Deer Creek (Harford County)

Deer Creek flows east across Harford County through Rocks State Park to the Susquehanna River just below Conowingo Dam. It's two fisheries in one: the upper creek, among the boulders of Rocks State Park and Eden Mill, is stocked put-and-take trout water, and the lower creek in Susquehanna State Park was once one of Maryland's best-known spring hickory shad runs. DNR is candid that the shad run has faded since 2017 for reasons biologists can't yet explain, but trout, smallmouth and the odd shad still make it worth a trip.

When to fish

• Late March to early May: hickory shad and river herring run up the lower creek, best on the warmest days with good flows; American shad gather at the Conowingo Dam pool nearby. All shad are catch and release.
• Fall through spring: trout season on the upper creek after the stockings; it closes twice in spring for stocking.
• Summer and fall: smallmouth bass, mostly small; the creek gets too warm for trout.

Where to fish

• The lower creek near the Stafford Road bridge (Susquehanna State Park): the classic shad spot; DNR says fish rest in the large, slow pools and runs. It can be crowded, with limited parking.
• Rocks State Park and Eden Mill: put-and-take trout water, with riffles, runs and deep pools and a dramatic boulder falls along Route 24.
• Deeper pools out of the main current: where the Fish & Hunt Maryland guide says to look for shad.

How to fish it

For hickory shad, DNR suggests ultralight or light spinning tackle with shad darts, small jigs and small flashy spoons; many anglers fish a dart and a small silver or gold spoon in tandem. Fly anglers use bright streamers or simple red-and-yellow marabou flies on a sink-tip line. For trout, the state fly guide recommends nymphs and woolly buggers, and for smallmouth, poppers, woolly buggers and minnow patterns.

Getting there

For the lower creek, take I-95 exit 89 toward Susquehanna State Park and park at the pull-offs along Stafford Road and Craigs Corner Road; get there early in shad season. For the upper creek, take Route 24 north to Rocks State Park, where there's a gravel lot at Wilson's Picnic Area and several public and fee lots; the Kilgore Falls area needs weekend reservations in summer. Bass are catch and release only in spring. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license, plus a trout stamp for trout.