Share your catch
US

Savage River Fishing Report

Updated Mon, Nov 9, 2026 from live gauge and weather data

A wild trout tailwater in Garrett County that Maryland DNR manages under trophy rules, with no stocking.

3/5
Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.
Flow
73 cfs
Air / High
43 / 56 F
Wind
WNW 5 mph

Sources: USGS gauge 01597500, Open-Meteo, solunar calculated for these coordinates.

Satellite view
Monday
9
November 2026

Today's Fishing Report

Generated this morning from live readings: gauge, weather model, sun and moon. A fresh report is published here every morning.

3/5Fair. Fish the windows.A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Savage River asks for patience today: short windows, precise presentations. The river is running 73 cfs, steady over the week. Today brings clear skies, wind WNW around 5 mph, steady pressure near 1012 hPa and a high of 56. Water sits around 41 F for the season (estimated). With the new moon, the solunar majors run 11:42 PM-1:42 AM and 11:18 AM-1:18 PM: the windows to build the day around.

The plan, species by species

Brown troutExcellent

Below 50°F, fish slowly through the deeper pools; in early spring on the Great Lakes, Michigan DNR notes browns are often caught inshore before other species start biting.

Rainbow troutGood

In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Brook troutFair

Below 50°F is the fall spawning band (40-50°F in Vermont), so stay off spawning gravel. In winter Maine IFW finds pond fish close to shore in 4 to 12 feet of water under the ice.

Tomorrow: Warmer at 61 F. The solunar majors shift about 50 minutes later.Next report: Tue, Nov 10, 6:30 AMHow this report is made →

Before you go

Maryland requires a fishing licence from age 16, from $32.00 for residents. What a Maryland licence costs and where to buy it →

Chasing rainbow trout here? Check the size and bag limits with MD DNR before you keep anything. The season dates for Maryland, read off the agency, are on the Maryland seasons page.

Water and weather

Live readings from SAVAGE RIV BL SAVAGE RIV DAM NEAR BLOOMINGTON, MD.

Flow, last 30 days

USGS gauge 01597500.

59657173 cfs10/1010/2010/3011/09

Today’s flow against 78 years of November 9

At 73 cfs, the flow at USGS gauge 01597500 (SAVAGE RIV BL SAVAGE RIV DAM NEAR BLOOMINGTON, MD) is at the 54th percentile for the date: normal. In half of the 78 years of approved record the daily mean on November 9 was below 68 cfs; the highest was 654 cfs and the lowest 8 cfs.

p10 38median 68p90 251

Percentiles of the daily mean flow for this date, from the USGS Water Data Statistics API for gauge 01597500; today’s reading is the latest instantaneous value. Classes follow the ones the USGS used on its WaterWatch maps (retired at the end of 2025): below 10th, much below normal; 10th–24th, below; 25th–75th, normal; 76th–90th, above; over 90th, much above.

Right now

Latest readings

Air temp43 F
High / Low56 / 42 F
WindWNW 5-26 mph
Pressure1012.1 hPa, steady
Sky / Rain0% cloud, 0%
Sunrise / Sunset06:53 / 17:06
MoonNew Moon, 0%
Water temp (gauge)56 F USGS
Water temp (seasonal)~41 F est.

Bite planner

Hour-by-hour bite forecast for today. Tap a bar to see why.

5 AM8 AM11 AM2 PM5 PM8 PMsunrisesunsetPRIMEPRIME

Which day to fish Savage River this week

The best day on Savage River this week looks like Friday Nov 13, at 4 out of 5, against 3 today.

Best day this week: Friday, Nov 13 — good at 4/5, falling pressure, usually the best window of a week.

Today, Nov 9 — Fair

A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Solunar majors
11:42 PM-1:42 AM and 11:18 AM-1:18 PM
Minor period
7:03 AM-8:03 AM
Sun
06:53 to 17:06
Moon
New Moon, 0% lit
Sky and wind
Overcast, 17 mph
Rain chance
0%

Forecast-based scores, less reliable further out: how the score is built.

Species guide

The species that matter on Savage River: seasons, structure and how to fish each one. Today's ratings live in the report above.

Rainbow trout illustration

Rainbow trout

Spring and fall in most lakes; rivers fish year-round while the water stays cool

A cold-water trout native to Pacific drainages from Alaska to Baja California, now stocked in most states and fished in rivers, tailwaters and lakes. In cold water rainbows use the deepest pools in rivers (Vermont), so slow, deep drifts there are the usual approach; Michigan DNR notes lake rainbows are also taken with bait or by jigging through the ice.

Brown trout illustration

Brown trout

Spring along Great Lakes shorelines; low light and overcast days in rivers; fall spawning runs

A European trout first stocked in the US in 1883 and now fished in rivers and lakes nationwide; it tolerates warmer water than other trout, and mature stream fish feed mostly at night. Below 50°F, fish slowly through the deeper pools; in early spring on the Great Lakes, Michigan DNR notes browns are often caught inshore before other species start biting.

Brook trout illustration

Brook trout

Spring and fall in ponds and lakes, when fish come shallow; summer in the coldest headwater streams

The brook trout is a char native to eastern North America, a fish of cold, clean streams and ponds, and the state fish of Michigan. Below 50°F is the fall spawning band (40-50°F in Vermont), so stay off spawning gravel. In winter Maine IFW finds pond fish close to shore in 4 to 12 feet of water under the ice.

When to come: the Savage River calendar

Activity by species and month, and how the water warms through the year. Tap any cell.

Species activity by month

1 = slow, 5 = peak. Current month highlighted.

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Brook trout
SlowPeak

Water temperature through the year

Typical surface temperature for this water type; today is around 41 F (estimated, not a reading).

30405060JanMarMayJulSepNovNov, ~41 F now

Angler reports

Real reports from real anglers, reviewed before publishing. The water log below tracks each day automatically.

No angler reports yet this weekBe the first: your report helps every angler who checks Savage River today, and we feature the best catch of the week.

Water log, last days

Auto-logged from live data
Sun, Nov 8

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 59 F, wind to 11 mph.

Sat, Nov 7

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 48 F, wind to 12 mph.

Fri, Nov 6

3/5 Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day. Brown trout led the card at excellent. High of 66 F, wind to 13 mph.

Where roughly, what depth, what bait. Skip anything you want to keep secret.
Only used if we need to ask you about your report. No mailing list, no spam.

Before you go

License

Maryland requires a valid fishing license for adults. Buy online from the state agency; one-day options exist for visitors.

Regulations

Maryland non-tidal license plus a trout stamp (required at 16 and older to catch or keep trout in non-tidal water). Lower Savage trophy rules: 2 trout a day, brook trout 12 in., brown trout 18 in.; fly fishing only from the dam to the Allegany Suspension Bridge, single-hook lures or flies below it.

Access

Public access is intermittent along the tailwater, with designated parking marked by DNR Fishing and Boating Services signs. Respect private property that is posted or marked with blue paint.

About this water

The roughly 4-mile tailwater below Savage River Reservoir Dam (completed 1952) in Garrett County, Maryland.

Fishing Savage River: the full guide

Wild trout below the dam

Maryland DNR manages the lower Savage River, about 4 miles of tailwater below Savage River Reservoir Dam, for wild brown trout and native brook trout; rainbows occasionally move in from nearby waters. No trout are stocked there. The tailwater dates from the dam's completion in 1952; DNR moved part of it to wild trout management in 1987 and ended stocking in 1991.

Two trophy zones

From the dam 1.25 miles down to the Allegany Suspension Bridge the river is fly fishing only. From the bridge to the mouth, about 2.75 miles, artificial lures or flies with a single hook are allowed and treble hooks are banned. Both zones are open all year, with a 2-trout daily limit, a 12-inch minimum for brook trout and an 18-inch minimum for brown trout.

Wading the tailwater

DNR describes a steep valley of hardwoods, hemlock and rhododendron over a bed of cobble and boulders, with pools, pocket water and riffles, and recommends a wading staff and studded boots. Flows of 50 to 100 cubic feet per second fish best; high-water releases draw whitewater paddlers, but at fishing flows wading is the way in. Check USGS gauge 01597500 below the dam or the Corps release schedule first.

Above the reservoir

Upstream of the dam the Savage and its tributaries are catch-and-return water for brook trout; other trout may be kept, 2 a day, on artificial flies or lures with barbless hooks. The mainstem from the reservoir up to Poplar Lick is put-and-take water, and Savage River State Forest lists native brook trout in tributaries such as Big Run, Poplar Lick and Elk Lick.

Common questions

Is the lower Savage stocked?

No. DNR says the tailwater fishery is sustained entirely by natural reproduction; stocking ended in 1991.

What are the size limits?

Brook trout must be at least 12 inches and brown trout at least 18 inches, with 2 trout a day in total. Rainbow trout have no minimum.

What flow is best for fishing?

DNR considers 50 to 100 cubic feet per second good fishing flows. Check USGS gauge 01597500 below the dam before you go.

Is fishing good at Savage River right now?

Check the daily report at the top of this page: it is regenerated every morning from live data. Today's read: Fair. Fish the windows. A steady pattern: dawn and dusk carry the day.

Nearby waters

Deep Creek Lake9 miSouth Branch Potomac River24 miYoughiogheny River32 miCheat Lake41 miTygart Lake50 miTygart Valley River55 mi

Where this page's numbers come from

River and reservoir readings
USGS 01597500 — SAVAGE RIV BL SAVAGE RIV DAM NEAR BLOOMINGTON, MD
Read from the USGS Water Data API (api.waterdata.usgs.gov). Latest value timestamped 2026-11-09 at 11:15 UTC.
Weather and pressure
Open-Meteo forecast model
Queried at 39.5028, -79.1240 in this water's own timezone. A model, not an observation.
Moon and solunar windows
Calculated on this site
Astronomical calculation from these coordinates and the date, not a third-party feed. How much weight it deserves.
Pages checked
The facts in the written guide were checked against these pages, from the agencies and operators that manage the water, on October 5, 2026. Anything we could not verify was taken out.
The written guide on this page
Pablo Ruiz Quintero
How this page was made. The daily report is computed by our scoring engine from live readings; nobody types it. The written text was drafted with AI assistance from the official pages listed above, and its facts were checked against those pages by automated verification on October 5, 2026; anything that could not be verified was taken out. Pablo Ruiz Quintero sets every guideline, the data-verification system and the minimum standards a page must meet to be published, reviews page structure and approves what goes live; the responsibility is his, and the AI carries out the work. We work this way because it is how one person can keep every page current with named sources. Errors are published in the verification log; the full policy is in the editorial policy.

Readings refresh on a 30-minute window. The full method, with every figure and its source, is on how our reports are made. Something wrong here? Tell us and it goes in the log with the date.