near 72°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Common carp is here Apr–Oct. 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

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.95 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:02 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow6:44 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

A 90-acre lake (Clopper Lake) in Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg with a fishing pier, boat rentals, and bank access. Convenient to the DC suburbs with good largemouth bass and crappie fishing.

Day-use entry fee. Boat rentals available in-season. Electric motors only. Fishing pier accessible year-round.

Nearby

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

Riverbend Park — Upper Potomac10 mi · VirginiaBest now until Monday 4 am
72Worth the trip
Monocacy River — Buckeystown13 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am
86Go
Potomac River — Point of Rocks15 mi · MarylandBest tonight 6 pm to Monday 4 am
100Go
Triadelphia Reservoir17 mi · MarylandBest today 5 pm to Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Burke Lake Park25 mi · VirginiaBest today 5 pm to Monday 4 am
68Marginal
Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area28 mi · MarylandBest now until Monday 4 am
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, Chain Pickerel, 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake have?

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Day-use entry fee. Boat rentals available in-season. Electric motors only. Fishing pier accessible year-round.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake tidal water?

No. Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Day-use entry fee. Boat rentals available in-season. Electric motors only. Fishing pier accessible year-round.