Deep Creek Lake

Deep Creek Lake is Maryland's largest lake: a 3,900-acre, 13-mile-long mountain reservoir in Garrett County that the state owns right down to a public buffer strip along almost all of its 69 miles of shoreline. DNR calls it known for big panfish and plenty of walleye and smallmouth bass, with fewer but mostly good-sized largemouth, northern pike over 40 inches, and the best ice fishing in the state. The deep water near the dam stays cold enough for trout all year.

When to fish

• Late winter (ice): yellow perch are the main draw. Early in the ice season they're shallow; later they drop deeper. As the ice goes out in March, big perch take minnows under slip bobbers.
• Early spring: walleye spawn in the shallows around March, and their season is closed for several weeks; yellow perch spawn soon after. DNR has reported excellent walleye and smallmouth fishing along steep rocky shores in April.
• Late spring: smallmouth build nests close to shore (bass are catch and release only in spring statewide) and walleye bite after sunset on steep rocky banks.
• Summer: vacation boat traffic is heavy, so DNR's advice is to fish early and late, be off the main lake by mid-morning, or tuck into coves and the upper lake.
• Fall into early winter: as the water cools and the lake turns over, walleye, smallmouth and pike feed hard, and the crowds are gone. DNR calls it a world of fishing opportunities.

Where to fish

• Steep rocky shorelines and rocky points: walleye and smallmouth, especially near the dam, where the banks drop fast.
• Penn Point, Turkey Neck Point and the Glendale Bridge: DNR has named all three for fall walleye; crappie school around the Glendale Bridge piers in fall.
• The Route 219 bridge: walleye along the piers on fall evenings, and a small 24-hour parking area for shore anglers.
• Mouths of the main coves in the upper lake: northern pike.
• Deep grass edges: smallmouth, yellow perch, crappie and pickerel.
• Floating docks and moored boats: bass shade up under them in summer (fish from a boat; the docks are private).
• The upper, southern end: shallower coves with stumps for largemouth.
• The lump in front of the state park boat ramp: a popular yellow perch spot.

How to fish it

• Walleye: in the evening, cast small crankbaits, deep-diving jerkbaits or white tubes on a drop-shot along rocky shores and bridge piers, or fish a live shiner on a jighead.
• Summer bass: skip or flip a wacky-rigged stick worm under floating docks and moored pontoons, and work topwater lures, crankbaits and spinnerbaits on points and grass lines at dawn and dusk.
• Mixed bag from a boat: drift a live minnow along the deep grass lines for smallmouth, perch, crappie, pickerel and the odd walleye.
• Pike: large spinners, spinnerbaits and jerkbaits at the cove mouths.
• Trout: DNR suggests slow-trolling a rigged nightcrawler deep along the dam face in summer.
• Ice perch: stay mobile, drill several holes and give each 10 to 15 minutes. Jig a small spoon or jigging minnow tipped with a waxworm or maggot within a foot or two of the bottom.

Getting there

The main public launch is at Deep Creek Lake State Park, where the ramp is open 24 hours and has an honor-box launch fee and, in summer, an accessible fishing pier. You can also fish from the park's Discovery Center docks, but not from the swim beach or ranger docks; the park closes at sunset, but night anglers can park at the ramp or the Ranger Station lot. Anyone can fish from the state-owned buffer strip around the lake if they reach it from a public access point or with a landowner's permission, and docks are private. Boats can't be beached, the whole lake is a no-wake zone within 100 feet of shore, docks and bridges, and personal watercraft are restricted at midday on busy summer weekends. Walleye have a spring closed season and a protected slot, and there's a statewide spring catch-and-release period for bass. DNR doesn't monitor the ice, and thickness varies across the lake. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license, plus a trout stamp if you fish for trout.