Sec. 08.02.11.03. Special Fisheries Management Areas

A. Trophy Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass Fishing Areas.

(1) The following special regulations are in effect in these areas during the open season for largemouth and smallmouth bass:

(a) A person may possess five bass (largemouth and smallmouth bass in aggregate) per day while fishing in these areas;

(b) A person may not possess any largemouth bass or smallmouth bass from 11 inches up to but not including 15 inches total length while fishing in these areas;

(c) A person may possess one largemouth bass or smallmouth bass per day, 15 inches and over, while fishing in these areas.

(2) The areas subject to this provision are:

(a) St. Mary's Lake, Maryland Route 5, St. Mary's County;

(b) Little Seneca Lake, Montgomery County;

(c) All ponds located within the Patuxent Naval Air Test Center, St. Mary's County;

(d) Centennial Lake, Howard County;

(e) Johnson Pond, Wicomico County;

(f) Blair Valley Lake, Washington County;

(g) All ponds located within the Chesapeake Ranch Club Estates, Calvert County;

(h) Leonard Mill Pond, Wicomico County.

B. Impoundments Limited to Catch-and-Return Fishing.

(1) This section applies to the following areas:

(a) Lake Hashawha in Carroll County;

(b) Upper John Owings Pond in Carroll County; and

(c) Waterworks Park in Anne Arundel County.

(2) While fishing in the areas set forth in §B(1) of this regulation, a person:

(a) Shall immediately return live any fish caught to the water where taken; and

(b) May not keep or possess any fish while fishing in these areas.

C. Catch-and-Return Bass Areas.

(1) Special provisions in effect for catch-and-return bass areas are that a person:

(a) Who catches a largemouth or smallmouth bass shall immediately release that bass in the water where it was caught; and

(b) May not possess largemouth or smallmouth bass while within the designated catch-and-return areas.

(2) The areas subject to the provisions of this section are the:

(a) Potomac River from Dam No. 2 (Seneca Breaks) upstream to the mouth of the Monocacy River;

(b) Monocacy River from the Potomac River upstream to Buckeystown Dam;

(c) Patapsco River from Interstate 70 downstream to Maryland Route 144 (Frederick Road);

(d) Wheatley Lake (Gilbert Run Reservoir); and

(e) North Branch of the Potomac River, from the spillway in Cumberland upstream 25 miles to the U.S. Route 220 Bridge at Keyser, West Virginia.

D. Limited Harvest Fishing Areas.

(1) The following special requirements are in effect in these areas:

(a) A person may possess not more than 10 fish, only one of which can be a largemouth bass, while fishing in these areas;

(b) If these areas are also on the put-and-take trout fishing list, up to five fish of the ten-fish limit may be trout species other than brook trout; and

(c) A person may possess one largemouth bass per day not to exceed 15 inches (15 inch maximum size) while fishing in these areas. There is no minimum size for bass in these areas.

(2) The areas subject to these provisions are:

(a) Hutchins Pond, Calvert County;

(b) Roberts Field Pond, Carroll County;

(c) Rising Sun Pond, Cecil County;

(d) Hughesville Pond, Charles County;

(e) All ponds located within the Merkle Wildlife Management Area, Prince George's County;

(f) Allens Pond, Prince George's County;

(g) Bowie Town Center Pond, Prince George's County;

(h) Lake Artemesia, Prince George's County;

(i) Milltown Landing Pond, Prince George's County;

(j) Greenbelt Lake, Prince George's County;

(k) Pemberton Pond, Wicomico County;

(l) Robert's Mill Pond, Carroll County;

(m) Farm Museum Pond, Carroll County;

(n) Westminster Community Pond, Carroll County;

(o) Cosca Lake, Prince George's County;

(p) Tucker Pond, Prince George's County;

(q) Myrtle Grove Pond, Charles County;

(r) South Germantown Park Pond in South Germantown Park off Schaeffer Road; and

(s) Governor’s Bridge Natural Areas Pond, Prince George’s County.