A few billion will take to the air and some will inadvertently end up in the water. This creates a topwater feeding frenzy. During the last Brood X emergence 17 years ago, anglers noticed that fish keyed on anything that lingered on the surface as the cicada conditioned fish looked to the skies when eating. Around 2 inches in length, cicadas are not hard to find. They are all over trees and on the ground[...]

Located adjacent to the famous lighthouse, Thomas Point Park provides unique access to fly fishing Chesapeake Bay without the need for a boat. You can fly fish from much of the shoreline around this peninsula, casting into Fishing Creek, Chesapeake Bay and the South River in search of striped bass, white perch, blue catfish and channel catfish. You may launch a kayak on the south side beach as well as wade fish. In addition to[...]

There are few things that bring me as much joy as a squealing child as he or she hoists a gyrating sunfish up on the bank. The fish is flopping, and the child is giggling as they try to immediately pounce on this incredibly interesting form of life we know as a “fish.” By my own claim, I caught my first fish, a humble bluegill, at the age of five…and I haven’t been the same[...]

Among the many Eastern Shore ponds, Smithville Lake stands out as one of the more productive waters, offering fly fishers with an assortment of fish species to target. Its populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie and chain pickerel provide for year round fishing opportunities. During the winter months, fly fishers can cast for those toothy top predator chain pickerel even when the waters are too cold for other fish species. With the onset of spring[...]

As you head down the hill towards the shoreline and launch ramps along Piney Run Reservoir, you will automatically be wondering “where do I want to start fishing?” Piney Run Park and the Reservoir gives you a lot of choices in terms of where to fish and what to fish for. First, where to fish. You can fly fish from the shoreline in the immediate area around the boat launch ramps as well as from[...]

With bluegill, crappie, chain pickerel, largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, white perch, yellow perch and carp on the menu, there is someone for every fly fisher at the Loch Raven Reservoir in Baltimore County. In addition to shoreline fishing and access to a pier, the Loch Raven Fishing Center provides boat launch access to the entire 1,600-acre reservoir. Given the amount of shoreline just waiting to be fished, you could return each season of[...]

Maryland is a great place to perfect your angling skills as a novice. We offer a ton of large and smallmouth bass populations (a great fish for first-timers), as well as charter boat opportunities that bring you out with an experienced captain chasing striped bass. Here in Maryland, you’ll learn how to set a hook in no time. Head out to western Maryland and experience the fishing opportunities of Deep Creek Lake. Or, take to[...]

Starting the Day Right When I wake up, the first thing I do is plan my day by checking various apps. I look at the wind forecast, live wind speed and direction and predicted tide times. If the forecast calls for more than 10 mph winds, I focus on wind direction and plan my day for an area where I can get some shelter. A sheltered location just makes fishing easier and much more fun[...]

Accessed through Cecil County’s North East Community Park, the North East River provides fly fishers with a great freshwater tidal river fly fishing experience. Given the number of different fish species you can catch at this Trail site—bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, river herring, striped bass, white catfish, white perch, yellow perch, northern snakehead and blue catfish—there is always something on the fly fishing menu for everyone in your group. Given you are fishing[...]