After a successful 2018 launch, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife and Heritage Service is expanding its stocked pheasant hunting opportunity for the 2019 season. Last year’s event, held in Western Maryland, included a stocking of approximately 600 pheasants (half hens and half roosters) at five different wildlife management areas (WMA) across the region - Mount Nebo, Cunningham Swamp, Warrior Mountain, Belle Grove, and Indian Springs. This year, the program is expanding for[...]

Gear Although ultra-light rods from five to six feet have been the panfishing standard for many years, an increasing number of panfishers are opting for the longer rods that tape seven to ten feet for longer casts and better leverage when hoisting slabs out of brush or away from man-made wooden structures. Crappies can hunker down tight to them during the cold. We use B&M crappie poles from eight to ten feet and Wally Marshall[...]

In addition to the reputation for producing really big blue crabs, the tidal waters around Wye Island also host some very productive fish habitats, ideal for fly fishing. Launching from Wye Landing on the Wye East River, you will quickly find yourself at the eastern end of Wye Island adjacent to Skipton Creek. If you circumnavigated the entire island, you would pass by Pickering, Gross and Lloyd creeks, and Shaw Bay on the south side[...]

The lower Eastern Shore is blessed with a number of tidal rivers reaching out to the Chesapeake Bay. The Upper Wicomico River provides an excellent waterway to experience tidal fly fishing in waters which offer a truly incredible array of fish species which can be caught on a fly. These includine bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, striped bass, white catfish, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, northern snakehead and blue catfish. You will access[...]

This Trail sites provides shoreline as well as boat-based fly fishing opportunities on the mid-Eastern Shore of Talbot County. The Black Walnut Point Fishing Area and Parking provides a place to cast and fish riprap on the Chesapeake Bay side of the point. Launching your boat in Dogwood Harbor immediately puts you in Harris Creek with direct access to the many other tidal creeks connecting into the lower Choptank River. With your sights set on[...]

It has been written that in a mountain stream pool, a 10-inch brook trout is every bit the predator that an 80-pound tarpon is in its own mangrove environment. If that appeals to you, then this is the Trail site for you. With 120 miles of interconnected wild trout streams, the upper Savage River may be the finest brook trout habitat in the eastern United States, south of Maine. Situated at the mouth of the[...]

Turner's Creek Park welcomes you to come out and experience fly fishing on a wonderful upper Eastern Shore tidal river filled with miles and miles of tidal shoreline and tidal creeks leading to even smaller tidal creeks. These waters hold bluegill, crappie, channel catfish, largemouth bass, striped bass, white catfish, white perch, yellow perch, chain pickerel, northern snakehead, and blue catfish—clearly something for everyone in your fishing party. You will definitely need a boat—a kayak[...]

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[...]

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[...]