Maryland provides strong freshwater fishing opportunities for crappie. Lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across the state offer reliable action for anglers.
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Regulations for Crappie in Maryland
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Maryland can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Below you will see fishing regulations for catching Black crappie as of May 17th, 2026. To view regulations for a different fish species, please click on your preferred species in the drop-down.
Black crappie
Seasons
Open
Bag limit
25
Aggregate
25
No statewide length limit.
Exceptions to statewide regulations:
Lake Gaston and that portion of the New River from the VA–NC state line downstream to the confluence of the New and Little rivers in Grayson County: No daily limit
Buggs Island Lake/Kerr Reservoir including the Staunton (Roanoke) River and its tributaries to Difficult Creek, Charlotte County; and the Dan River and its tributaries to the Banister River, Halifax County: No crappie less than 9-inches total length
Briery Creek and Sandy River reservoirs: No crappie less than 9-inches total length
Flannagan and South Holston reservoirs: No crappie less than 10-inches total length
South Holston Reservoir: 15 per day in the aggregate (combined)
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FAQ
Anglers in Maryland commonly catch several Crappie species, including Black crappie and White crappie, according to reports from Fishbrain members.
These species can be found in many coastal waters, rivers and streams, lakes throughout the area. If you are targeting a specific species, you can use the to filter catches by species and see where anglers are catching them and which baits they are using.
The allows anglers to see exact catch locations shared by other members, helping you discover productive fishing spots where Crappie have recently been caught.