Burba Lake Fishing near Fort Meade, Maryland

• Overview

  Set in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, this is Burba Lake. Elevation runs to 141 feet. About 9 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. For supplies, Fort Meade is 1.1 miles out. Odenton lies 2 miles off, Severn another 3.5 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Burba Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Draw-down through summer strips the margins, so follow the water out. Open biodiversity records for Anne Arundel County list striped bass, common carp, blue catfish, white perch and pumpkinseed. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Burba Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 77°F in July and bottom out at 33°F in January. The freeze here is occasional rather than annual. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. June to September is hot work, so the first and last hours are what count. Anyone fishing Burba Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. The nearest car park is 140 yards from the water. A jetty or pier is mapped about 50 yards from here. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. 18 Reservoir, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Burba Lake carry more weight than any list.