Imagine: a long and winding tidal creek, filled with long “S” curves, often surrounded on both sides by wetlands along mostly undeveloped shorelines in the upper reaches; and along the south shore, a widely recognized highly productive tidal largemouth fishery all fed by clean waters from a largely undisturbed watershed. Welcome to Mattawoman Creek in Charles County. Your fly fishing adventure will start at Mattingly Park where after launching your kayak, canoe, standup paddle board[...]

Including the Chesapeake Bay’s largest underwater grass bed, extending over thousands of acres, the shallow waters of the Susquehanna Flats is an important habitat for numerous fish species and, therefore, a literal playground for fly fishers in Harford County. Accessing the Susquehanna Flats starts with launching at Millard Tydings Memorial Park in Havre de Grace. Next, you are faced with the decision of which fish species to target out on the water. Choices include largemouth[...]

He wrote: “They fasten red wool...round a hook, and fit on to the wool two feathers which grow under a cock's wattles, and which in color are like wax. Their rod is six feet long, and their line is the same length. Then they throw their snare, and the fish, attracted and maddened by the color, comes straight at it, thinking from the pretty sight to gain a dainty mouthful; when, however, it opens its[...]

Located at the mouth of the Patuxent River in Calvert County, Solomons Island is a fly fishers entrance pass into a wide array of tidal water fly fishing experiences. Although a boat is needed to access most of the opportunities for fly fishing, there is a fishing pier available at this Trail site. Right adjacent to the boat launch, you have Governor Thomas Johnson Bridge and, therefore, lots of structure for fish like striped bass[...]

When you launch your canoe or kayak at Porters Crossing on the upper Pocomoke River, you will soon feel you have been transported to Jurassic Park expecting to see some dinosaur around the next bend or one of those prehistoric dragonflies with a six-foot wingspan. It is truly a magical place being surrounded by tall cypress trees and a great tidal river to fly fish. Lurking below the surface of those darkened waters, there are[...]

If you haven’t had the pleasure of biting into some crispy, fried blue catfish, you are truly missing out. They’re easy to catch, easy to clean, and easy to cook. What’s more, they’re invasive. Just about everything alive in the Chesapeake Bay will be better off each time you enjoy dining on these fish. It is illegal to throw them back, so why not reap the rewards of your hard-earned catch? Here’s a great way[...]

There's nothing quite like the satisfying crunch of perfectly fried catfish paired with the softness of a buttery brioche bun and the creaminess of American cheese. This fried wild-caught Chesapeake Bay catfish sandwich recipe takes a classic dish to the next level, offering a delightful combination of textures and flavors that will leave your taste buds craving more. And what’s even better, it showcases the deliciousness of wild-caught Chesapeake Bay catfish! Whether you're a seafood[...]

If you are looking for a place to fly fish with family members, somewhere to fish during the middle of the winter, or a spot to fly cast from an ADA accessible fishing platform, then you definitely need to head to Unicorn Lake in upper Queen Anne’s County on the Eastern Shore. You can fly fish from an extensive section of shoreline as well as in the spillway and stream below the dam. If you[...]

With almost 29,000 acres of fully protected marshlands, forests and tidal waters, Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge offers very unique opportunities for fly fishing for northern snakeheads, striped bass, speckled trout, redfish, flounder and bluefish. You will need a boat with a shallow draft to take full advantage of all that these seemingly endless tidal creeks, open waters and marshlands have to offer. From the soft launch, you can head west and fish the marsh edges[...]