Walleye Fishing in Maryland: Slots and Closures

Maryland walleye rules change from water to water. The same fish has a 15 inch minimum almost everywhere, a spring closure on Deep Creek Lake, a protected slot in the lake and a different slot on the Upper Potomac. This guide lays out the rules for each water we verified from the 2026 Maryland Guide to Fishing and Crabbing and DNR’s hotspot pages, and tells you where to fish for them. For how to catch walleye, see the walleye how-to guide.

The rules, water by water

Statewide non-tidal waters. The minimum size is 15 inches year round. The limit is 5 a day with 10 in possession. Walleye cannot be used as bait.

Deep Creek Lake. Closed to harvest from March 1 through April 15. In the open season, the minimum is 15 inches, and fish between 18 and 21 inches must be released. The daily limit is 5 and the possession limit is 10.

Youghiogheny River below the Route 42 bridge. The 2026 guide gives the same March 1 to April 15 closure as Deep Creek Lake.

Upper Potomac River. The minimum is 15 inches year round with a daily limit of 5. From January 1 to April 15 the maximum harvestable size is 20 inches on the mainstem from about half a mile upriver from Chain Bridge to the spillway in Cumberland, so the harvest window is 15 to 20 inches.

Tidal waters. The Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries have a 15 inch minimum and a daily limit of 5, with no seasonal slot in the 2026 tidal table.

The rules snapshot above shows each rule with the date we checked it. Rules for particular waters can change, so confirm them with DNR before you keep a fish.

Where to fish for walleye in Maryland

Deep Creek Lake. DNR calls the lake’s walleye abundant. It is a big, deep lake with rocky shoreline, stumps and boulders. Our Deep Creek Lake guide covers access, the buffer strip and ice fishing.

Upper Potomac River. Walleye were introduced through stockings that began in 1979 and are now spread through the river. DNR reports the highest densities from Dam 5 downstream to Point of Rocks and says the fish remain active through the winter. Walleye longer than 20 inches have made up as much as 40 percent of the spring electrofishing sample, according to DNR. See the Upper Potomac guide.

The Susquehanna and the tidal Bay. Walleye are listed in the 2026 tidal table, so the 15 inch, 5-a-day rule applies below Conowingo Dam. We did not confirm where in the tidal river anglers find them, so we are not describing spots. For safety and access near the dam, see the Conowingo Dam guide.

Seasons and timing

The spring closure and the Potomac slot both sit in the same weeks, January to mid-April, when many anglers think about walleye. Plan around them. Outside the closures, walleye feed best at dawn, dusk and after dark, and winter can be productive because DNR says Potomac walleye stay active.

Rods and tackle

A medium or medium-light fast spinning rod around 6 and a half to 7 and a half feet is the usual walleye rod, matched with 6 to 12 pound line or light braid with a fluorocarbon leader. The Deep Creek slot and the Potomac slot both depend on a good measurement, so keep a measuring board or a marked rod in the boat. These are typical choices, not requirements.

Handling slot fish

When a fish lands in the protected 18 to 21 inch slot, or above the Potomac 20 inch maximum in the winter window, release it carefully. Wet your hands, support the belly and keep the fish horizontal.

State record

Maryland’s non-tidal walleye record is 14.3 pounds, caught by John McCarley on May 16, 1998. Records change, so check DNR’s list.

Eating the fish

We could not read Maryland’s consumption advisory tables, so we are not publishing figures. Check the Maryland Department of the Environment’s advisory list before you keep fish.

License

You need a Maryland non-tidal license on freshwater and a tidal license or registration on tidal water. See the Maryland rules guide.