It’s hard to imagine somewhere more quintessentially Maryland than the lower Eastern Shore. Deeply connected to both its past and a sense of place, it’s the source of most of our iconic blue crabs, the home of our remaining skipjacks and the center of some of the region’s last working maritime communities. It’s also a place where the land and water are so intertwined, it’s hard to know where one starts and the other begins[...]

In the Upper Bay area of the Susquehanna Flats and surrounding tidal rivers, largemouth bass begin to stir in March. Yellow perch spawn in early March depending on the weather. The hungry bass eat yellow perch fry since the colorful perch are the first species to hatch in the upper reaches of the bay’s tidal tributaries. White perch hatch in April, then herring, followed by largemouth and striped bass in May. Largemouth bass eat some[...]

The White Marlin Open (WMO) is a 48-year-old, deep-sea fishing tournament held annually in Ocean City, Maryland. It awards prize money for the biggest catches of white marlin, blue marlin, tuna, wahoo, dolphin, and shark. The first tournament, held in 1974, drew 57 boats, 150 anglers, and paid a total of $20,000 in prize money with the top award being $5,000. Today it is known as the “World’s Largest Billfishing Tournament,” and has awarded more[...]

Typically, the state begins “preseason” trout stocking in December or January, stocking rainbow, golden and brown trout and aggressively stocks for spring trout season, in February, March and April. The department also will conduct a smaller fall stocking running from September to October. You can check the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website for additional information and you can sign up for their email subscription to receive trout stocking notifications. You will also need a[...]

Alright, let’s set the stage…its cold, and you haven’t fished for several weeks because of the chill. However, the meteorologist is calling for a warm spell that just might be your best excuse this winter to get out on the water. If the recent chill hasn’t put an ice covering on Maryland waters, then you have a pretty good shot at catching some wintertime crappies throughout the state. Here’s a game plan for success and[...]

Hunting is a wonderful way to get the whole family outside together and to see some naturally beautiful parts of Maryland. Youth Waterfowl Hunting Days in Maryland – held twice each year for hunters aged 16 and younger -- offer a great chance for young outdoor enthusiasts to master their skills. The most recent youth waterfowl hunting day was Saturday, Feb. 8. An added bonus to the February hunt was that many of the ducks[...]

Sometime in mid-March my pulse quickens. Subtle signs, imperceptible at first, announce the arrival of spring. Daffodils and crocus appear. Even our dormant lawn starts to show signs of life. No longer do I need to pass the time watching countless fishing videos on YouTube or scrolling through tackle websites announcing the latest fly rod built with space age technology. It is time to dust off my fishing tackle and make plans to fish the[...]

I am very fortunate to have been born into a family of avid outdoorsmen. Although I have few memories of my grandfather (his nickname was “Pop Daddy”), as he died when I was 6 years old, my father told me that he had a reputation for being a knowledgeable, self-taught naturalist and avid hunter and fisherman. Folks used to say, "If Pop Daddy isn’t catching them, there is no reason to go." I have wonderful[...]

As avid hunters, one of the best and most rewarding things we can do is pass the love for our sport on to the next generation. The good news is that it’s fairly easy to get kids interested, as many are naturally interested in wildlife and nature, but some will take to it slower than others. You can start by watching turkeys and deer at close range and show your kids the little things. Just[...]