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Citations Issued for Poaching, Illegal Fishing, and Other Violations
As more people head outside for warm weather activities, Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) have remained busy protecting the state’s wildlife, fisheries, and public lands. The following individuals were recently cited for a variety of conservation law offenses in Maryland: Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – Oct. 21
Photo courtesy of Herb Floyd
The month of October is offering Maryland anglers some of the best fishing opportunities to be found at any time of the year. The fall trout stocking program is in full swing, other freshwater fish are feeding aggressively, and fishing for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay is at its zenith.
As we all know, Maryland has taken numerous conservation measures to protect the Chesapeake Bay striped bass population. Anglers now have an opportunity to comment on striped bass closure period options for summer 2021. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2020. Read about the options and comment online at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
Maryland Fishing Report – Oct. 14
Bergan Kline spent a day fishing with his dad on Deep Creek Lake when he caught this 14-inch yellow perch. Photo by Sean Kline
One of the most spectacular times of the year is upon us, but it will not last long — daylight hours become shorter as leaves burst in color before falling to the ground. All kinds of fishing awaits those that take the time to pursue it — the fall trout stocking program is in full swing, and other species of freshwater and saltwater fish await.
Please join us for a Maryland Fishing Roundtable webinar Oct. 15 at noon. We will discuss the ongoing fall trout stocking season with Coldwater Program Manager Marshall Brown. Details for joining the webinar are on the department’s online calendar.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced results of the most recent juvenile striped bass survey, which showed a below-average spawning rate in the bay this year. Striped bass are known for highly variable annual reproduction that is often influenced by environmental factors. Maryland has implemented sound conservation measures to enhance the striped bass population in recent years, and it’s up to all of us to protect this important and iconic resource.
Chesapeake Bay Young-of-Year Survey Results Released
Striped Bass Among Species Below Average, Others Flourish
Maryland DNR scientists examine juvenile striped bass for the annual index, before carefully releasing them back to the water.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced results of the most recent juvenile striped bass survey, which tracks the reproductive success of the state fish in Chesapeake Bay. The 2020 young-of-year striped bass index is 2.5, below the long-term average of 11.5.
Although the size of the striped bass population has decreased recently, the number of mature fish is not believed to be a limiting factor in reproduction. Striped bass are known for highly variable annual reproduction that is often influenced by environmental factors. Other species with spawning strategies similar to striped bass such as white perch, yellow perch, and river herring also experienced lower reproductive success. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – June 3, 2020
Eight-year-old James Ricasa proudly holds up a crappie he caught while fishing with his family. Photo by Czarlite S. Ricasa
The weather forecast for the next week predicts summer temperatures and offers a wonderful time to bring our younger anglers outdoors for some family fishing fun.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers license-free fishing days on June 6, June 13, and July 4 — a free option to explore Maryland’s diverse and unique fishing experiences without needing a fishing license, trout stamp, or registration.
Finally, a reminder that the Department is encouraging all anglers to target and harvest invasive fish species such as northern snakeheads, blue catfish, and flathead catfish. DNR and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are supporting an invasive fish tournament from now through Dec. 5 in partnership with the Coastal Conservation Association of Maryland.
Maryland Fishing Report – May 13
Brothers Cole and Isaac Marble got to enjoy some trout fishing recently with their dad and take some trout home for dinner. Photo by Tom Marble
What strange and difficult times the past two months have been for all — if it has been inconvenient for some, remember that it has been devastating to others. With the allowance of additional outdoor recreation under the governor’s stay at home order, we can enjoy fishing as long as we follow social distancing guidelines and stay safe. Answers to some frequently asked questions about outdoor activities are on the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website.
Starting on May 16, the size and bag limit for striped bass in the bay and tributaries (excluding the Susquehanna Flats) will be one fish per person, per day, with a minimum size of 19 inches. On the Susquehanna Flats, the limit will be one fish between 19-26 inches.
Charter boats participating in a pilot program of the E-reporting with FACTS system will be allowed to keep 2 striped bass per guest per trip. Only one of those two fish may be greater than 28 inches.
Also, remember that all conservation efforts implemented by the department last year, including the required use of circle hooks, remain in effect. More information on how to properly catch and release can be found on our website.
The department has posted a new map with color-coding which shows areas open to fishing (green), catch-and-release only (yellow), and closed areas (red).
Maryland Fishing Report – March 18
Michael Novak Jr. caught this beautiful crappie recently while fishing with his dad. Photo by Michael Novak
We face extraordinary times and everyone must make decisions regarding the safety of ourselves and those we love. Given Maryland’s current State of Emergency, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources has made adjustments as well.
After careful consideration, the department decided to suspend spring trout stocking to protect the health and safety of our state employees and also the public and angling community. We need to avoid a situation that encourages anglers to gather near stocked locations. The department may also cancel or postpone fishing-related events this spring, including youth fishing rodeos and fishing tournaments due to the Executive Order prohibiting gatherings of 50 people or more.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t go fishing. In fact, the department has already stocked 82,700 brown, golden, and rainbow trout across the state. While it is unknown at this time when trout stocking will resume, we do encourage anglers to safely take advantage of incredible fishing opportunities Maryland has to offer.
For those looking for ways to occupy children stuck at home, consider a peaceful fishing adventure — obviously taking care to keep your proper social distance from others and avoid unnecessary exposure.
Please keep an eye on the department’s website and social media for updates, and we will resume regular operations once we are safely able.
Be safe, be responsible, be kind to each other, and we will get through these trying times together.
Secretary’s Message — March 2020
In Maryland, Fishing Springs Eternal!
Each March I look forward to the return of the osprey. While this generally happens before spring’s official arrival on the equinox, it makes me feel that spring – and fishing season – have arrived.
March is also when the Department of Natural Resources resumes our weekly Maryland Fishing Report, available on our website, through our email newsletter, and also via your Amazon Echo device by saying “Alexa: open the Maryland Fishing Report.”
Regularly scheduled stocking of trout in Maryland’s streams, rivers, and ponds occurs across the state. And anglers are awaiting the beginning of the yellow perch run which will start as soon as water temperatures start rising in Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland creeks and rivers. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – Jan. 29
Photo by Gregg Salsi
Even though it’s winter, periodic warm spells and days when there is little wind and plenty of sunshine afford fishermen a chance to wet a line. The pre-season trout stocking program is well underway and trout management waters are being stocked every week.
January through March is the time of the year when many attend outdoor shows to view or purchase new fishing tackle, or even book that fishing trip to a dream destination. The department’s Fishing and Boating Services will have staff present at the Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg from Feb. 1-9 at Maryland FishHunt booth 2521 in Fishing Hall. We hope you’ll come see us!
Many anglers have questions about what is going to happen in regards to management decisions and new regulations concerning striped bass. The entire striped bass fishery of the East Coast is impacted by the need to meet conservation targets established by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission. In Maryland, commercial quotas are being cut 1.8 percent and there are several proposals concerning the recreational fishery. You can follow the most recent regulation changes and proposals and find up-to-date questions and answers on the Department of Natural Resources website.
Maryland Fishing Report – Dec. 4
Mike Crocetti made the trip to Tuckahoe Lake to enjoy a beautiful day and a chance to catch and release a nice chain pickerel. Photo courtesy of Mike Crocetti
There is no doubt the hand of winter is passing over Maryland. Despite colder weather, there is plenty of fun fishing to be had from the sheltered shores of the many ponds, lakes, reservoirs, creeks, and rivers throughout Maryland. The preseason stocking of trout has begun, and other fish such as chain pickerel are active and waiting for you.
The Sport Fisheries Advisory Commission recently created an annual recreational fisheries achievement award, to be given once a year. This is a great opportunity to recognize someone you know who goes that extra distance to volunteer their services to help with the promotion and conservation of our recreational fisheries resources in Maryland. For more information and to nominate someone, find everything you need on the Department of Natural Resources website.
Maryland Fishing Report – September 4
Marty Zupancic decided to show us the toothy face of a Spanish mackerel he caught recently. Photo by Marty Zupancic
Now that Labor Day activities are behind us, anglers can focus on fishing more with family and friends. Cooler weather will begin to show its face and Maryland waters will begin to shake off the summer heat. Fishing for Spanish mackerel has been very popular in the bay.
Maryland Fishing Report – August 28
The recent cooler weather has been a welcomed relief for all, and the hot summer months are beginning to fade into memory. Fishing has been good and recreational crabbers, in particular, are enjoying the bounty of the Chesapeake Bay, providing healthy and heavy crabs for crab picking with family and friends.
Natural Resources Police Nab Boater Fleeing Coast Guard
Impaired Boating, Theft of Rental Boats, Illegal Harvesting Top Police Blotter
A Pennsylvania man faces numerous charges after Maryland Natural Resources Police caught him fleeing the U.S. Coast Guard in the waters near Ocean City. Two Natural Resources Police patrol vessels answered a call for assistance June 29 after the vessel allegedly sped away from federal authorities trying to board it.
The patrol boats were able to catch and stop the fleeing vessel, which was travelling approximately 35 knots northbound in the Assawoman Bay, but Natural Resource Police say the operator remained uncooperative. Police boarded the vessel and detained the operator, identified as Anthony Gerard Campisi of Lansdale, Pa. Read more…
Maryland Fishing Report – May 1
Photo courtesy of Jayden Venable
Welcome to May — a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors with family and especially children. There are few things more fun than taking children to any of Maryland’s many fishing derbies or rodeos. These events are usually held at a community pond and sponsored by a local service organization. Trophies and prizes for various categories are handed out, and it is just a great time for all.
The department has a schedule of fishing rodeos posted online. Gather up your kids and enjoy some of these events.
Maryland Fishing Report: Dec. 12
This will be our last fishing report for 2018, but we will return in mid-January with a report on winter fishing activities and some news about upcoming outdoor shows.
The 2018 striped bass season closes Dec. 15. The season ends a few days earlier than last year, as part of the conservation-minded regulations that included reducing the minimum length for Chesapeake Bay rockfish to 19 inches. The Potomac River below the Woodrow Wilson Bridge will be open to striped bass fishing until Dec. 31. Our readers should also keep in mind that there are other species that will still be in season for die hard cold-weather anglers.
Happy holidays from everyone at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources!
Maryland Fishing Report: Dec. 5
Daniel Irons tried his hand at recreational oystering, hand-tonging a nice pile of large oysters that may wind up stewed or fried. Photo by Mike Irons
We are approaching the end of the 2018 striped bass season, which closes Dec. 15. The season ends a few days earlier than last year, as part of the conservation-minded regulations that included reducing the minimum length for Chesapeake Bay rockfish to 19 inches. Of course there are other species that will still be in season for cold-weather anglers.
Expanding your outdoor experiences is a new, learning adventure. It may involve trying a new sport such as bow hunting for a traditional firearm hunter or perhaps fly fishing when you’ve always used spinning gear. There is always something new to explore.
Anglers Urged to Help Protect Maryland’s State Fish
Rockfish Face Added Stress in Summer
Photo by Roy Julie
Fishing for striped bass in Maryland is an annual rite of summer, but anglers are advised to follow a few basic measures to help protect the iconic species during the hottest part of the season.
Seasonal high water temperatures and low oxygen can cause fish to become sensitive and stressed, with increased mortality during catch-and-release. Larger striped bass – 24 inches or larger – will have the most difficulty with these conditions.
‘VenomMan20’ Guilty of Possessing Illegal, Venomous Snakes
Police Handle Oyster and Striped Bass Violations
A Washington County man known on social media as “VenomMan20” was found guilty Tuesday on two counts of illegal possession of venomous snakes.
Brandon Joseph Boyles, 29, of Cascade, was prohibited from owning “dangerous animals” in Maryland and was required to perform 20 hours of community service by District Judge Marc G. Rasinsky. Boyles also received one year of unsupervised probation.
Billing himself as “VenomMan20” on YouTube, Boyles had six Western diamondback rattlesnakes, one seven-foot-long forest cobra, one Cape Coral cobra and two boomslang snakes when Maryland Natural Resources Police officers searched his apartment Feb. 22. Read more…
An Evolving Force: Natural Resources Police Celebrates 150th Anniversary
This year, the Maryland Natural Resources Police is celebrating its 150th anniversary, a milestone that makes it the fourth-oldest state conservation law enforcement agency in the nation. Then as now, the mission is to protect the state’s most precious resources, its citizens and visitors. Read more…
Secretary’s Message: March 2018
Seeking the Input of Maryland’s Experts – You
I have the privilege of working with a dedicated team of experts in the natural sciences. The staff of every unit at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources is committed to constantly refining the management of public resources – fisheries, forests, public lands, waterways and wildlife.
But nothing we do can move forward without the most important member of our team – you!
Public comment and input are essential to our mission.
Right now, Marylanders have multiple opportunities to make their voices heard before we design or implement policies and practices that impact our shared natural resources. Read more…
Weekly Fishing Report: August 30
Angler Stella Amoriello with her first catch, a largemouth bass, on a friend’s rod and reel. Photo by John Amoriello
This is Erik Zlokovitz filling in for Keith Lockwood on the weekly fishing report. As I write this report, there is a disturbance bringing in some rain and winds along the mid-Atlantic coast, but it is nothing compared to the historic flooding being experienced now by the folks in the Houston area, southeast Texas and western Louisiana. The weather forecast here in Maryland is fair to good for the next few days, with rain in the forecast Saturday. We may be entering into a slight cooling pattern, which means that fishing will gradually shift into early fall mode. Take your kids out fishing at least one more time before school starts! Read more…
Conserving, Protecting and Restoring: Chalk Point Aquaculture Center
Biologists seining fish ponds at Chalk Point; by Pilantana Anderson
The aquaculture center at NRG’s Chalk Point Generating Station was built in 1987 to support the Maryland Department of Natural Resources striped bass restoration activities.
It produced approximately 3.6 million striped bass between 1985-2000. Out of those 3.6 million, 2.5 million were tagged and released into the Chesapeake Bay. The rest were used for research or recreational stocking in lakes and reservoirs. Today, the rockfish raised at the center are used for research, education or stocking. Read more…
Taking Care of (Fish) Business: Levels of management
Bluegill; by David Jackson
Have you ever grumbled about the minimum size requirement, especially after you threw back that sixth undersized fish of the day? Have you ever wondered who makes these rules, why or how?
Fisheries management, like much of what we do at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, can be considered a balancing act between two extremes of absolute prohibition (no fishing allowed!) and no protection (catch them all!) As natural resource managers, we usually want to be somewhere in the middle—a “sweet spot” where people can benefit from the resource, either commercially or recreationally, while we ensure that enough fish are protected to support a healthy ecosystem. Read more…
Talkin’ Turkey: A wildlife success story
Turkeys in Cambridge; by Lori Bramble
You want to talk turkey? Talk to Frank Ryan.
The Reisterstown resident has seen them at their lowest point, when the state’s wild turkey population hovered near 2,000. And he’s watched with pride as their numbers puffed up like a tom in full strut to about 35,000 birds. Read more…
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