Garrett County, MD · Inland River

Youghiogheny River — Friendsville

The Youghiogheny at Friendsville is a freestone river of stocked rainbow and brown trout in spring through fall and smallmouth bass through summer. Bank access along MD 53 and adjacent public lands. Note: the dedicated Top-Yough Catch-and-Return section runs from the Deep Creek Lake tailrace down to Sang Run Bridge — Friendsville is downstream of that zone and is governed by standard MD non-tidal trout regulations.

Live · updated Jun 11, 10:07 PM ET

Top pick today

Smallmouth Bass — Check local Smallmouth Bass regulations before you keep one.

Best conditions of 3 species tracked at Youghiogheny River — Friendsville.

35 /100

Atmosphere

Air Temp

81°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Wind

7 to 10 mph

Rain

92%

Friday

Pressure

Steady

6-hour trend

Water

Water Temp

74°F

Inland

Flow

238 cfs

Steady · +5% / 24h

Sun & Moon

Sunrise

5:49 AM

Sunset

8:45 PM

Moon · 11%

waning crescent

Species at Youghiogheny River

3 species tracked, ranked by today's conditions. The top pick is open below — tap any species to expand it, or a chip to focus.

#1 Smallmouth Bass Check local Smallmouth Bass regulations before you keep one. Regs unverified 35/100

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

74°F water — inside smallmouth bass's active range
10 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
Stable flow — settled river level — clearer water, easier wading

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.

#2 Rainbow Trout Skip the Rainbow Trout trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

10 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
Stable flow — settled river level — clearer water, easier wading

What's hurting

74°F water — above rainbow trout's active range (45–68°f) — fish move deep
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.

#2 Brown Trout Skip the Brown Trout trip today. In season 0/100

What's helping

10 mph wind — light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed
Stable flow — settled river level — clearer water, easier wading

What's hurting

74°F water — above brown trout's active range (45–68°f) — fish move deep
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.

Location Info

Water Body

Inland River

Access

Shoreline access

Jurisdiction

Maryland non-tidal

Coordinates

39.6617, -79.4162

Notes

Catch-and-return artificial lures only in the Quality Fishery section — verify current section boundaries with MD DNR. Whitewater kayakers also use this stretch.

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

Nearby Access Points

Deep Creek Lake

13 mi

Garrett Co., MD · Multi · Lake

Savage River Reservoir

18 mi

Garrett Co., MD · Ramp · Reservoir

Broadford Lake Park

18 mi

Garrett Co., MD · Multi · Lake

North Branch Potomac River — Luke

22 mi

Allegany Co., MD · Shore · River

Frequently Asked

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Youghiogheny River — Friendsville?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Youghiogheny River — Friendsville 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 Youghiogheny River — Friendsville?

Youghiogheny River — Friendsville 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 Youghiogheny River — Friendsville?

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 Youghiogheny River — Friendsville 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 Youghiogheny River — Friendsville have?

Youghiogheny River — Friendsville has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Catch-and-return artificial lures only in the Quality Fishery section — verify current section boundaries with MD DNR. Whitewater kayakers also use this stretch.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Youghiogheny River — Friendsville?

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

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