It’s a fishing day

North Branch Potomac River — Barnum fishing conditions · Maryland

Today, 12 pm–11 pmBrook trout

The bite peaks at 92. Water is 55°, close to the 52° brook trout like best, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Log a trip here
Right now: 84 for brook trout, worth the tripTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Brook trout, 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. 843 am
  2. 84
  3. 84
  4. 846 am
  5. 84
  6. 84
  7. 849 am
  8. 82
  9. 84
  10. 9212 pm
  11. 92
  12. 92
  13. 923 pm
  14. 92
  15. 92
  16. 926 pm
  17. 92
  18. 92
  19. 929 pm
  20. 92
  21. 84
  22. 84Tue
  23. 84
  24. 82
  25. 823 am
  26. 82
  27. 82
  28. 826 am
  29. 82
  30. 82
  31. 829 am
  32. 82
  33. 82
  34. 8212 pm
  35. 82
  36. 82
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
55°F

Brook trout range 40–65°

Wind
3 mph

From the west

Flow
355 cfs

steady · +0% in 24 h

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:37 am

Sky
Mostly Clear

No rain expected

Air
38°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

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.

Brook Trout

Brook trout

Salvelinus fontinalis

92GoToday, 12 pm–11 pm

Water

55°
30°40–65° · ideal 52°75°

Why

Right in brook trout's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 1–10 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Catch and release only today. Maryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take areas and special trout management areas have their own rules. Brook trout may not be kept in put-and-take areas or in any nontidal water east of I-81, and may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on brook trout

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

92GoToday, 12 pm–11 pm

Water

55°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in rainbow trout's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Catch and release only today. Maryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take areas and special trout management areas have their own rules.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov. More on rainbow trout

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass

Micropterus dolomieu

92GoToday, 12 pm–11 pm

Water

55°
45°55–78° · ideal 68°88°

Why

Smallmouth bass is showing up in this week's state fishing report for the area. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside smallmouth bass's active range. Holds 3–30 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Maryland nontidal waters: 12" minimum, 5 bass a day combined, kept only Jun 16 to the last day of February; catch and release at all times. Bass may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Season here: Apr–Nov. More on smallmouth bass

Brown Trout

Brown trout

Salmo trutta

84Worth the tripToday, 12 pm–11 pm

Water

55°
35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Right in brown trout's ideal range. Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 3–25 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Catch and release only today. Maryland statewide trout rule: 2 a day in any combination (4 in possession), no minimum size, open all year. Put-and-take areas and special trout management areas have their own rules. Brown trout may not be used as bait.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Maryland non-tidal

Season here: Mar–Jun, Sep–Nov. More on brown trout

The water

  • Water temperature55°F
  • River355 cfs · steady · +0% in 24 h
  • Barometer30.40 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:37 am
  • Sunset today6:22 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 5:50 pm–6:50 pm

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, Oct 14

Freshwater Fishing. The fall trout stocking program continues this week with new locations being stocked. Anglers should keep in mind that not every trout management water will be stocked and are encouraged to check the most updated stocking list on the trout stocking website . The stockings are posted on the afternoon of each stocking day. Fishing for smallmouth bass in the upper Potomac is being enjoyed by anglers this week. Cooler water temperatures are more comfortable for smallmouth bass, and they are actively feeding on baitfish and crayfish. Tubes, small crankbaits, and soft plastic swimbaits are all good choices when fishing current breaks and underwater ledges and boulders.

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 · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The North Branch Potomac at Barnum is a cold tailwater directly below Jennings Randolph Dam — the premier trophy-trout water on the Maryland–West Virginia line. Deep reservoir releases hold it near 55–60°F year-round, growing wild, reproducing brown and brook trout alongside stocked rainbows and golden rainbows to sizes rare on the East Coast. The mile below the dam, down to the Barnum access, is a year-round catch-and-return, artificial-only section; smallmouth bass mix into the warmer water downstream. Wade and bank access from the Barnum Fishing & Boating Access on the WV side.

Upper Section catch-and-return: from ~345 yds below the Jennings Randolph spillway down ~1 mile to the concrete abutments at Barnum — artificial lures only, barbless hooks, all trout released year-round. MD DNR and WV DNR jointly manage the border water; a Maryland OR West Virginia license is honored. Dam-release flows change fast and can spike — check the USGS Barnum gauge and the Corps release schedule before wading.

Nearby

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

North Branch Potomac River — Luke1 mi · MarylandBest today 12 pm–12 am
92Go
Jennings Randolph Lake2 mi · MarylandBest today 1 pm–10 pm
92Go
Savage River Reservoir6 mi · MarylandBest today 11 am–11 pm
80Worth the trip
Deep Creek Lake10 mi · MarylandBest today 11 am–9 pm
86Go
Broadford Lake Park14 mi · MarylandBest today 12 pm–6 pm
80Worth the trip
Piney Reservoir19 mi · MarylandBest today 5 am–6 am
78Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at North Branch Potomac River — Barnum?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at North Branch Potomac River — Barnum 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 North Branch Potomac River — Barnum?

North Branch Potomac River — Barnum is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Brown Trout, Brook Trout, Rainbow 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 North Branch Potomac River — Barnum?

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 North Branch Potomac River — Barnum 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 North Branch Potomac River — Barnum have?

North Branch Potomac River — Barnum has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Upper Section catch-and-return: from ~345 yds below the Jennings Randolph spillway down ~1 mile to the concrete abutments at Barnum — artificial lures only, barbless hooks, all trout released year-round. MD DNR and WV DNR jointly manage the border water; a Maryland OR West Virginia license is honored. Dam-release flows change fast and can spike — check the USGS Barnum gauge and the Corps release schedule before wading.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at North Branch Potomac River — Barnum?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at North Branch Potomac River — Barnum. 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 North Branch Potomac River — Barnum tidal water?

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