Centennial Lake, MD

Centennial Lake is a 50-acre impoundment on the Centennial Branch of the Little Patuxent River. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources first stocked Centennial Lake in 1985 with largemouth bass, bluegill sunfish and redear sunfish. Initially, catch-and-return black bass regulations were established by Howard County to protect the bass from harvest as the population developed. Unfortunately, electrofishing surveys indicated Centennial Lake was developing an overabundance of small, slow growing bass. The main problem with Centennial Lake was the profusion of the exotic submerged aquatic plant, hydrilla. Hydrilla had become so dense that the unbalanced population of bass was unable to utilize a developing and limited forage base. In 1989, trophy bass regulations were enacted which allowed all bass less than 11 inches to be harvested while protecting larger bass from harvest. The intent of the regulation was for anglers to reduce the number of small bass. Harvest of the small bass would reduce competition and increase growth rates among the remaining bass. Unfortunately, catch-and-return black bass fishing had become popular among bass anglers and the thought of harvesting small bass was not popular even if it could improve the bass population in Centennial Lake.