Paint Branch Fishing

Type: Nontidal
Region: Central
Location: Paint Branch

I went out to the University of Maryland to fish Paint Branch that runs along the school. I caught about 5 bass and 4 creek chub. All were small in the 9-10 inch range but I have seen bass much larger when sight fishing on previous trips here, that has prompted me to keep coming back. The water here is always super clear. I almost stepped on a good sized crayfish. I didnt expect any bass to be here and was hoping for some migrating fish like Yellow Perch. Do perch, trout, herring, or shad etc. migrate up small streams like this or do they only stay in the larger tributary rivers?

DNR Reply: White perch, yellow perch, and river herring will migrate up the main rivers and also in the small tributaries and feeder creeks, but their movements may be obstructed by woody debris, beaver dams, silt/sand, and other obstructions. The hatchery "put and take" trout that are stocked by our hatchery crews may move upstream or downstream slightly, depending on flow conditions, but they do not typically engage in major migrations.