Cooler air temperatures will start lowering water temperatures this month and fish behavior will begin to change, for the better in most cases. Freshwater fish will become more active during the day, summer migrants to the Chesapeake and coastal bays will begin to feel the urge to move south, and fall migrations of offshore ocean Read the Rest…
Labor Day is almost upon us, and with September comes small changes in weather that will affect fishing in Maryland. Cooler water temperatures will cause some of our summer migrants to start heading south, and local fish species will become more active throughout the day. This week is our final Striped Bass Fishing Advisory Forecast Read the Rest…
Summertime fun continues across Maryland, and it is a great time for dads and moms to spend special moments while fishing with children and making memories that will last a lifetime. Remember to check the striped bass fishing advisory forecast for excessively hot weather, and help protect our smaller catch-and-release fish for future seasons.
The summer days keep rolling along – be sure to enjoy what time we have now with kids before they are back to school. Soon it will be September, exciting times for anglers as water temperatures cool and fishing kicks into high gear. But until then, remember that hot weather creates tough conditions for undersized Read the Rest…
Families are fitting in those last summer vacations and simple relaxing times close to home. From local ponds and tributaries to the waters off Ocean City, Maryland’s waters are ideal places to spend time with children and allow them to experience the joys of fishing. Remember that hot weather creates tough conditions for undersized striped Read the Rest…
This is an exciting week for fishing and crabbing in Maryland! The Chesapeake Bay striped bass season has reopened, and more seasonal fish are arriving in the Bay, rivers, and Atlantic Ocean. Remember that hot weather creates tough conditions for undersized striped bass that are caught and released. From now until September, DNR once again Read the Rest…
As we approach the end of July, families are enjoying vacations and anglers of all ages are fishing together. Sometimes the unbounded hope of angling offers up some surprises. For those anglers who are also photographers, be sure to enter your best shots in the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Photo Contest. Entries for the Read the Rest…
Chesapeake Bay anglers received a welcome surprise this week with the arrival of wonderful numbers of speckled trout, bluefish, and spot. These offer great alternatives during the striped bass closure in the Chesapeake Bay through July 31 and the tidal Potomac River until August 21. Elsewhere, the waters off Ocean City are offering excellent fishing Read the Rest…
Kayak fishing has gained many converts in the past few years. These small, human-powered watercraft are portable and offer easy access to waters throughout Maryland, and for our younger anglers provide an opportunity to be the captain of their own vessel.
Maryland is full of outdoor adventures, and getting out on the water is one of the most enjoyable. Being the captain of your own vessel can be a thrill and a learning experience for our younger anglers, under the watchful eye of adults tagging along and capturing those special moments.
Summer is in full swing and we’re going into one of the most popular weekends of the season – Fourth of July! It is a wonderful time to spend time with family and friends enjoying all that Maryland has to offer. The feisty bluegill is one of Maryland’s treasures that entertain anglers young and old Read the Rest…
The arrival of summer provides plenty of opportunities for special family time in the great outdoors. This past Sunday was a wonderful Father’s Day for dads, grandads, and other father figures to spend fishing with sons and daughters.
We often hear that we should take more time outdoors with family and friends, and fishing is a great way to do that. A dedicated angler never feels they are fishing enough – time is short so grasp every opportunity you can.
Even if it’s not official yet, summertime is here and families are enjoying time fishing together. Bluegill sunfish, white perch, and catfish are some simple species that are easy for our younger anglers to catch and feel the excitement that fishing can provide.
Maryland anglers are adjusting to some unexpectedly changing fisheries and are targeting invasive species. Northern snakeheads, blue catfish, and flathead catfish populations are expanding rapidly in Maryland waters, and anglers are taking up the challenge to reduce their populations. The old adage of making lemonade out of lemons comes to mind, since they all taste Read the Rest…
Memorial Day weekend is upon us, and with it the traditional start of summer activities. The three-day weekend offers some wonderful opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. If you have a friend you’d like to introduce to fishing, Maryland offers license-free fishing days the first two Saturdays in June and also on Read the Rest…
Warm and sunny weather returned to Maryland and fishing conditions are getting back to normal, with lighter winds and less rain this week. The shad run is winding down, but should continue until the end of May. With the warmer weather, fishing for invasive snakeheads is starting to improve in the shallow waters of Blackwater Read the Rest…
The big story recently was a major storm system with heavy rains and northeasterly winds, which brought flooding conditions to the Potomac, Susquehanna, and other rivers and streams across Maryland. Fishing conditions should slowly get back to normal with a stretch of warmer sunny days and lighter winds. The shad run should continue until late Read the Rest…
The shad run is on, and fishing for both American shad and hickories has been very good for catch-and-release anglers. The striped bass trophy season got off to a fair start with some large fish in the 40-inch to 50-inch range caught on the first day, May 1. The 2022 striped bass trophy season will Read the Rest…
April has been a wonderful month for fishing, especially for our put-and-take trout anglers. Maryland Department of Natural Resources staff have been out each week stocking trout waters around the state. The 2022 striped bass trophy season begins Sunday, May 1, and our Chesapeake Bay anglers will be out in force – be sure to Read the Rest…
Chillier weather descended upon Maryland this past week, and areas of Western Maryland even received a significant amount of snow. Warmer weather is in the forecast ahead, just in time for a weekend of fishing together with family and friends. This month offers special opportunities for our younger anglers to enjoy fishing in the put-and-take Read the Rest…
Maryland appears to be taking a big leap into spring weather this weekend, so be sure to find yourself outdoors fishing with family and friends. Trout fishing is on the top of the list for many freshwater anglers, especially our youngsters. Be sure to check the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website for the Chesapeake Read the Rest…
March finished with some cold and blustery conditions for anglers, and April promises milder temperatures. Trout fishing in the put-and-take areas has been getting the premier attention of many anglers enjoying the daily and generous stocking of trout, which will last through the month of April. Don’t miss it! As a reminder, Maryland waters Read the Rest…
Trout anglers had their big day last Saturday for what most call the opening day of trout season, although trout have been generously stocked for months. It is a time for our younger anglers to enjoy some success in pursuing trout in local waters with moms and dads. All Maryland waters of the Chesapeake Bay Read the Rest…
Put-and-take trout anglers will have their day this Saturday, March 26, as the traditional opening day kicks off at 5:30 a.m. throughout Maryland. This is a wonderful time for our younger anglers to achieve success in catching some trout, and for adults to share it with them. Maryland Department of Natural Resources hatchery crews and Read the Rest…
Despite winter’s heavy hand last weekend, the harbingers of spring are all around us. The geese, swans, and most migratory ducks have headed north and are replaced by the arrival of the ospreys. Crocus and daffodils are blooming, and fishing opportunities abound. Anglers are enjoying the trout management waters that are open, all species of Read the Rest…
While some retreat when winter temperatures drop and snow and icy conditions prevail, there are anglers who just cannot sit out the winter months. The reservoirs of Western Maryland are providing wonderful ice fishing opportunities for a variety of fish species, and the open waters of fast-moving streams and rivers are providing excellent trout fishing Read the Rest…
This will be our final Maryland Fishing Report for 2021 — look for our midwinter report in January. In the meantime, there are a number of fun adventures anglers and their families can enjoy together the next couple months. All of us at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources wish you peace and happiness over Read the Rest…
Everywhere in Maryland, colder weather is setting in as we enter December. Some species of fish will begin to hunker down for the winter months while others relish the colder water temperatures. Fishing for blue catfish, trout, and chain pickerel often excels during the winter months, and saltwater fishing for sea bass and tautog provide Read the Rest…
Marylanders are beginning to hear Old Man Winter knocking on the door this week, with repeated temperatures below 30 degrees in some areas. Water temperatures are declining in all areas, changing the fishing conditions. Dress appropriately and enjoy the exciting fishing opportunities. All of us at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources wish everyone a Read the Rest…
As we move through November there are plenty of excellent fishing opportunities to be had. The western mountain streams and rivers hold trout, smallmouth bass, and muskellunge. The small lakes and ponds that dot Maryland are providing a variety of fish that are feeding aggressively. The striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay are also feeling Read the Rest…
Many of Maryland’s fishing opportunities are at their zenith as cool water temperatures have fish feeling the urge to build up body stores for the coming winter months. This is good news for anglers.
November is upon us and many areas of central, southern, and eastern Maryland have experienced their first frost. The waters are cooling and providing excellent fishing opportunities as many species of fish are feeding aggressively. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources trout program made an all-out effort to stock waters last week, providing exciting fishing.
Maryland offers a wide variety of fishing adventures this time of year. Many anglers are enjoying the excellent trout fishing or other freshwater species. Fishing for striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay remains at the top of the list for many anglers.
This week is an exciting time for family and friends to be out fishing and enjoying the outdoors, as daytime temperatures become more moderate and a wide variety of fish become more active as waters cool.
Children always offer a different window into our world, certainly a simpler type of fun and excitement. This could not be truer when they accompany us on our fishing and crabbing adventures. Right now blue crabs are heavy and laden with meat so do not put that crabbing gear away just yet.
Early fall offers a wonderful opportunity to spend time outdoors with family and friends, especially our younger anglers. The fall trout stocking program has begun, offering excellent trout fishing at waters in most areas of Maryland. The Atlantic waters near Ocean City and Assateague Island, along with the Coastal Bays and the Chesapeake Bay all Read the Rest…
As September fades into October, cooling temperatures will bring on more true fall-like fishing conditions. Anglers in the upper Chesapeake Bay are putting more focus on the fall striped bass run, while lower Bay anglers are also trying to get their last shots at Spanish mackerel, red drum, bluefish, and spotted sea trout. Fishing for Read the Rest…
The pleasant days of September offer wonderful opportunities to spend time with children and make lasting memories they will take into their adult life.
Summer is still holding sway over the Maryland landscape but cooler weather keeps slipping in with more frequency. All of this makes for the perfect opportunities to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends. For anglers who want to learn or brush up on boating skills, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and partners are Read the Rest…
Maryland anglers will gradually begin to see their varied fisheries react to cooling water temperatures through September. Currently the summer migrant species in the Chesapeake Bay and offshore waters are present in good force, and freshwater anglers have plenty of fishing action across the entire Maryland landscape.
There are many fishing opportunities in Maryland and many anglers are taking full advantage of the late summer fishing scene. Although the Labor Day weekend is traditionally the end of the summer vacation season, Marylanders know that great fishing will continue for the months to come. Be sure to check the Maryland striped bass fishing Read the Rest…
Mother Nature is dealing Maryland some hot daytime temperatures this week, and many of those seeking some relief will flock to the water. Fishing for a variety of freshwater and saltwater fish could hardly be better as we approach the zenith of our summer fisheries, from the cool mountain streams of Western Maryland to the Read the Rest…
These late summer weeks hold a lot of fishing opportunities for anglers across the state. Our summer migrant fish species in the Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters are in full swing and other fish are active. Northern snakeheads are on the prowl in many areas of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and entertaining anglers with plenty Read the Rest…
Life on the Chesapeake is all about family and friends, a good boat, a good dog, and getting out on the water to enjoy it all. In many cases, this involves catching some blue crabs for a crab dinner together. Throughout the summer, anglers should continue to check the striped bass fishing advisory forecast to Read the Rest…
Summer is a time to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends and few things can be more rewarding than fishing with sons and daughters. With striped bass fishing resuming this week, anglers should continue to check the striped bass fishing advisory forecast to help protect this iconic species during harsh conditions.
The striped bass fishery will reopen Sunday, August 1. During the closure, anglers are targeting alternate species such as catfish, perch, spotted sea trout, red drum, bluefish, cobia, and Spanish mackerel. Sea bass have been a reliable target fish for ocean anglers with the warm weather and calm seas. Throughout the summer, be sure to Read the Rest…
With the striped bass fishery currently closed, anglers are targeting alternate species such as catfish, perch, spotted sea trout, red drum, bluefish, cobia, and Spanish mackerel. Anglers are reminded that the striped bass fishery is closed in the Chesapeake Bay until August 1 to lessen catch-and-release mortalities of undersized striped bass. Throughout the summer be Read the Rest…
Summer heat is upon us and many are seeking relief near waters across the state, from cool mountain streams of Western Maryland to the surf and offshore sites of the Atlantic Ocean. This is a good opportunity to seek and pursue the wide variety of fish found in our waters. The Maryland Department of Natural Read the Rest…
July is providing some exciting promise for Chesapeake Bay anglers as reports of cobia, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel entering the lower Bay are becoming more common. Offshore of the Atlantic Coast, fishing for sea bass is excellent right now. Anglers are reminded of the upcoming striped bass closure period in the Chesapeake Bay from July Read the Rest…