Striper Fishing at Piney Run Reservoir, Maryland

Piney Run Reservoir is located in Sykesville, Maryland.

A species of bass fish that spends much of its life in the ocean before entering streams and rivers to spawn, striped bass, or Morone saxatilis, can be found in Maryland's Piney Run Reservoir. Now introduced into freshwater lakes in Maryland, striped bass can live up to 30 years in freshwater lakes, rivers, streams and reservoirs.

Piney Run Reservoir

Located in Carroll County's Piney Run Park in Sykesville, Piney Run Reservoir is a 300-acre lake that was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1974. Two public boat ramps are available, although gasoline motors, dam fishing, ice fishing and fishing from steep embankment areas are prohibited. Striper fishing is permitted during the Piney Run Park's daily hours, which are 7 a.m. to sunset year-round. Fishing Tournaments, such as the Herb Festival in May and the Apple Festival in September, are held at Piney Run Reservoir.

Catching Striper

In Maryland, striper can be found in the deepest waters of reservoirs, and are generally in the vicinity of shad, their primary diet. When shad are close to the surface, striper can be caught by with a crankbait or swimming spoon, while stripers swimming near deeper schools of shad require jigs and jigging spoons. Live, cut bait works for medium and deep water striper fishing. Trolling and large, flashy lures are recommended, and striped bass are usually found in areas of water with temperatures that range between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Size Restrictions, Possession Limits and Seasons

In the state of Maryland, striper bass can only be taken from certain lakes and reservoirs, including Piney Run. Stiper taken from Piney Run must be a minimum of 18 inches, and only two striped bass or striped bass hybrids may be retained per day. Of the two striped bass caught daily, a maximum of one may be over 30 inches, and the open season for striped bass in Maryland is year-round.

Fishing Licenses

All anglers over the age of 16 must obtain a fishing license to fish for striper in Piney Run Reservoir. Valid from January 1 through December 31, fishing licenses are available online at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.

2009 Striper Statistics

According to a 2009 Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey conducted by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, striped bass caught in the state of Maryland from March 1 through May 3 were an average of 25 inches long, with 53 percent caught by jigging, 29 percent caught by trolling and 11 percent caught by bottom fishing. During the April 18 through May 15 trophy season, the average size of kept striped bass was 29.8 inches, released stripers were 29.8 inches, with 99 percent caught by trolling. The summer and fall season, which runs from May 16 through December 31, saw striped bass that measured 24 inches when kept and 17.9 inches when released. Forty percent were caught by trolling, 24 percent by casting and 19 percent by jigging.

References

• All About Maryland: Maryland Striper Fishing
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Piney Run Reservoir
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources: Maryland Sport Fishing and Crabbing Licenses
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources: 2010 Fishing Guide
• Maryland Department of Natural Resources: 2009 Striped Bass Volunteer Angler Survey

Resources

• Maryland Office of Tourism