Baltimore County, MD · Reservoir

Loch Raven Reservoir

A 2,400-acre Baltimore City water-supply reservoir in northern Baltimore County. Bank fishing year-round; boat fishing seasonally with a Baltimore City watercraft permit. Boats are restricted to electric motors or human power — no gas or propane motors. Boat and kayak rentals are available at the Loch Raven Fishing Center.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top picks today

Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish & Chain Pickerel — tied at the top (23/100)

5 species tied for best of 6 tracked at Loch Raven Reservoir.

23 /100

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Atmosphere

Air Temp

93°F

Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind

2 to 8 mph

Rain

77%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

—

Inland

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:38 AM

Sunset

8:33 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Species at Loch Raven Reservoir

6 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 5 (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Regulations may be out of date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 51 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 Smallmouth Bass Skip the Smallmouth 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 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.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 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 largemouth bass. Harvest season is June 16 through the last day of February. March 1–June 15 is catch-and-release only. Special regulations apply on sections of the non-tidal Potomac — check site-specific rules.

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 51 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 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 51 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.

#1 Chain Pickerel Skip the Chain Pickerel 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. Esox niger — Native toothy predator of mill ponds, blackwater rivers, and grassy shorelines — especially common on the Eastern Shore. Hits spinners, spoons, and minnow plugs aggressively. Cold-weather fishery when bass have shut down.

Prefers. Water 45–80°F (ideal 60°F) · either tide · depth 3–15 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

Last verified 51 days ago on 2026-04-22. Open source page →

Min size: 14"
Daily creel: 5

Non-tidal MD: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day. Open year-round.

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

#6 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

Pier, shore, and ramp

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.4619, -76.5801

Notes

Bank fishing year-round (MD fishing license required). Boats: electric-motor-only with a Baltimore City watercraft permit. Live aquatic bait must be from a state-certified zebra-mussel-free dealer.

What anglers are reporting

From the Maryland DNR weekly fishing report, published May 27, 2026 · 15 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 Loch Raven Reservoir: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Gunpowder Falls — Big Falls

6.0 mi

Baltimore Co., MD · Shore · River

Mariner Point Park

13 mi

Harford Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Miami Beach Park

13 mi

Baltimore Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Cox's Point Park

13 mi

Baltimore Co., MD · Multi · Chesapeake

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Loch Raven Reservoir?

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

Loch Raven Reservoir is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Crappie, 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 Loch Raven 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 Loch Raven 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 Loch Raven Reservoir have?

Loch Raven Reservoir has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Bank fishing year-round (MD fishing license required). Boats: electric-motor-only with a Baltimore City watercraft permit. Live aquatic bait must be from a state-certified zebra-mussel-free dealer.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Loch Raven Reservoir?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Loch Raven 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 Loch Raven Reservoir tidal water?

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