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1,500-acre reservoir near Hereford. The lake tops out around 129 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
The outline encloses 1,532 acres, worked by 44.3 miles of shoreline, broken up by 2 islands. A development index of 8.1 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 29% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Figure 5.5 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.9 mi at the beam. Baltimore County claims this one. Gunpowder Falls sits 8 mi southeast — the closest neighbouring chart.
Spring smallmouth bass on Prettyboy Reservoir hold shallow, usually 3 to 12 ft. By summer they slide out to 10 to 30 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 45 ft. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 27 ft, prime for fall. Prime time lands in early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Grave Run inflow (2 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (27 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (63 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season largemouth bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Expect a summer slide to 8 to 20 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 4 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (4 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Marina / dock area (12 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Old creek channel (8 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Count 12 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 113 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Maryland waters are set by the Maryland DNR — and special regulations can apply to Prettyboy Reservoir specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Maryland fishing regulations →
Prettyboy Reservoir is about 129 ft (39 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target smallmouth bass, largemouth bass on Prettyboy Reservoir.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for largemouth bass in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
For smallmouth bass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Prettyboy Reservoir is regulated by the Maryland DNR. Check the official Maryland regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Gunpowder Falls 8 mi · Lake Marburg 13 mi, PA · Loch Raven Reservoir 16 mi · Liberty Reservoir 17 mi · Piney Run Lake 22 mi · Monocacy River 34 mi · Patapsco River 35 mi · T. Howard Duckett Reservoir 37 mi · Little Seneca Lake 43 mi · Clopper Lake 44 mi · Bohemia River 45 mi, DE · Greenbrier Lake 47 mi
See how Prettyboy Reservoir stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Maryland · best smallmouth bass lakes in Maryland
Browse all Maryland fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.