Prettyboy Reservoir

Prettyboy Reservoir is the northernmost of Baltimore City's three water-supply reservoirs, 1,500 acres in the hills of northern Baltimore County. It's a quiet, electric-motors-only lake that DNR manages mainly for black bass, and it's one of the region's best smallmouth waters, along with largemouth, crappie, yellow and white perch, channel catfish and chain pickerel. The famous Gunpowder Falls trout tailwater flows out of its dam.

When to fish

• March to December: the boating season; shore fishing is allowed year-round from designated areas, in daylight only.
• Fall: DNR reports very good smallmouth fishing in November, and big crappie show up then too.
• Winter: no ice fishing is allowed on the city reservoirs.

How to fish it

For smallmouth, DNR suggests tubes, soft plastic craw jigs and crankbaits, especially in late fall.

Getting there

The only boat ramp is on Spook Hill Road near Kidd's Schoolhouse Road. Launching requires a seasonal Baltimore City watercraft permit, boats must be rowed, paddled or battery-powered, and a permitted boat can't be used on any other water. Since September 2, 2026, drought has closed the ramp to trailered boats; kayaks and other hand-launched craft may still go in, so check with the city before you tow a boat up. Fishing is allowed from sunrise to sunset, from designated shore areas or from a permitted boat; stay off steep banks and cliffs and more than 1,500 feet from the dam. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license.