It's a Fishing Day

Allegany County, MD · Inland River

Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows

Allegany County, MD

Wills Creek cuts through the Cumberland Narrows, the dramatic water gap west of Cumberland where the creek slices between Wills and Haystack mountains. The put-and-take stretch upstream of the flood-control project is one of Maryland's most heavily stocked trout runs — rainbows and browns through spring, with smallmouth bass and rock bass into summer. Bank access along the old National Road and rail corridor through the gap.

Live · updated

Top picks today

Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout & Smallmouth Bass — tied at the top (27/100)

3 species tied for best of 3 tracked at Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows.

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Atmosphere

Air Temp
82°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind
5 mph
E
Rain
32%
This Afternoon
Pressure
Steady
6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp
—
Inland
Flow
124 cfs
Falling · -25% / 24h

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:57 AM
Sunset
8:43 PM
Moon · 4%
new

Species at Wills Creek

3 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 3 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Rainbow Trout Skip the Rainbow Trout trip today. In season 27/100

What's helping

  • 5 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.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Daily creel
2

Daily creel 2 in aggregate across all trout species; possession limit 4 in aggregate. No minimum size. Put-and-Take "Closure 1" areas are closed March 8–March 28, 2026 (10pm–6:30am) for pre-season stocking. Special Trout Management Areas (Catch-and-Return, Delayed Harvest, Trophy Trout) have their own regulations — verify per water. Trout stamp required in addition to the standard freshwater license.

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

#1 Brown Trout Skip the Brown Trout trip today. In season 27/100

What's helping

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

What's hurting

  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Salmo trutta — Naturally reproduces in the Gunpowder River tailwater (Loch Raven below Prettyboy) and several Western MD streams; also heavily stocked. Typically more wary than rainbows. Classic mayfly hatches on the Gunpowder — sulphurs, BWOs, caddis. Streamer-eaters after dark.

Prefers. Water 45–68°F (ideal 55°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 →

Daily creel
2

Daily creel 2 in aggregate across trout species; possession 4 in aggregate. No minimum size. Same Closure 1 March 8–28 pre-season rule applies. Many brown trout fisheries (Gunpowder below Prettyboy, Savage River tailwater) are Catch-and-Return only or have elevated minimum size — check water-specific regs. Trout stamp required.

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

#1 Smallmouth Bass Check local Smallmouth Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 27/100
Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for Smallmouth Bass 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

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

What's hurting

  • Thunderstorms — get off the water immediately when storms approach

About. Micropterus dolomieu — Premier gamefish of the non-tidal Potomac, the Upper Susquehanna, and Deep Creek Lake. Pound-for-pound one of the hardest-fighting freshwater fish. Hits tubes, crayfish imitations, spinnerbaits, and topwater poppers.

Prefers. Water 55–78°F (ideal 68°F) · either tide · depth 3–30 ft.

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

Location Info

Water Body

Inland River

Access

Shoreline access

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.6696, -78.7880

Notes

Put-and-take trout water above the Narrows flood-control project; stocked through spring — pre-season 'Closure 1' dates may apply, so check the MD DNR stocking schedule. Flows are flashy after mountain rain. A discharge-only USGS gauge sits at the lower end; no live water-temperature feed here.

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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Evitts Creek Ponds

3.8 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Shore · Lake

Evitts Creek

5.3 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Shore · River

Rocky Gap State Park — Lake Habeeb

7.6 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Multi · Lake

Lake Gordon

8.1 mi

Bedford Co., PA · Multi · Lake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows 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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows?

Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows 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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows?

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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows 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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows have?

Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Put-and-take trout water above the Narrows flood-control project; stocked through spring — pre-season 'Closure 1' dates may apply, so check the MD DNR stocking schedule. Flows are flashy after mountain rain. A discharge-only USGS gauge sits at the lower end; no live water-temperature feed here.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows. 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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows tidal water?

No. Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows 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 Wills Creek — Cumberland Narrows?

Put-and-take trout water above the Narrows flood-control project; stocked through spring — pre-season 'Closure 1' dates may apply, so check the MD DNR stocking schedule. Flows are flashy after mountain rain. A discharge-only USGS gauge sits at the lower end; no live water-temperature feed here.

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR

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