Montgomery County, MD · Lake

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake

A 112-acre lake in Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg with a fishing pier, boat rentals, and bank access. Convenient to the DC suburbs with good largemouth bass and crappie fishing.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top picks today

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

4 species tied for best of 4 tracked at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake.

23 /100

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Atmosphere

Air Temp

93°F

Mostly Sunny then Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Wind

1 to 8 mph

Rain

71%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

—

Inland

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:42 AM

Sunset

8:35 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Species at Seneca Creek State Park

4 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top 4 (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Regulations may be out of date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 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.

Location Info

Water Body

Lake

Access

Pier, shore, and ramp

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.1338, -77.3229

Notes

Day-use entry fee. Boat rentals available in-season. Electric motors only. Fishing pier accessible year-round.

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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake: Maryland DNR fishing report → · trout stocking schedule → · fish-consumption advisory →

Nearby Access Points

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10 mi

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13 mi

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Potomac River — Point of Rocks

15 mi

Frederick Co., MD · Multi · River

Triadelphia Reservoir

17 mi

Howard Co., MD · Multi · Reservoir

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Channel Catfish, 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake have?

Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Day-use entry fee. Boat rentals available in-season. Electric motors only. Fishing pier accessible year-round.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Maryland DNR non-tidal (inland) regulations apply at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake. 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 Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake tidal water?

No. Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.

Is there parking or an entry fee at Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake?

Day-use entry fee. Boat rentals available in-season. Electric motors only. Fishing pier accessible year-round.