Maryland is beginning to settle into something resembling summer, and anglers are out safely enjoying the outdoors. As we continue doing our part to keep transmission of COVID-19 to a minimum, please remember to check our website to find the latest guidance on a variety of outdoor activities.
As October comes to a close, Maryland anglers will find there are plenty of treats and no tricks awaiting them. The fall stocking program has released a very generous amount of trout across Maryland; Chesapeake Bay anglers are enjoying some of the season’s finest light-tackle action; and sea bass fishing off Ocean City has been Read the Rest…
The stormy weather during September and October often bring fishy friends from southern waters to the coast of Ocean City. Don Whittington of Bivalve, Wicomico County, was fishing near some offshore lobster pot buoys recently when he caught an 11-pound tripletail, a new addition to our state record species list.
Without a doubt we are now in a fall weather pattern, and those sunny days will become less and less frequent. Some are taking advantage of these remaining warm days and catching the last of the Chesapeake Bay’s summer bounty of blue crab.
Nottingham Resident Catches Ten Species to Earn Award The Maryland Department of Natural Resources has recognized its first FishMaryland Master Angler Award recipient. Gary Simpson of Nottingham, Baltimore County, caught a total of 10 different species meeting all the minimum set requirements of the department’s new recreational fishing award program. Simpson’s award-sized catches include: chain Read the Rest…
Pleasant daytime temperatures make ideal conditions for taking our younger fishermen out for some family fun close to home. Community ponds usually offer plenty of freshwater species such as bluegill sunfish. The fall trout stocking program is underway and community ponds are one of the many places fish will be stocked near your home. Northern Read the Rest…
As we transition to October, summer-type weather has continued to hold on and everyone would agree we could use some rain. Fishing conditions are very good in most areas and the Chesapeake Bay could hardly be better with an abundance of Spanish mackerel, and red drum to please any angler.
The change of seasons is always a push-and-pull affair – recently it seemed that summer was just not ready to let go. This is a wonderful time of the year to still enjoy the outdoor activities Maryland’s warm weather affords, and is perhaps the best time of the year to enjoy large and heavy crabs Read the Rest…
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.
We are on the back end of August and there are signs everywhere that the summer season is coming to a close — but there’s still time for families to spend some quality time together fishing.
No matter how seasoned one is as a fishermen, catching a noteworthy fish brings out excitement that is too often suppressed deep within us. Our daily trials can take a toll on our sense of childlike fun. This photo made me smile and caused me to relive a few moments that I shared with friends Read the Rest…
Maryland offers a wide variety of fishing adventures right now, from the western mountains to the deep ocean waters of the Atlantic.
Few things in Maryland speak of summer more than Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, although local sweet corn might be a close second.
There is a special bond between grandparents and their grandchildren, and some children are lucky enough to have a grandpa or grandma to take them fishing. Lothar Weber recently took his 5 year old grandson Dexter trout fishing near Little Falls. Grandpa brought his fly fishing outfit, Dexter dug up his mom’s garden to collect Read the Rest…
Memorial Day weekend is upon us and many Marylanders will be headed to local festivities, to the mountains or to the beaches for family fun and relaxation. Fishing rods will be seen everywhere, poking out of campers, pickup trucks and roof racks. Fishing offers time for reflection, so please take a moment to remember those Read the Rest…
While recent rains caused swollen streams and rivers and left everything a bit soggy, the weather for the coming weekend is predicted to be sunny and warm – and it should be a wonderful time to be outside with family and friends. There are several youth fishing opportunities called fishing rodeos where kids line up Read the Rest…
The black locust trees are blooming and for many old timers this heralds the first blue crab shed of the year – starting many to think about getting their gear ready and enjoying some recreational crabbing and the bounty it provides. There is good news for all wishing to enjoy a crab feast. The results Read the Rest…
Increases in Male, Female, and Juvenile Populations Governor Larry Hogan, chairman of the Chesapeake Executive Council, announced that the results of the 2019 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey showed that the Bay-wide blue crab population increased 60 percent from last year, to an estimated total population of 594 million crabs. “We are proud of Read the Rest…
Maryland Tradition Springs to Life The recreational crabbing season in Maryland officially opens April 1 for the Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries as well as in the Atlantic Ocean, coastal bays and their tributaries. Recreational crabbing in Maryland can be done a variety of ways, with or without a license depending on the equipment and Read the Rest…
Volunteer Surveys Engage Citizen Scientists As spring fishing season begins in earnest, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources asks anglers to help track scientific data by using the mobile-friendly Volunteer Angler Survey. Anglers of all ages can become citizen scientists by recording some basic information from their catch such as species, location and size directly Read the Rest…
As the month of November approaches its end, we have a lot to be thankful for here in Maryland. Outdoor opportunities abound from the mountain streams of western Maryland to the Chesapeake Bay and coastal beaches. Here’s hoping you find your own place in nature for reflection during this special time of the year.
As cold weather prevails, water temperatures are dropping, which is limiting some fishing opportunities but is expanding others. Many of our resident fisheries are in transition — striped bass fishing is still good but slowing down, white perch are active but now are schooled up in deeper water. Trout fishing is very good as is Read the Rest…
This week offers some exciting fishing opportunities for Maryland anglers – the weather is just about right, the changing color of the leaves paints a beautiful backdrop to outdoor activities and there are plenty of eager fish to catch. For the next few weeks, state hatcheries are stocking most trout management waters throughout Maryland. The Read the Rest…
Welcome to “Rocktober!” Heavy rains continued through much of last week, but we finally had some beautiful sunny weather over the weekend. Many anglers got out on the bay to enjoy action with striped bass, bluefish and southern visitors such as speckled trout and red drum.
With the fall equinox behind us, the days are getting noticeably shorter. There’s no sweeter time of the year – or place to be — than late September and October in Maryland, whether you are a fisherman or a hunter or just someone who likes to enjoy the sights and sounds of autumn.
For those who work hard, a day off is a precious opportunity to spend time the way we want. Few activities afford us the peace to be had dangling a line in the water and being with our thoughts. Sometimes fate smiles on us and we actually have one of those days where everything works Read the Rest…
Living close to the water gives one an interesting perspective on impending storms. At ports all-around the bay and coastal areas, boat owners have been lining up at boat ramps and moving their vessels to safer areas. Low-lying areas can expect flooding and it sounds like we may in for some more rain, which is Read the Rest…
Labor Day weekend approaches and many of us are wondering, “How did we get here so soon?” The kids will be going back to school and we will slowly start to see cooler temperatures in September. If you’re trying to fit in some family fishing time, remember who your audience is – kids just want Read the Rest…
Recent heavy rains caused a lot of changes to our Chesapeake Bay waters. Large volumes of water coming down from Pennsylvania necessitated the opening of more than 20 gates at Conowingo Dam, causing high water levels in the lower Susquehanna River and floating debris entering the bay. Boating will be difficult in the upper and Read the Rest…
We all face daily challenges that tug at how we spend the dear time that is given to us. All anglers and outdoor enthusiasts know how hard it is to follow their favorite pursuits. Summer is fleeting, make time.
We’ve all learned in our lives that nothing ever stays the same, and this certainly holds true for the Chesapeake Bay. She started out as a river valley and became flooded after the last ice age to become the largest estuary in the United States. The view from a drive across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Read the Rest…
If you spend enough time hanging around seasoned commercial or sport fishermen, you’ll often hear that it’s impossible to figure out why finfish and blue crabs are in certain places at certain times. These thoughts came to mind this week as I spoke to some of the most respected captains on the Chesapeake about how Read the Rest…
The Fourth of July is upon us, and although it falls on a Wednesday — missing that three-day weekend luster – it’s still a little extra time off to enjoy family and friends. Here in Maryland a lot of activities will focus on a nearby body of water, from Deep Creek Lake to the Atlantic Read the Rest…
Chesapeake Bay Health Earning High Marks The change is real. The health of Chesapeake Bay is improving, according to the 2017 Chesapeake Bay Report Card issued by our partners at University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, which used data from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and our counterparts in Virginia. The report card Read the Rest…
We’ve all heard it – 10 percent of anglers catch 90 percent of the fish. Good fishermen are often able to anticipate or adjust to changes in conditions or fish behavior. This trait lies deep in that hunter-gatherer instinct of those who can read the signs that Mother Nature provides them. This kind of savvy Read the Rest…
Fishing offers many things to many people, and they all have their own reasons why it’s so special. For some it’s an adventurous location or pursuit of a certain fish, usually preceded by a lot of study and anticipation before the big trip. For others it may be the unwinding process from a stressful day. Read the Rest…
Many of us who have spent a lifetime fishing remember the first fish we ever caught. For some, that memory might include a tough and pugnacious little rascal called the bluegill sunfish. It has a habit of attacking most any bait with total abandon and have the fighting strength of a bull – making it Read the Rest…
Memorial Day weekend is now behind us – an important pause to remember and reflect on those who gave their lives for the freedoms and rights that we all enjoy. It also means the “summer” season has begun. The fishing rodeo season is in full swing. For those not initiated, these are free youth fishing Read the Rest…
Many of us found ourselves fishing in the rain last week. I was with a friend on the lower Choptank River last week enjoying some striped bass topwater action — the fishing was fun and the overcast weather showed us one of nature’s many moods to be enjoyed. Often less-than-perfect weather gives us a unique Read the Rest…
Despite a Cold Winter, More Young Crabs are in the Bay The Maryland Department of Natural Resources today released the results of the 2018 Blue Crab Winter Dredge Survey, which shows that the population of blue crabs remains healthy and sustainable. While this year’s cold weather and ice cover took a toll on the adult Read the Rest…
Baywide Total Breaks 100,000 Acres The Maryland Department of Natural Resources reports 2017 was the third consecutive record-breaking year for underwater grass abundance in Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay. An annual baywide survey showed 62,356 acres of underwater grasses were mapped in Maryland’s tidal waters, a 5 percent increase from 2016. This is the fifth Read the Rest…
Full Steam Ahead for Catching State’s Favorite Crustacean The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announces that the blue crab season officially opens April 1 in Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries as well as the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays. “The beginning of blue crab season is a Maryland tradition,” Fishing and Boating Services Director David Read the Rest…
The much anticipated annual striped bass young of the year survey results have been released and they are positive. The number of two-year-old striped bass that are being encountered in all three regions of the bay also bode well for the future of striped bass fishing in the Chesapeake Bay. At present the two- and Read the Rest…
The recent cold evenings this week are beginning to have an effect on water temperatures in the Chesapeake Bay and tidal rivers. Bay surface water temperatures are down to about 70 degrees Fahrenheit and the tidal rivers are in the mid to upper 60s. As a result, the upper bay region striped bass fisheries are Read the Rest…
 1-888-373-7888 |
 233733 |
