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[...]

One true harbinger of spring is the traditional Opening Day of trout fishing in waters throughout Maryland. This is especially true of the myriad of streams and small lakes that lie within the Catoctin Mountains of Frederick and Washington Counties. Trout fans have the option of wading small, cascading creeks, kayaking medium-sized lakes, or hoofing it at any number of smaller ponds that all get a more than ample stocking of rainbow, brown, and golden[...]

From its headwaters in Pennsylvania, the Monocacy River flows 58 miles through Frederick County into the Potomac River. With river access via multiple bridge crossings and several riverside parks, much of the river can be wade-fished with about half of the river navigable by a canoe or kayak. The Trail site is focused on the upper river where fly fishers can cast for smallmouth bass, sunfish and channel catfish. Given much of the river’s shorelines[...]

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[...]

Striped bass (Morone saxatilis) is the first fish that comes to mind when most people think of the Chesapeake Bay. “Rockfish” as we call them, is the State Fish of Maryland and the most sought-after species in the Chesapeake Bay. In addition to my most recent panfish book, I’ve written two books about catching rockfish on artificial lures. I love targeting stripers, but I could never have learned to catch them were it not for[...]

Catching striped bass on dock lights in December is great, as long as you have tide movement and the right fly fishing gear. I personally like an 8 wt fast action rod with a floating line, for a leader I prefer a 20 lb tapered fluorocarbon leader 9’ long, and a black and purple size 2. Now not just any dock with a light will produce, you need to find one that has at least[...]

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[...]

I’ll never forget the very first chain pickerel I ever caught. I was fishing during late fall on the Patuxent River and it came as a surprise catch. Long, sleek, with chain-link markings and a mouthful of teeth, I knew what it was even at the age of 15. That was several decades ago. But I had enough of a taste to know that I wanted more of this leaping, slashing “mini-pike” in my angling[...]

Our family spent summers on the Eastern Shore. I learned the size of a keeper Blue crab was as big as a Coca cola can. I baited fat minnows on hooks to catch flounder. I sat next to Mallard nests in the springtime, praying the eggs would hatch and the yellow down ducklings would follow me home. Maryland provided a world class education in the outdoors, but I was never exposed to hunting. As an[...]