Bank and shore fishing in Maryland
No boat? You still have 16 Maryland waters with listed public access, 53 access sites in all. Open any water below to see its depth map, the rated spots within reach of each access point, and what to throw this season.
Access sites come from official agency access inventories where the state publishes one, with OpenStreetMap filling gaps. A carry-in site means you park and walk your gear in. We list where public access exists; always respect posted signs on the ground.
What the Maryland access records show
The current roster links 53 documented public-access sites to 16 waters. 11 waters have more than one listed access option, while 0 have at least one site explicitly described as carry-in, walk-in or shore-oriented. The largest attached site counts are Potomac River (Upper) (9), Monocacy River (7) and Assawoman Bay (6). A larger count can offer more launch choices, but it does not make unlisted shoreline public.
Map quality is independent of access quality: 13 charts use measured bathymetry and 3 use labeled approximations. Use the table to shortlist a legal entry point, then open the water page to compare that point with contour breaks and rated fishing spots. Confirm parking, fees, opening hours, seasonal closures and bank-fishing rules with the managing agency before leaving; an access inventory is planning evidence, not a guarantee that every technique is allowed at every site.
| Water | Access sites | Carry-in | Chart |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assawoman Bay | 6 | — | survey |
| Chincoteague Bay | 6 | — | survey |
| T. Howard Duckett Reservoir | 5 | — | survey |
| Deep Creek Lake | 3 | — | survey |
| Liberty Reservoir | 3 | — | survey |
| Tangier Sound | 3 | — | survey |
| Isle of Wight Bay | 2 | — | survey |
| Little Seneca Lake | 2 | — | survey |
| Loch Raven Reservoir | 1 | — | survey |
| Prettyboy Reservoir | 1 | — | survey |
| Somers Cove | 1 | — | survey |
| Tar Bay | 1 | — | survey |
| Whitewood Cove | 1 | — | survey |
| Potomac River (Upper) | 9 | — | modeled |
| Monocacy River | 7 | — | modeled |
| Piney Run Lake | 2 | — | modeled |
Find the closest waters to you →
Bank fishing elsewhere: Ontario · Sweden · Wisconsin · Minnesota · British Columbia · Québec · Finland · Michigan · United Kingdom · Norway · Maine · New Hampshire · Lithuania · New York · Montana · Massachusetts · Wyoming · France · Washington · New Brunswick · Florida · Indiana · North Dakota · Texas · Iowa · Ohio · Alberta · Connecticut · Nebraska · Netherlands · California · Missouri · Vermont · Oklahoma · Alaska · South Dakota · Utah · Western Australia · Arizona · Colorado · Illinois · Nova Scotia · Ireland · Kansas · West Virginia · Mississippi · Idaho · New Jersey · Denmark · U.S. Virgin Islands · Kentucky · Alabama · Oregon · North Carolina · Puerto Rico · Tennessee · Georgia · Delaware · Nevada · Virginia · Rhode Island · Manitoba · South Carolina · Pennsylvania · Arkansas · New South Wales