A change of seasons is all around us this week, vibrant colors abound, the mornings have a little more chill in them, and anglers are enjoying fishing across Maryland. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced results of this year’s juvenile striped bass survey, which tracks the reproductive success of Maryland’s state fish in the Read the Rest…
Mild weather conditions and a full spectrum of fall fishing opportunities await anglers this week from the mountains of Western Maryland to the Atlantic. With the fall fishing season well underway, anglers are encouraged to participate in the Department of Natural Resources’ volunteer angler surveys. This is a chance for anglers to directly help with Read the Rest…
The mornings show signs of the approaching colder weather, but the daytime air temperatures and sunny weather are delightful. Trout anglers are enjoying the fall stocking of trout, while Chesapeake Bay and coastal anglers are focusing on a variety of fish. With the fall fishing season well underway, anglers are encouraged to participate in the Read the Rest…
Marylanders continue to see temperatures dip as we move our way through October. Fishing could hardly be better for a wide variety of freshwater and saltwater fish. To the delight of trout anglers, the fall trout stocking program has begun. Other anglers set their sights on fish like the invasive flathead catfish. With the fall Read the Rest…
October temperatures and hungry fish are setting the stage for fun fishing adventures. Families and friends are taking advantage of setting out to enjoy the outdoors from western Maryland to our coastal waters. Don’t miss this extraordinary time to enjoy fishing together.
Little by little, summer is losing its grip on the Maryland landscape, with cooler nights and milder daytime temperatures. Fish feel it too, and they are feeding aggressively and putting on body stores for what lies ahead. A perfect example are the bluefish in the Chesapeake Bay that are large and fat.
Glorious September is here, and although summer will sweep her hand across Maryland a few times before it is all over, we can all look forward to more comfortable weather. Water temperatures will begin to cool also and fishing in general will shift into high gear.
Labor Day is upon us and September is on the horizon, promising cooler weather and excellent fishing and crabbing. There will be many crab feasts scheduled for families and friends across Maryland this weekend and recreational crabbers will go out on the water to provide the crabs.
Fishing is always better in the company of family or friends, and when an angler is successful and has their friends to cheer them on and offer encouragement it makes all the difference when battling a fish of mammoth proportions. As a reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in the Department of Natural Read the Rest…
Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries experienced unusually high tides last week, and the Conowingo Dam had several flood gates open. Conditions are beginning to return to more moderate flows but anglers fishing on the Bay and tidal rivers need to keep an extra watch for floating debris.
Ben Halfpap is first to nab all three invasive species in pursuit of designation Ben Halfpap, of Monkton in Baltimore County, has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award under the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ FishMaryland program. The award recognizes recreational anglers who catch ten trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland. Halfpap is the Read the Rest…
The excitement of seeing a young angler catch their first fish is enough to warm the heart of anyone, much less a veteran angler. Bluegill sunfish and white perch often fit the bill for this first fishing adventure. The Chesapeake Bay striped bass season reopens August 1, and although it is legal to fish for Read the Rest…
Maryland anglers are always able to adjust to conditions, if it involves catching fish. During the current striped bass closure in effect through July 31, many anglers are focusing on blue catfish. The action tends to be non-stop. As a reminder to all Maryland anglers, please participate in the Department of Natural Resources Volunteer Angler Read the Rest…
Thousands of invasive fish have been removed from the Chesapeake Bay watershed at the Conowingo Dam earlier this year and donated to local food banks through a continuing partnership between Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Conowingo Dam owner Constellation Energy, environmental consulting firm Normandeau Associates Inc., and local seafood wholesaler J.J. McDonnell and Co. Read the Rest…
Sly and the Family Stone sang about “Hot Fun in the Summertime” back in 1969, and it seems very appropriate at the moment. As the temperatures stay high, summer fishing and crabbing is in full swing – freshwater, tidal, and Atlantic fish are providing plenty of exciting action! The striped bass season in Maryland waters Read the Rest…
It is time for summer vacations. Our youngest anglers are off from school and many parents and grandparents are creating lifetime memories with them, often through fishing together. As a reminder, all striped bass fishing in the Chesapeake Bay will be on hold from July 16-31 , in order to protect the fishery during what Read the Rest…
It’s the Fourth of July – time for family gatherings and barbecues, and steamed blue crabs will be on the most wanted list for many. Blue crab catches have been good recently, so we wish all our recreational crabbers the best of luck. On July 4, unlicensed anglers are free to fish anywhere in the Read the Rest…
It is now officially summer, but with this heat we didn’t need a calendar to tell us that! The early mornings and evenings offer some relief for anglers — wading or an overhead canvas, T-tops, or the simple shade of a shoreline tree, or wading can offer a cool and peaceful place to fish. July Read the Rest…
Father’s Day was a wonderful day for people to spend time with family – and many chose to go fishing and enjoy the day together. As summer officially begins this week, we can look forward to many more opportunities to join friends and family in the great outdoors. For anglers who catch striped bass in Read the Rest…
Summer breezes and warm temperatures set the stage for all kinds of fishing this week. Whether fishing in the Atlantic Ocean or Chesapeake Bay, or just lazily watching a fishing rod nestled in a forked stick at your favorite freshwater fishing hole, it’s all good. We can all find a bit of peace and reflection Read the Rest…
Although the season doesn’t officially change until June 20, it sure feels like summer, and everyone is enjoying the outdoors, especially their favorite fishing adventures. A popular pastime is fishing for invasives like blue catfish and Chesapeake Channa, also known as northern snakeheads, which provide a wonderful dinner item. Maryland Department of Natural Resources fisheries Read the Rest…
Maryland anglers have a wide choice of fishing adventures this week, whether in the Atlantic Ocean, the Chesapeake Bay, or the fresh waters of our western counties. One thing that many recall is the first fish they caught, which for many was the feisty bluegill sunfish. Maryland offers license-free fishing days for all state Read the Rest…
With Memorial Day weekend, the traditional beginning of the summer season is upon us. Remember to take a moment to reflect on those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms, including the ability to enjoy the outdoors with families and friends. Striped bass season opened with a couple good days until some wind and Read the Rest…
There are lots of great fishing opportunities this week, from freshwater to the coastal waters of Ocean City. The first segment of Maryland’s striped bass season starts May 16 in the main stem of the Chesapeake Bay below the line from Hart-Miller Island to Tolchester. Summer migrant species including spot, red drum, and speckled trout Read the Rest…
Spring is spreading its blanket of new growth and warmth across the Maryland landscape this month. The black locust trees are blooming, signaling the first blue crab shed of 2024. These warm and sunny days beckon anglers of all ages and skill levels to seek out the excitement of fishing in every corner of Maryland Read the Rest…
As we celebrate the beginning of May, balmy weather makes for comfortable fishing from the mountains of western Maryland to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. Summer migrant species are showing up in the Ocean City area; among the arrivals is the spring migration of bluefish.
The weather forecast for the next week promises mild and sunny conditions, perfect for venturing into the outdoors for fishing with family and friends. Trout continue to be stocked each week in the put-and-take trout waters, and a wide variety of fish are active, including the northern snakehead.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reminds anglers that Maryland’s striped bass fishing closure began on April 1 and runs until May 15, 2024 in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Emergency regulations, enacted by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission and approved by Maryland General Assembly’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive, and Legislative Review, Read the Rest…
We are in store for some nice weather this week, so be sure to get outdoors and enjoy some of the many fishing opportunities in Maryland. Trout fishing is bolstered with continuing stockings, other freshwater species are active, and blue catfish can be found in every tidal water of the Chesapeake Bay.
Maryland anglers are taking advantage of pleasant weather to fish for a variety of species this week. Trout, largemouth bass, and blue catfish are at the top of the list, but fun fishing is where you find it.
The bad news: Blue catfish can be easily found in a majority of Maryland’s rivers, both tidal and non-tidal and out in the Bay itself, and they eat almost anything. The good news: Blue catfish can be easily found in a majority of Maryland’s rivers, both tidal and non-tidal and in the Bay itself, and Read the Rest…
Anglers who catch invasive species in Maryland waters have multiple options to make use of the fish Invasive species can have detrimental effects on ecologically and economically important native species. Once invasive species establish themselves in an ecosystem, they can reproduce in such numbers that it becomes hugely expensive, or even impossible, to eradicate all Read the Rest…
The invasive species is quickly becoming abundant in Maryland rivers The first catch of the afternoon was a white catfish—saved by its wider head and a few less anal fin rays, and tossed back into the water. The blue catfish came next—two in quick succession. “It only takes a few minutes for them to start Read the Rest…
Trout anglers enjoyed their traditional opening day last Saturday and the fun fishing will continue for the next few months, as stocking crews release more trout into Maryland’s put-and-take waters.
The invasive fish has spread throughout Maryland in recent years, but the record held by an Oregon man still stands Ed Jones, an Oregon resident, said he’ll never forget the day he caught the Maryland state record blue catfish. It was also the day he lost his phone. “I can remember it as vividly as Read the Rest…
Many parents, mentors, and young anglers braved the cold rain for Maryland’s first youth trout fishing day. Our young anglers, despite cold fingers and wet weather, had a great time, and it is sure to be a day everyone involved will long remember. You can check out our online collection of photos of smiling young Read the Rest…
Anglers have a lot of fishing opportunities to look forward to this week. For our trout anglers under the age of 16, Maryland’s first youth-only trout fishing day occurs this Saturday, March 23. Anglers are still catching white perch in the upper sections of spawning rivers, and largemouth bass, crappie, and blue catfish are providing Read the Rest…
As we inch closer to spring, anglers are enjoying fishing for a variety of species this week. The white perch spawning runs are in high gear, the preseason stocking of trout is taking place, blue catfish are abundant, and our resident species such as the beautiful chain pickerel are providing plenty of fun fishing opportunities. Read the Rest…
With record catches around the country tipping the scales at more than a hundred pounds, blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) have become quite the draw for anglers in the Chesapeake Bay. Introduced in the 1970s as a recreational fishing target species in Virginia, invasive blue catfish populations have grown rapidly in Maryland waters. As commercial harvests Read the Rest…
Welcome to March and the first signs of spring – including our first fishing report for the 2024 season. Blooming daffodils, departing Canada geese, the arrival of ospreys, and the spring spawning runs of yellow and white perch are happening all around us. Many anglers have been fishing through the winter months due to the Read the Rest…
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is now accepting applications for invasive fish control grants of up to $5,000. This grant program seeks to support effective ways to remove invasive fish, particularly blue catfish and Northern snakeheads, from Maryland waters and identify sustained beneficial uses of caught fish. The application deadline is April 15, Read the Rest…
Last month, the U.S. Department of Commerce notified Maryland Gov. Wes Moore that it has declined Maryland’s request for a federal commercial fisheries disaster declaration that was sought to help address the economic and ecological damage caused by the spread of invasive catfish and snakeheads in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Maryland made the unique request Read the Rest…
With the start of winter and the end of some fishing seasons, Maryland’s anglers can rest assured that there is plenty of good fishing to be found this season if you know where to look!
Welcome to December, there are some wonderful fishing opportunities to be found this week for many anglers fishing close to home. The chain pickerel stands out for pure fun and excitement. This will be the final weekly Maryland Fishing Report for 2023. We will be checking in with occasional winter reports and look forward to Read the Rest…
The weather is getting colder but if you bundle up there is plenty of good fishing to be had throughout Maryland. One example is fishing offshore of Ocean City, where anglers are catching limits of hefty black sea bass. In response to five years of below average spawning success for striped bass, the Maryland Department Read the Rest…
The Thanksgiving holiday gives us all a chance to reflect on all the things we are grateful to have. Family and friends always top the list, and for many of us they are followed by the opportunities we have to enjoy the outdoors.
The weather is a bit chilly, but the fishing remains good. Anglers can be seen switching their footwear from sneakers to waterproof and insulated boots and warmer outdoor clothes.
The colors of fall are all around, water temperatures are cooler, and it is a wonderful time to go fishing for a variety of freshwater, Bay, and marine fish.
Recent chilly temperatures are causing anglers to replace their sneakers and T-shirts with rubber footwear and flannel shirts. Cooler water temperatures have fish in a very active feeding mode, which makes for great fishing.