Deep Creek Lake Deep Creek Lake is Maryland’s largest inland body of water. Constructed in the early 1920’s to produce electricity, its 3,900 acres and 65 miles of shoreline offer exceptional fishing for walleye, great action on largemouth and smallmouth bass, and an abundance of pike, pickerel, and crappie. As the largest freshwater impoundment in the state, it attracts many anglers looking for yellow perch and bluegills. The panfish here also grow to epic proportions[...]

With so much wildlife and natural beauty throughout Maryland, and with so many options to choose from, planning a hunting or fishing trip is easy. Start planning your trip with ideas from our highlighted "Only in Maryland" experiences.

Fun to catch, these fish travel in schools, moving from salt water to coastal marshes throughout the year—providing anglers an extremely passionate fishery. But don't get them confused with the small stream trout anglers catch in Western Maryland. Key Distinguishing Markings: Spotted sea trout are dusky gray on top fading to silver at the belly. The upper body is marked with numerous dark spots which extend into the dorsal and tail fins. The dorsal and[...]

Great Chesapeake Invasives Count Running from April 1, 2024 to March 30, 2025, the Great Chesapeake Invasives Count, presented by the Coastal Conservation Association Maryland (CCA Maryland) and Yamaha Rightwaters, is more than just a tournament—it's a call to action. Anglers can participate for free, competing for monthly prizes like rods, tackle and more while contributing valuable data for marine research. Through a mobile app, participants can log their catches, including details such as total[...]

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced today that the fall turkey hunting season will open Oct. 28 and continue through Nov. 4 in Allegany, Garrett and Washington counties, with a bag limit of one turkey per hunter. The 2017 Wild Turkey Observation Survey Summary shows turkey reproduction in western Maryland was slightly below average, but high enough to maintain the population at previous levels. Photo by Lori R. Bramble “Western Maryland has always been[...]

Bear activity is increasing throughout western Maryland as the black bear population continues to expand eastward. With its rural landscape and vast forested land, western Maryland holds some prime bear habitat, much of which is found on public lands open for hunting. A Guide to Planning a Black Bear Hunt in Maryland There are a limited number of bear hunting permits available each year in Maryland and they are awarded through a lottery drawing. The[...]

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, spanning 11,700 miles of shoreline across six states and playing home to some of the world’s largest striped bass (locally known as rockfish for hunting above the the bay's rocky oyster beds). With that in mind, it’s easy to see why getting out on the bay chasing rockfish – especially during the spring trophy run – is an annual event. With the arrival of[...]

Get out in Maryland chasing trophy white-tailed deer, world-class trout, and legendary waterfowling opportunities. Or, try your hand at the unique Cast and Blast opportunities in Maryland hunting waterfowl on a boat, followed by reeling in striped bass. If competition is something you’re after, Maryland is home to plenty of tournaments, from largemouth bass competitions to trophy buck tournaments. Go body-booting in the Susquehanna Flats with canvas backs and redheads flying overhead. Head west and[...]

We decided early in the year that we wanted to try something new and looked to test our luck in Talbot County for some teal during the early September season, so we planned a trip to scout public land late last summer. This would be my first full season with a boat that I purchased from a friend last year so I was excited to explore some new opportunities. The main goal of the scouting[...]