For more than half a century, Maryland has been hosting youth fishing events. Not only do these events carry on the fishing tradition throughout the state, they also give youngsters a chance to hone their skills and even develop a hobby that can last a lifetime. Getting kids away from their phones and video games and into the outdoors can teach them valuable life lessons, and it’s a great way to spend quality time with[...]
In our state of Maryland, September and October brings more than spectacular foliage. As stockings pick up and anglers concentrate on other species, fall bring with it a pleasant shift in trout fishing opportunities for both fly and spin fishermen. Throw in the fact that many Free State outdoorsmen and women are taking to the woods for the annual deer, waterfowl and small game seasons and one can imagine that many of our better trout[...]
If you tell someone you are headed to a muskrat-centric weekend, they might look at you a little funny. That is unless they are from the Eastern Shore. In that case, they’ll tell you that you are in for a treat. First things first—what’s the deal with these muskrats, sometimes marketed in the restaurants of yesteryear as “marsh rabbits?” Most folks get them a bit mixed up with beaver, otter, and the like. They are[...]
With more than 3,000 miles of shoreline to explore, Maryland really is an angler’s paradise. Discovering Maryland’s distinctive natural resources is now easier than ever. We invite you to get your feet wet and try Maryland fishing at its best. Now, you can sample some of our favorite fishing spots by borrowing high-quality rods and reels from some of Maryland’s most popular state parks or at select local libraries. The Tackle Loaner Program is an[...]
Trout are considered some of the most difficult fish to fool. Once you locate Maryland waters with a population of trout, the challenge becomes identifying trout flies and lures that will trigger strikes. Check out this awesome video about fly fishing in Maryland. Some Top Maryland Trout Locations Savage River & Reservoir Heavily forested hillsides of hardwood trees direct the flow of the Savage River down the mountain and into the reservoir. The river averages[...]
Fish like to hang out near physical structures, whether it is underwater grasses, undercut streambanks, rocks or dock pilings. So now think about a tidal embayment once filled with many, many huge wooden ships, long abandoned mostly only visible above the tidal waters during low tides. You have just described Mallows Bay. Once you launch your kayak, canoe, jon boat, or bass boat from the boat ramp at Mallows Bay Park in Charles County, you[...]
Trout fishing in the middle of Howard County? Absolutely! Embedded in surrounding county parkland, the Middle and Little Patuxent Rivers will quickly make you forget you are in suburbia as you line up your next fly cast for brown and rainbow trout. Conveniently located off both Routes 29 and 32, the three miles of delayed harvest waters provide fly fishers with more opportunities to catch trout before the rivers’ waters get too warm to support[...]
Located on the shores of Chesapeake Bay, Sandy Point State Park provides fly fishers and their family and friends a great destination for fly fishing and a lot more. There plenty of sandy shoreline available for wading and fly fishing and the option to walk out along the stone pier to fish in deeper waters. With a boat and excellent launch facilities available, fly fishers can fish for striped bass, white perch, bluefish, white perch[...]
Where the free flowing river meets the tidally influenced river, the Choptank River at Red Bridges Trail site in Caroline County provides for a very unique fly fishing experience. For three seasons of the year, the menu of fish species that can be caught by fly fishers changes. Spring brings yellow perch followed by white perch, hickory shad and river herring. Then in the summer the menu changes to largemouth bass, redbreast sunfish, bluegill, crappie[...]
About White Perch Ask anyone in Maryland to tell you the first fish they caught, and the most likely answer will be a white perch. (Morone americana). Close cousins to striped bass, they’ll take an artificial lure quicker than a whipstitch on a shad dart. They’re prolific in most tidal streams, and they are great fun to catch. Not just for kids either - there are plenty of full-grown adults, including this old stump jumper[...]