Baltimore County, MD · Inland River

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area

The Patapsco River through the Daniels area of Patapsco Valley State Park is a stocked trout stream with good smallmouth populations in the warmer months. Scenic gorge setting with easy bank access.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top picks today

Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout & Smallmouth Bass — tied at the top (23/100)

3 species tied for best of 3 tracked at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area.

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

5:40 AM

Sunset

8:34 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Species at Patapsco Valley State Park

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 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. 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Regulations may be out of date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 51 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 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. 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 51 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 23/100

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

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.

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

39.3387, -76.8781

Notes

Stocked trout in spring; catch-and-keep allowed. Smallmouth fishing picks up in summer. Parking at Daniels Area lot off Old Frederick Road.

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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

Liberty Reservoir

6.7 mi

Carroll Co., MD · Shore · Reservoir

Triadelphia Reservoir

12 mi

Howard Co., MD · Multi · Reservoir

Loch Raven Reservoir

18 mi

Baltimore Co., MD · Multi · Reservoir

Prettyboy Reservoir

22 mi

Baltimore Co., MD · Shore · Reservoir

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area have?

Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Stocked trout in spring; catch-and-keep allowed. Smallmouth fishing picks up in summer. Parking at Daniels Area lot off Old Frederick Road.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area. 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 Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area tidal water?

No. Patapsco Valley State Park — Daniels Area is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.