2026 regulation year
Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park 2026 — District of Columbia Fishing Regulations
District of Columbia statewide rules apply unless overridden below.
Last updated
Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park carries 2 special-regulation overlays on top of District of Columbia's 2026 fishing rules — covering Smallmouth bass. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.
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State-level special regulation
33-mile Potomac tributary bisecting NW DC through the 1,754-acre Rock Creek Park (federal NPS, est. 1890); DOEE-stocked rainbow + brook + brown trout April – May upstream of Pierce Mill; year-round smallmouth + sunfish + American eel + native shiner tier; DC Fishing Licence REQUIRED ages 16-64; NPS regulations also apply (no live bait in designated stocked trout sections, confirm current Rock Creek Park bulletin)
Per-species rules on Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park
12 in min, 5 / day combined; seasonal smallmouth in larger pools downstream of Pierce Mill
Official source
District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) — Fisheries and Wildlife Division publishes the authoritative 2026 District of Columbia fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.
Visit official District of Columbia fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment's emergency-order feed — check it before any District of Columbia trip during the active season.
Other special-regulation waters in District of Columbia
Frequently asked questions
- What special fishing regulations apply at Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park?
- Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park carries 2 special-regulation overlays that override District of Columbia's statewide 2026 rules, covering Smallmouth bass. One of them reads: "33-mile Potomac tributary bisecting NW DC through the 1,754-acre Rock Creek Park (federal NPS, est. 1890); DOEE-stocked rainbow + brook + brown trout April – May upstream of Pierce Mill; year-round smallmouth + sunfish + American eel + native shiner tier; DC Fishing Licence REQUIRED ages 16-64; NPS regulations also apply (no live bait in designated stocked trout sections, confirm current Rock Creek Park bulletin)." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
- Do I need a fishing license to fish Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park?
- Yes. Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park is in District of Columbia, so a valid District of Columbia fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by District of Columbia Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) — Fisheries and Wildlife Division. The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Rock Creek; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide District of Columbia rules.
- Do Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park's special rules replace District of Columbia's statewide limits?
- Only where they conflict. District of Columbia's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Rock Creek by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
- Which species have special rules on Rock Creek?
- Smallmouth bass has a water-body-specific rule on Rock Creek + Rock Creek Park, each linking to its full District of Columbia regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide District of Columbia limits.