It's a Fishing Day

Washington County, MD · Inland River

Potomac River — Williamsport

Washington County, MD

Cushwa Basin in Williamsport sits on the C&O Canal NHP and offers a public boat ramp plus miles of shore access on the upper Potomac — a classic non-tidal smallmouth, walleye, and muskellunge fishery. The towpath extends bank fishing east toward Dam 4 and west toward Fort Frederick.

Live · updated

Top picks today

Smallmouth Bass & Walleye — tied at the top (72/100)

2 species tied for best of 6 tracked at Potomac River — Williamsport.

72 /100
great

Atmosphere

Air Temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
Wind
2 to 12 mph
SW
Rain
8%
Saturday
Pressure
Steady
6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp
—
Inland
Flow
2,330 cfs
Falling · -15% / 24h

Sun & Moon

Sunrise
5:44 AM
Sunset
8:35 PM
Moon · 70%
waning gibbous

Species at Potomac River

6 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 2 (tied) are open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Smallmouth Bass Great day to fish for Smallmouth Bass. In season 72/100

What's helping

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

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Regulations may be out of date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 44 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 Walleye Great day to fish for Walleye. In season 72/100

What's helping

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

About. Sander vitreus — Maryland's premier cool-water gamefish. Deep Creek Lake is the flagship fishery; also found in the non-tidal Potomac and the Youghiogheny River. Low-light feeder — dusk, dawn, and overcast/windy days are prime. Jigs, crankbaits, and nightcrawler harnesses are standard.

Prefers. Water 50–72°F (ideal 62°F) · either tide · depth 10–40 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Min size
15"
Daily creel
5

Statewide: 15-inch minimum, 5 per day. Deep Creek Lake has an 18–21 inch protected slot (all fish in slot must be released) AND is closed March 1–April 15. Potomac River has a 20-inch protected-slot provision Jan 1–Apr 15 in some sections. Verify water-specific regulations before keeping any fish.

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

#3 Largemouth Bass Workable day for Largemouth Bass. In season 68/100

What's helping

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

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 44 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.

#3 Muskellunge Workable day for Muskellunge. In season 68/100

What's helping

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

About. Esox masquinongy — The "fish of 10,000 casts." MD's primary fisheries are Deep Creek Lake and the upper non-tidal Potomac. Apex freshwater predator that hits oversize glide baits, bucktails, and live suckers. Tiger muskie (musky × northern pike hybrid) regulated identically.

Prefers. Water 55–78°F (ideal 68°F) · either tide · depth 10–40 ft.

Regulations may be out of date

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

Min size
36"
Daily creel
1

Non-tidal MD: 36-inch minimum, 1 per day. Open year-round. Same regulation applies to muskellunge and tiger muskellunge. Deep Creek Lake and the upper non-tidal Potomac are the primary fisheries.

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

#3 Channel Catfish Workable day for Channel Catfish. In season 68/100

What's helping

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

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 44 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.

#6 White Perch Check local White Perch regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 62/100
Regulations not yet verified

We don't have confirmed size, creel, or season rules for White 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

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

What's hurting

  • incoming tide — white perch prefers outgoing tide

About. Morone americana — Smaller cousin of the striped bass and arguably the Bay's most popular panfish. Schools heavily in tidal rivers and creeks; hits bottom rigs with bloodworms, grass shrimp, or small jigs. Spring spawning run into the freshwater ends of tributaries is the marquee fishery.

Prefers. Water 50–78°F (ideal 65°F) · outgoing tide · depth 3–25 ft.

No regulations on file for Maryland non-tidal / non-tidal. Check the appropriate state agency directly before fishing.

Location Info

Water Body

Inland River

Access

Pier, shore, and ramp

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.5995, -77.8232

Notes

NPS access at the C&O Canal Williamsport visitor center — free. Cushwa Basin boat ramp can be busy on summer weekends. Dam 4 area downstream holds the better walleye numbers in spring.

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

Nearby Access Points

Conococheague Creek — Williamsport

<1 mi

Washington Co., MD · Shore · River

Antietam Creek — Burnside Bridge

11 mi

Washington Co., MD · Shore · River

Greenbrier State Park

12 mi

Washington Co., MD · Multi · Lake

Big Hunting Creek — Catoctin

19 mi

Frederick Co., MD · Shore · River

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Potomac River — Williamsport?

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

Potomac River — Williamsport is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Smallmouth Bass, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Muskellunge, 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 Potomac River — Williamsport?

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 Potomac River — Williamsport 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 Potomac River — Williamsport have?

Potomac River — Williamsport has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. NPS access at the C&O Canal Williamsport visitor center — free. Cushwa Basin boat ramp can be busy on summer weekends. Dam 4 area downstream holds the better walleye numbers in spring.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Potomac River — Williamsport?

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

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

Data from NOAA, NWS, MD DNR

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