The striped bass fishing community always anticipates the possible appearance of large fall migrant striped bass in our portion of the Chesapeake Bay. The fall migration was late this year, but the first confirmed report came in over the weekend — so there is hope for anglers wishing to catch a trophy-sized striped bass before Read the Rest…
Water temperatures in Maryland continue to drop as the weather turns colder. In many areas, fish are seeking out warmer temperatures found in deeper waters. The tidal rivers of the Chesapeake Bay are seeing surface water temperatures in the mid-40s while the bay itself is around 50 degrees. The upper bay region has been providing Read the Rest…
Extremely strong winds last weekend made for a tough time fishing on the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay, and kept most boats at the dock. Along with that, a lot of boats were taken from the water and put to sleep for the winter months, now parked and covered in boatyards and backyards. That Read the Rest…
In high winds and rough seas, Maryland Natural Resources Police officers and local first responders performed a dramatic rescue of a boater in medical distress Thursday in the Chesapeake Bay. An emergency call by a marine towing company at about 6 p.m. triggered an all-out response to assist a 63-year-old Stevensville man aboard a sailboat Read the Rest…
Cold weekend temperatures have descended on just about every location in Maryland, putting an end to any summer plants and many of those pesky insects that were lingering into November. Cold weather is also pushing freshwater and saltwater fishing closer to a winter pattern. This is a time of great transition and great opportunity for Read the Rest…
The fall colors are in full swing throughout much of Maryland this week, offering some added delight to fishing experiences; the leaves won’t last much longer so don’t miss out. Meanwhile, many of the best fishing opportunities are occurring this month, as fish feel the need to feed and prepare for the winter.
Officers Also Assist in Finding Lost Hunters in Worcester County Four Prince George’s County men were charged with deer poaching Saturday evening and their firearms, compound bow and tree stand were seized. Acting on a citizen complaint, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Prince George’s County officers went to a construction site near Ritchie Marlboro Road, Read the Rest…
The fall months offer some exciting fishing opportunities for anglers across Maryland, from the trout management waters of Garrett County to the shores of Ocean City. Daylight is getting sparser and this weekend the clocks fall back an hour, making it a little harder to get some fishing time after work and school. We’re all Read the Rest…
Boat Explosion, Tree-Stand Falls among Maryland Natural Resources Police Responses A Sparrows Point man who thought he bagged a buck in North Point State Park paid hundreds of dollars in fines instead after he shot a Maryland Natural Resources Police robo-deer decoy. On the evening of Oct. 7, Thomas Ervin Minton, 45, was spotted by 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…
Annual Young-of-Year Survey Tracks Spawning of State Fish Results of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2017 young-of-year striped bass survey in the Chesapeake Bay shows the fish is reproducing in strong numbers. The annual survey’s index is 13.2, above the 64-year average of 11.7. Striped bass, popularly known as rockfish, is Maryland’s state fish. The Read the Rest…
Recent warm weather has caused Chesapeake Bay and tidal river water temperatures to be rather stagnant this week. Water temperatures in all three regions of the bay are holding around 73 degrees to 75 degrees and the tidal rivers are running about 3-5 degrees cooler. It is going to take a prolonged cool front to 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…
Stocking Adds to Plentiful Autumn Fishing Opportunities The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will begin fall trout stocking in early October, introducing nearly 28,000 brown, golden and rainbow trout into select Maryland creeks, lakes and rivers by the end of the month.
Officers aboard a Maryland Natural Resources Police patrol boat in Ocean City apprehended a Delaware man Saturday night wanted for the attempted murder of two police officers. Antonio Ambrosino, 18, of Seaford, was wanted after his vehicle struck an Ocean City officer and a Worcester County deputy sheriff attempting to arrest him on drug charges. Read the Rest…
The heat and humidity hanging over Maryland continues to hold a grip on us, but it won’t be long before fall is here to stay. The striped bass fishing in the upper bay remains rather stable this week due to warm weather keeping water temperatures in the mid-70s. However, at some point in early October Read the Rest…
Maryland Natural Resources Police officers patrolling the Potomac River in Montgomery County Sunday charged a Virginia man with fishing with a spear gun and fishing without a license. Witnesses said two men were in a boat and one man caught a smallmouth bass with a spear gun. The officers questioned the two men, who denied the Read the Rest…
Many would agree we are entering one of the most beautiful times of the year in Maryland. Mornings are cool and daytime temperatures are inviting for outdoor activities. Where I live crops are being harvested, wildlife is on the move, bait in the tidal rivers is beginning to feel the urge to move out into Read the Rest…
After being away for two weeks, I’m struck by the changes that are occurring as we drift out of the grasp of summer. We all need to thank Erik Zlokovitz for doing such a great job covering the fishing report and keeping you informed of our fishing opportunities in Maryland while I was away.
This is Erik Zlokovitz filling in once again for Keith Lockwood on the weekly fishing report. The big weather story this week is Hurricane Irma, which is making landfall in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean islands. The storm made landfall as a Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale, making it the most Read the Rest…
A Talbot County waterman died and seven boat accidents were reported across the state during the extended Labor Day holiday weekend, the Maryland Natural Resources Police said.
At the height of Thursday’s strong storms, a Maryland Natural Resources Police officer responded to a call for boaters in distress just north of Kent Narrows. Three men – all wearing life jackets – were in the water, waving for help. The officer pulled all three aboard his patrol boat and then corralled their capsized canoe Read the Rest…
A Charles County man was arrested on criminal assault charges after anglers on Middletown Branch complained that he fired on them. The victims told Maryland Natural Resources Police officers that they were bowfishing at about 10:30 p.m. May 13, when a man began yelling obscenities at them and shining a light on them. They then Read the Rest…
A Florida man was arrested and charged with a handgun violation Sunday by Maryland Natural Resources Police officers at an event at the Maryland State Fairgrounds. Michael Steven Friend Jr., 32, of Port Saint Lucie, was a vendor at the Repitcon Reptile Show when officers checking for the sale of illegal species noticed he was Read the Rest…
Striped Bass Fishing Expands Baywide Anglers wanting to get in on this year’s striped bass fishing season will have more areas to fish starting June 1. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced the official opening of the summer/fall striped bass season with no exclusions on where anglers can catch the state fish. All areas of Read the Rest…
Unique Opportunity to Learn or Rediscover the Sport The Maryland Department of Natural Resources invites residents to participate in the state’s three, free fishing days in 2017: June 3, June 10 and July 4. They provide a unique opportunity to fish the state’s waters without obtaining a fishing license, stamp or registration.
A trespassing complaint in Frederick County last Monday morning turned into a felony gun arrest of a Thurmont man convicted of a sex offense. John Ryan Coblentz, 27, was stopped by an officer checking a report of a trespassing hunter on land owned by NVA Properties LLC off Retreat Road in Walkersville.
Fisheries Index Gets an ‘A’ at 90 Percent The overall health of Chesapeake Bay improved in 2016, a positive sign that recovery efforts are working. The largest estuary in the nation scored a C grade (54 percent) in the 2016 report card, one of the highest scores calculated by scientists at the University of Maryland Read the Rest…
Nine Men Cited for Striped Bass Violations Continued late-night enforcement at Fishing Creek Bridge in Dorchester County by the Maryland Natural Resources Police resulted in nine men being charged with illegal fishing and 154 undersized striped bass being seized.
A West Virginia man has been arrested and charged in connection with a recent series of fires that damaged almost 58 acres in Green Ridge State Forest in Allegany County. Brian Chad Twigg, 19, of Paw Paw, West Virginia, was arrested on a warrant Monday and ordered held on a $5,000 bond at the Allegany Read the Rest…
The opening of spring wild turkey earlier this week resulted in charges by the Maryland Natural Police against two men while officers continued striped bass enforcement efforts on the Eastern Shore. On Tuesday, officers on patrol at 6:30 a.m. in Washington County issued citations to a Hagerstown man after finding cracked corn spread in front of his hunting blind.
Maryland Anglers Get Ready to Rockfish The 2017 spring season for the state fish, striped bass, kicks off April 15 in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries. Recreational fishing opportunities for rockfish – as striped bass is known locally – will run from 5 a.m. April 15 through midnight May 15, with Read the Rest…
