Species
Largemouth Bass
Micropterus salmoides · family Centrarchidae
Live · updated
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.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 55–85°F (ideal 72°F)
- Tide
- either
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 3–25 ft
- Active months
- Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov
Best largemouth bass conditions today
Deep Creek Lake
Jennings Randolph Lake
Folsom Lake
New River (Thurmond Gorge)
Evitts Creek Ponds
Piney Reservoir
Broadford Lake Park
Shawnee State Park
Laurel Hill State Park
Lake Travis
Lake Conroe
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Shasta Lake
Leech Lake
Smith Mountain Lake
Claytor Lake
Lake Coeur d’Alene
Lake Winnipesaukee
Elephant Butte Reservoir
Navajo Lake
Falcon Lake (Falcon International Reservoir)
Lake Amistad
California Delta (Sacramento–San Joaquin)
O.H. Ivie Reservoir
Lake Norman
Lake Lanier
Chickamauga Lake
Lake Okeechobee
Broken Bow Lake
Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach
Jordan Lake
Falls Lake
Kerr Lake (Buggs Island)
Summersville Lake
Lake Hartwell
Lake Wylie
Lake Anna State Park
Dale Hollow Lake
Clarks Hill Lake (J. Strom Thurmond)
Lake Gaston
Clear Lake
Lake Fork Reservoir
Lake Texoma
Lake Havasu
Lake Pleasant
Roosevelt Lake
Saguaro Lake
Lake of the Ozarks
Truman Lake
Lake Minnetonka
Grand Lake o' the Cherokees
Lake Eufaula
Bull Shoals Lake
Lake Ouachita
Lake Powell (Bullfrog)
Lake Mead (Hemenway Harbor)
Toledo Bend Reservoir
West Okoboji Lake
Lake Champlain (Burlington)
Lake Berryessa
Choptank River — Cambridge
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area
Jug Bay — Patuxent River
Mariner Point Park
Rock Hall Beach
Flying Point Park
Dundee Creek Marina (Gunpowder Falls SP)
Miami Beach Park
Cox's Point Park
Chapel Point State Park
Rolph's Wharf
Lake Marion
Lake Murray
Lake Cumberland
Rocky Gap State Park — Lake Habeeb
Lake Koon
Lake Gordon
Lums Pond State Park
Greenbrier State Park
Prince Gallitzin State Park
Yellow Creek State Park
Cacapon Resort State Park
West Point Lake
Lake Tohopekaliga
Tims Ford Lake
Lake Guntersville
Lake Champlain
Potomac River — Point of Rocks
Susquehanna Flats
Occoquan Regional Park
Riverbend Park — Upper Potomac
Betterton Beach
North East Community Park
Louisa Lane Park (Charlestown Beach)
Friendship Farm Park
Prettyboy Reservoir
Monocacy River — Buckeystown
Mason Neck State Park
Pohick Bay Regional Park
Leesylvania State Park
Chapman State Park
Potomac River — Williamsport
Conococheague Creek — Williamsport
Loch Raven Reservoir
Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake
Burke Lake Park
Cowans Gap State Park
Oneida Lake
Liberty Reservoir
Triadelphia Reservoir
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Tuscarora State Park
Lake Moultrie
Cayuga Lake
Santee Cooper (Lake Marion)
Table Rock Lake
Beaver Lake
Fort Smallwood Park
Downs Park
Lake George
Weiss Lake
Kentucky Lake
Wheeler Lake
Lake Pueblo
Cherry Creek Reservoir
Chatfield Reservoir
Horsetooth Reservoir
Boyd Lake
Cheat Lake
Carlyle Lake
Rend Lake
Lake Monroe
Lake Seminole
Pickwick Lake
J. Percy Priest Lake
Kentucky Lake
Lake Barkley
Lewis Smith Lake
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (non-tidal)
Stale: last verified 96 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- 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 · verified 2026-04-22
Delaware (tidal)
Stale: last verified 96 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 6
Delaware non-tidal waters: 12-inch minimum, 6 per day — distinctly looser than MD (5/day aggregate with smallmouth) and no March–June 15 catch-and-release closure. Becks Pond (New Castle County) has a stricter 15-inch minimum and 2/day creel. No aggregate rule with smallmouth.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)
Stale: last verified 96 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal VA: 5 per day in aggregate with smallmouth bass (can't combine to exceed 5 total). No statewide minimum size. Numerous water-specific exceptions: James River (Jackson/Cowpasture to Richmond fall line) has a 14–22 inch protected slot with only 1 fish/day over 22 in; New River (Fields Dam to VA-WV line) has the same slot; Shenandoah River (all forks) has an 11–14 inch protected slot; Lake Moomaw requires 12-inch minimum; Briery Creek has no 16-inch fish allowed. Check water-specific rules before keeping any fish.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Potomac main stem (PRFC)
Stale: last verified 96 days ago.
tidal potomac
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 5
Potomac River main stem (PRFC): 12-inch minimum most of the year, stepping UP to 15-inch minimum March 1–June 15 to protect the spawn. 5 per day. Circle hooks not required. The tidal Potomac is a legendary bass fishery (Fletchers Cove up to Great Falls, Mattawoman, Pomonkey). Distinct from MD non-tidal rules (which have a full March–June 15 C&R closure).
Source · verified 2026-04-22
PA
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 6
12" minimum, 6/day (combined with smallmouth). Catch-and-release only mid-Apr–mid-Jun spawning period.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
WV
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 6
6 black bass/day in aggregate (12" minimum on many waters — check the water-specific rule).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
TX
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
14" minimum, 5/day (black bass in aggregate). Some lakes have special slot rules.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
GA
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
14" minimum, 5/day (black bass in aggregate).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
FL
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
No minimum length, 5/day (only one over 16"). Trophy-bass waters may differ.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
CA
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 5
12" minimum, 5/day in lakes/reservoirs (no size limit in rivers/streams).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AZ
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 6
6/day, no statewide minimum length.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
TN
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- no daily limit
No statewide creel or length limit; only one over 18" may be kept per day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
NC
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
5/day; many reservoirs carry a 14" minimum — confirm the water-specific rule.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
SC
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
14" minimum, 5/day (Santee Cooper and most reservoirs).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MO
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 6
15" minimum, 6/day (largemouth & smallmouth combined; 12 black bass in total).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
MN
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 6
6/day (bass combined).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
OK
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 6
6/day, only one over 16"; 14" minimum in rivers and streams.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AL
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 10
10 black bass/day (no more than 5 smallmouth); 15" minimum on Guntersville and many reservoirs.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
KY
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
5 black bass/day (no more than 2 smallmouth); 15" largemouth minimum.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
AR
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 6
15" minimum, 6/day on the big highland reservoirs (Bull Shoals, Beaver, Norfork).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
NY
Stale: last verified 59 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 5
12" minimum, 5/day (black bass in aggregate).
Source · verified 2026-05-29
NTCO
Stale: last verified 56 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
Largemouth and smallmouth in aggregate: 5/day, 15" minimum statewide.
Source · verified 2026-06-01
NTUT
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
Lake Powell: 5 largemouth/day.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTNV
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 13"
- Creel
- 6
Lake Mead: 6 black bass/day (largemouth and smallmouth combined), 13" minimum.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTND
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
North Dakota: 5 bass/day, no statewide size limit.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTSD
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
South Dakota: 5 bass/day (largemouth and smallmouth combined).
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTNE
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
Nebraska: 5 black bass/day, 15" minimum on most reservoirs.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTLA
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 8
Louisiana: 8 black bass/day. No statewide minimum length on most waters; the Texas side of shared Toledo Bend imposes a 14" minimum — confirm which side you fish.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTVT
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 5
Lake Champlain: 5 bass/day (largemouth + smallmouth combined), 12" minimum.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTNH
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 5
New Hampshire: 5 bass/day, 12" minimum.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTIA
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 3
Iowa public lakes: 3 black bass/day, 15" minimum (6 in possession).
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTKS
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
Kansas: 5 black bass/day, 15" minimum on most reservoirs.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
IL
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 12"
- Creel
- 6
Illinois statewide: 6 black bass/day, 12" minimum; many large reservoirs (Carlyle, Rend) raise it to a 14" minimum. Confirm the water.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
NTNM
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
New Mexico: 5 black bass/day; 14" minimum on designated Trophy Bass Waters. Confirm the water.
Source · verified 2026-06-03
IN
Stale: last verified 54 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Indiana: 5 black bass/day, 14" minimum on most lakes (Lake Monroe and the reservoirs).
Source · verified 2026-06-03