The sights and sounds of fall are in the air and painting the landscape. As hunters scramble for vacation days and scouting trips, Free State anglers can expand their fishing season by concentrating on the many small, yet diverse, meadow streams and free-flowing creeks that snake through Central and Western regions of the state. A variety of species can be caught during the fall months and even into early winter as long as mild conditions[...]

If you are looking for a way to follow social distancing guidelines and have some fun in the fresh air, it’s time to try your hand at shad fishing. Seasoned anglers say the time to go shad fishing is when the dogwood trees are in bloom. Hickory shad start showing in the upper bay tributaries by mid-March; the run peaks in late April and goes into early June. The larger and more sought after American[...]

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[...]

Understanding Snakehead Behavior The northern snakehead (Channa argus) or now referred to as Chesapeake Channa is native to parts of Asia, but has become established in Maryland, particularly in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They are voracious predators, capable of disrupting local fish populations due to their diverse diet and aggressive hunting methods. During the spawning season, which typically occurs from late spring to early summer, snakeheads become even more aggressive as they protect their nests[...]

As you can imagine, when a fish has a name like “northern snakehead,” there are going to be things about them that are good, bad, and ugly… but luckily, they’re also tasty. In Maryland, the love-hate relationship is so strong, there’s even a highly anticipated tournament series for them. About the Northern Snakehead First, the bad and ugly – what is a snakehead? As an invasive species in the Maryland area, the northern snakehead first[...]

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[...]

From the Trail site’s boat launch in Church Creek in Dorchester County, you get access to the full menu of lower Eastern Shore fish species—striped bass, speckled trout, redfish, flounder, bluefish, spot, spanish mackerel, flounder, croaker and black drum. After you make your way down Wallace Creek, you will find yourself in the Honga River and miles and miles of pristine shorelines and shallow-water habitats to explore. With the numerous creeks and guts as you[...]

History In the early 1900’s Clement Henry released 5 or 6 deer on James Island. Maryland biologists and deer managers first worried that the “miniature elk” would expand into the upland territory of native white-tailed deer. This resulted in higher bag limits being set so that hunters would be encouraged to harvest and control the sika deer population. However, over the years, managers have learned that the sika predominantly lives most of its life in[...]

It is during this time that the staging and spawning of Maryland’s Yellow and White Perch is in full effect. It is a great activity for all ages and is a great way for anglers with or without a vessel to get in on the action. It is an inexpensive activity that I have enjoyed since childhood and now serves as a break from regular annual maintenance and upgrades to my charter boat The Marylander[...]