Frederick County, MD · Inland River

Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin

Big Hunting Creek through Catoctin Mountain Park is one of Maryland's signature fly-fishing-only catch-and-release trout streams. Wild and stocked brown and brook trout in tight canopy water — small classic mountain stream fishing within an hour of DC.

Live · updated Jun 5, 6:56 PM ET

Top picks today

Brook Trout, Brown Trout & Rainbow Trout — tied at the top (68/100)

3 species tied for best of 3 tracked at Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin.

68 /100

good

Atmosphere

Air Temp

81°F

Mostly Sunny

Wind

7 to 13 mph

Rain

11%

Saturday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

—

Inland

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:43 AM

Sunset

8:33 PM

Moon · 70%

waning gibbous

Species at Big Hunting 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 Brook Trout Workable day for Brook Trout. In season 68/100

What's helping

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

About. Salvelinus fontinalis — Maryland's only native trout and a conservation priority species. Surviving wild populations are in small, cold headwater streams in Garrett, Allegany, and a few pockets of central/western MD. Small, aggressive, and spectacularly colored — sensitive to warming and habitat loss.

Prefers. Water 40–65°F (ideal 52°F) · either tide · depth 1–10 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 44 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Daily creel: 2

Statewide aggregate creel of 2 trout/day applies. MDDNR designates many wild brook trout waters as Catch-and-Return only or Zero-Creel — consult the water-specific rules before keeping ANY brook trout. Treat all native brook trout populations as fragile; catch-and-release is strongly preferred. Trout stamp required.

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

#1 Brown Trout Workable day for Brown Trout. In season 68/100

What's helping

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

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Regulations may be out of date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 44 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 Rainbow Trout Workable day for Rainbow Trout. In season 68/100

What's helping

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

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 44 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.

Location Info

Water Body

Inland River

Access

Shoreline access

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.6353, -77.4631

Notes

Fly-fishing only, single barbless hook, catch-and-release in the regulated zone. No bait. Multiple parking pull-offs along MD 77 through Catoctin Mountain Park.

What anglers are reporting

From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026.

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 Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Greenbrier State Park

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Antietam Creek — Burnside Bridge

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Conococheague Creek — Williamsport

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Potomac River — Williamsport

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Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin 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 Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin?

Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Brook Trout, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout. 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 Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin?

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 Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin 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 Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin have?

Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Fly-fishing only, single barbless hook, catch-and-release in the regulated zone. No bait. Multiple parking pull-offs along MD 77 through Catoctin Mountain Park.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin. 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 Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin tidal water?

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