Patapsco River (Patapsco Valley State Park)

The Patapsco River runs through Patapsco Valley State Park on the western edge of Baltimore, from Sykesville down past Ellicott City to Elkridge. It's a shallow, rocky, easy-wading river that DNR stocks heavily with rainbow trout from fall into spring, and it's a good smallmouth, rock bass and redbreast sunfish river in summer. With old dams removed or fitted with fish passage, shad, herring, striped bass and white perch run up it again in early spring.

When to fish

• Mid-October to early June: trout season, after the fall, winter and spring stockings; the put-and-take sections close twice in spring for stocking.
• Early spring: migratory shad and herring move up the river.
• June: a transition month when, DNR says, a fly angler might catch trout, smallmouth, sunfish and chubs on the same bead-head nymph.
• Summer into late fall: smallmouth, rock bass, redbreast sunfish and fallfish once the river is too warm for trout.

Where to fish

• The Daniels area (Hollofield): popular with fly anglers, with a smaller creel limit and no spring closures; access at the Daniels Road trailhead, Old Frederick Road and the Hollofield Area.
• The South Branch, Sykesville to McKeldin: put-and-take trout water, with access at Sykesville, Henryton and Marriottsville Road.
• The Avalon Area near Elkridge: put-and-take water from the B&O Viaduct up to Ilchester Road, recently extended upstream.
• I-70 to Route 144 in Ellicott City: a catch-and-release section for bass.
• Pocket water and deep pools: boulders make pocket water for trout and bass; the big slow pools hold trout, bass and sunfish.

How to fish it

The river suits bait, lure and fly anglers alike. The Fish & Hunt Maryland guide suggests a 4 or 5 weight, casting minnow patterns and woolly buggers to riffles and pools for stocked trout, and poppers, woolly buggers and rubber-legged patterns for smallmouth and sunfish. DNR recommends artificial lures over bait for bass in the catch-and-release section, because deeply hooked fish are more likely to die.

Getting there

Patapsco Valley State Park has access points at Daniels Road (gravel lot and a carry-in canoe launch above Daniels Dam), Old Frederick Road, Hollofield (paved lot) and Avalon, plus the South Branch crossings. Follow Route 29 to its end, then Rogers Avenue, Old Frederick Road and Daniels Road for the Daniels area. Release all bass between I-70 and Route 144. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license and a trout stamp.