Frederick County, MD · Inland River

Monocacy River — Buckeystown

The lower Monocacy River near Buckeystown offers public shore access for smallmouth bass and channel catfish before the river joins the Potomac. Wading access in summer; best flows in spring and fall.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top picks today

Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass & Chain Pickerel — tied at the top (29/100)

3 species tied for best of 4 tracked at Monocacy River — Buckeystown.

29 /100

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Atmosphere

Air Temp

94°F

Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind

1 to 9 mph

Rain

75%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

80°F

Inland

Flow

600 cfs

Rising · +23% / 24h

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:42 AM

Sunset

8:36 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Species at Monocacy River

4 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 Channel Catfish Skip the Channel Catfish trip today. In season 29/100

What's helping

80°F water — inside channel catfish's active range
9 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Regulations may be out of date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 Largemouth Bass Skip the Largemouth Bass trip today. In season 29/100

What's helping

80°F water — inside largemouth bass's active range
9 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Regulations may be out of date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 Chain Pickerel Skip the Chain Pickerel trip today. In season 29/100

What's helping

80°F water — inside chain pickerel's active range
9 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.

#4 Smallmouth Bass Skip the Smallmouth Bass trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

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

What's hurting

80°F water — above smallmouth bass's active range (55–78°f) — fish move deep
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.

Location Info

Water Body

Inland River

Access

Shoreline access

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.3117, -77.4250

Notes

Access via Mouth of Monocacy Road and Lily Pons Road. No facilities. Can flood significantly in spring.

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 Monocacy River — Buckeystown: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Potomac River — Point of Rocks

6.9 mi

Frederick Co., MD · Multi · River

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake

13 mi

Montgomery Co., MD · Multi · Lake

Greenbrier State Park

19 mi

Washington Co., MD · Multi · Lake

Antietam Creek — Burnside Bridge

19 mi

Washington Co., MD · Shore · River

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Monocacy River — Buckeystown?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Monocacy River — Buckeystown 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 Monocacy River — Buckeystown?

Monocacy River — Buckeystown is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Chain Pickerel. 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 Monocacy River — Buckeystown?

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 Monocacy River — Buckeystown 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 Monocacy River — Buckeystown have?

Monocacy River — Buckeystown has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Access via Mouth of Monocacy Road and Lily Pons Road. No facilities. Can flood significantly in spring.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Monocacy River — Buckeystown?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Monocacy River — Buckeystown. 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 Monocacy River — Buckeystown tidal water?

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