Fishing Report For Deep Creek Lake, MD

By Rick Seaman

February 9, 2025

Popular Fish Species Reports
Deep Creek Lake Fishing Video
Available Fish Species
Today's Weather & Forecast
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Fishing Report Deep Creek Lake, MD

Fishing Reports

Popular Fish Species Deep Creek Lake, MD

Walleye

Current Report: Fair
Outlook: Good

Walleye move to very shallow water to spawn in Spring. After which they like to slow cruise around flats and structure close to deep water. They primarily feed close to the bottom. When walleye are in 12' to 25' of water a blade bait or a swimbait is a good way to locate the fish. Troll, or fan cast, to cover a lot of water. Once you locate a school, a drop-shot rig with minnow-shaped plastics is a good way to work the school. Locals report blade baits, spoons, deep-diving crankbaits, and worm harness spinners are also catching walleye while trolling.

Smallmouth Bass

Current Report: Fair To Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

The relatively clear water here suits smallmouth bass quite well. These smallies love to indulge in crawdads, so mimic them with your lures. Long-time locals report using small, crankbaits, jigs and tube worms, in crawfish colors, and having good success. Due to the clear water, light line tends to get more bites. In Fall, the fishing is often good on cold, windy, cloudy and rainy days.

Yellow Perch

Current Report: Good
Outlook: Good To Very Good

A healthy, stable population of yellow perch reside in Deep Creek Lake, providing a food source for larger, predator fish. Live minnows, and minnow-imitating lures, are a good way to catch perch here. Nightcrawlers also catch their share of perch here. Fish around weedy and rocky areas close to deeper water. Perch also make for a tasty fish fry. Because of their abundance all around the lake, they are fun to catch in winter ice fishing.

Fish species to fish for...

Guide to fishing for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, yellow perch, chain pickerel and northern pike at Deep Creek Lake in Maryland.

Deep Creek Lake in Maryland is a 3,800-acre lake with over 65 miles of shoreline, and is reported to be one of the top fishing lakes in the state. Bass, crappie, walleye, trout, sunfish, perch and pike all share this water. It is also considered the top lake in the state for ice fishing.

Primary fish species to catch

Click images for fishing tips and details about each species.

Today's Weather & Forecast

Fishing Boat Rentals

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Public Boat Launch Ramps & Landings

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Marinas

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Fishing License

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Map - Fishing & Access

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".