Laurel – January 2, 2014: The Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission built reservoirs to store water, but local anglers know that they are home to some true lunkers (big fish), too. This fact prompted WSSC to institute a fishing contest several decades ago. Twelve anglers take this year’s prizes for fish caught in the Triadelphia and Rocky Gorge reservoirs.

Fishing is one of many recreational activities allowed in the land surrounding the reservoirs, with restrictions in place to protect water quality. Contest entries were weighed and measured at Brighton Dam throughout the season. The 2013 champions are listed in the table below. The carp category is determined by the weight of an angler’s total catch, while other categories are determined by the heaviest single fish. Length is recorded, but not a factor in the competition.

SPECIES	WINNER	WEIGHT	LENGTH	RESERVOIR
Large Mouth Bass	1st James Simpson	6 lb 4.5 oz	21“	Triadelphia
	2nd Craig Walraith	6 lb 3 oz	23“	Rocky Gorge
Great Northern Pike	1st Eric Nee	1 lb 15.5 oz	35”	Rocky Gorge
Walleye	1st Jim Glass	4 lb 3.5 oz	22”	Triadelphia
Crappie	1st Gary Osler	1 lb 11.5 oz	17.5”	Triadelphia
	2nd Mark Stout	2 lb 8 oz	15.6”	Triadelphia
Catfish	1st Robert Richards	10 lb 7 oz	28”	Rocky Gorge
	2nd  Robert Boeckman	10 lb	29”	Triadelphia
Carp(heaviest total catch weight)	1st Mark Size	60 lb 10 oz  (11 fish)	N/A	Triadelphia
	2nd Christian Ortega	12 lb 14 oz  (1 fish)	N/A	Triadelphia
Striped Bass	1st Robert Gunderman	27 lb 3.5 oz	42”	Triadelphia
	2nd Carl Temple	16 lb 8 oz	36”	Triadelphia

 

All winners will receive an annual Watershed Permit for 2014. (Don’t grab your tackle box today because the reservoirs are closed until spring.) The season begins in the middle of March and runs through November, conditions permitting, one half-hour before sunrise until sunset.

Anglers must hold a WSSC Use Permit and a Maryland Angler’s license, unless under age 16. Children under 16 may fish if accompanied by a person at least 18 years of age who holds a valid Use Permit. WSSC enforces all Maryland Department of Natural Resources regulations, including fishing season, allowable species, minimum size and creel limits. Nets, hand lines or other devices are not allowed, except that carp may be taken with bow and arrow. Fishing through ice is prohibited.

The two reservoirs, which hold 11 billion gallons of water, provide a reliable source of water for the Patuxent Water Filtration Plant serving about one-third of WSSC’s customers. The plant provides drinking water to more than 600,000 residents of Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, and some in Howard County. The WSSC watershed land surrounding the reservoirs was purchased with WSSC ratepayer dollars, not taxpayer dollars, to serve as a source-water protection buffer.

Triadelphia Reservoir, with storage capacity of 6.66 billion gallons (as of 2004), was formed when Brighton Dam was built in 1942. The T. Howard Duckett Reservoir (also known as Rocky Gorge), with storage capacity of 5.54 billion gallons (as of 2005), was formed when Duckett Dam was built in 1954.

Learn more about the Watershed Use Permit, including other allowed recreational opportunities here.