Conowingo Dam Fishing: Tailrace Catfish, Shad and Safety
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By BCRods
Quick facts
- Safety
- Water below the dam can rise fast. Boats may not operate within 400 yards of the dam.
- License
- Tidal rules apply below the dam (U.S. Route 1 is the dividing line)
- Invasives
- Snakehead, blue and flathead catfish: never move live fish to another water
- Rod fit
- Heavier spinning or cut-bait rod for catfish; medium spinning for perch
Rules snapshot
Boats near Conowingo Dam
It is illegal to operate a boat within 400 yards above or below Conowingo Dam. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
Flow and release information in the Maryland guide
The guide lists these sources: Conowingo Dam spill hotline 877-457-2525; Susquehanna flow at Conowingo 888-457-4076; Jennings Randolph Lake and Savage River Dam projected releases 410-962-7687; Potomac flow at Hagerstown 301-223-6377; USGS flow information for all Maryland waters at md.water.usgs.gov; Youghiogheny white water release schedule 315-413-2823 or deepcreekhydro.com; C&O Canal conditions at nps.gov/choh. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
Tidal and non-tidal water on the Susquehanna
DNR lists Conowingo Dam at U.S. Route 1 as the dividing line on the Susquehanna River. Downstream of the dam, tidal regulations apply and the Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Sport Fishing License or free Saltwater Angler Registration is the relevant authorization; upstream, non-tidal regulations apply. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
Shad, river herring and sturgeon
American shad, hickory shad, alewife herring, blueback herring and Atlantic and shortnose sturgeon are closed in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. In non-tidal water, shad and herring are also closed, with catch-and-release permitted at all times. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
White perch, yellow perch, catfish, walleye and pickerel, tidal waters
White perch: no minimum size if caught by hook and line (8 inches with other gear) and no creel limit. Yellow perch: 9 inches, 5 a day. Catfish: no size or creel limit. Walleye: 15 inches, 5 a day. Chain pickerel: 14 inches, 10 a day, May 1 to March 14. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
Northern snakehead (Chesapeake channa)
No season, minimum size or creel limit, and anglers are encouraged to catch and keep them year round. It is illegal to possess a live snakehead in Maryland, punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 per fish and up to $25,000 per incident. If you plan to eat the fish, kill it immediately. Report a tagged snakehead to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at 800-448-8322. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
Blue and flathead catfish
It is illegal to transport live snakehead, blue catfish or flathead catfish into another body of water. DNR asks anglers to report blue or flathead catfish with a photo using the Maryland Invasive Fish Tracker. · Maryland DNR invasive fish, checked November 1, 2026
Chesapeake Bay striped bass: the rules that stay the same
From the 2026 tables: 1 fish per person per day, 19 to 24 inches, in open periods. All of August is closed and attempting to catch striped bass is illegal then. December 6 to 31 and January and February are catch-and-release only. Striped bass must be landed whole on tidal water (no cut up or filleted fish aboard a boat), you may not cull, snag, gaff or use a cast net to remove one, you may not use more than two hooks or two sets of hooks per rod, and you may not possess striped bass while fishing the Bay or its tidal tributaries from midnight to 5 a.m. Striped bass may not be used as bait, and fishing by any means, including catch-and-release, is illegal in designated spawning areas from March 1 to May 31. · 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing, checked November 1, 2026
Fish consumption advisories
Fish consumption advisories apply on many Maryland waters. Check the Maryland Department of the Environment advisory list before you keep fish. Maryland Department of the Environment fish consumption advisories
This is not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm with the state agency before you fish.
Conowingo Dam holds back the lower Susquehanna River in Cecil and Harford counties, and the water below it is some of Maryland’s most productive and most dangerous fishing. This guide puts safety first, then covers the rules the 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing sets for the tailrace, the fish the rules name, and the gear that suits heavy current. We could not confirm park hours, access details or release schedules, and we say so where it matters.
Tidal water below the dam
DNR lists Conowingo Dam at U.S. Route 1 as the tidal/non-tidal dividing line on the Susquehanna River. Below the dam, tidal regulations apply, which means the Chesapeake Bay and Coastal Sport Fishing License or the free Saltwater Angler Registration, rather than the non-tidal license. Fees and exemptions are in the Maryland rules guide. If you cross to the Pennsylvania side, Pennsylvania’s rules apply there, and we have not covered them.
What the rules say about the fish
The tailrace holds fish that have their own rules, all taken from the 2026 guide and shown in the rules snapshot above.
- Striped bass: the lower Susquehanna belongs to the Flats table, which makes every water upstream of a line from Abbey Point to Worton Point closed from April 1 to May 31, closed all of August and catch-and-release only from December 6 through February. By that description, the closure covers the river up to the dam. Check DNR’s map. See the striped bass guide for the table.
- Shad and herring: American shad, hickory shad, alewife and blueback herring are closed in tidal water.
- Catfish: no size or creel limit in tidal water. Blue and flathead catfish are invasive. It is illegal to move live blue catfish, flathead catfish or northern snakehead to another water. The state flathead catfish record, 57 pounds, was caught at the Lapidum boat ramp on the Susquehanna in December 2020.
- Northern snakehead (Chesapeake channa): no size or creel limit, and DNR encourages anglers to keep them. Possessing a live snakehead is illegal and punishable by a fine of up to $2,500 per fish. If you plan to eat one, kill it immediately. Maryland’s record snakehead, 21.8 pounds, came from the Susquehanna River in June 2025.
- Other species: white perch have no minimum size on hook and line and no creel limit, yellow perch must be 9 inches with a 5-a-day limit, and tidal bass carry the combined limit of 5 listed in the snapshot.
Fishing from shore
Many anglers fish from the banks and park areas near the dam. We could not confirm Fisherman’s Park’s hours, whether trails are open or how the park is run, so we are not describing it. Parking, fees and posted closures can change, so call or check before you drive there.
Tackle that suits it
Current is the main factor. Heavier spinning tackle and weight that holds bottom in a strong flow are the norm, and a heavy cut-bait rod suits blue and flathead catfish. A medium spinning rod works for perch and shad-type fish where the water is gentler. Keep gear simple and be ready to lose some tackle in the rocks. These are typical choices, not requirements.
Eating the fish
Maryland has fish consumption advisories on the Susquehanna. We could not read the Department of the Environment’s tables, so we are not publishing advisory figures. Check the state advisory list before you keep fish.
Related guides
The tidal river and upper Bay below this stretch are covered in the Susquehanna Flats guide.
Dock Tales from this water
Where Eagles Gather Below Conowingo Dam
Over 150 bald eagles were counted below Conowingo Dam in 2023. Why they gather, and what the turbine siren means for anglers.
A 21.8-Pound Snakehead Below Conowingo
A bowfished 21.8-pound Chesapeake channa became Maryland's record in 2025, and what DNR asks anglers to do with invasives.
Nearby waters
Maryland Fishing License, Limits and Rules
More fishing guides for Maryland
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a boat close to Conowingo Dam? +
No. Maryland makes it illegal to operate a boat within 400 yards above or below the dam.
Can I keep snakehead caught below Conowingo? +
Yes. There is no season, size or creel limit and DNR encourages anglers to keep them. If you plan to eat one, kill it immediately. Possessing one alive is illegal.
Sources
- 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing (PDF) (accessed November 1, 2026)
- Maryland DNR invasive fish (accessed November 1, 2026)
- Maryland DNR fishing license page (accessed November 1, 2026)
Approximate location: Conowingo Dam, MD.