As we all try to practice social distance to stay healthy, it’s a great time to get outside and spend a day fishing. Surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay, bordering the Atlantic Ocean and filled with rivers, ponds and reservoirs, Maryland is full of opportunities to make a catch, including the invasive and tasty blue catfish. Ten to 12 years ago Maryland anglers were just getting on a roll with big, barrel-chested blue catfish that were[...]
Duck Hunting on Maryland’s Eastern Shore As geese sweep down on a marsh, their calls can be deafening as their wings eclipse the sky. There is no doubt that it is a thrilling sight. The expanses of river, marsh, and fields that make up the bulk of Kent County are right along the Atlantic flyway, a migratory funnel that siphons 29 species of waterfowl, including geese, ducks , and swans, by the thousands. These birds[...]
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway Called the “Everglades of the North” and one of the “Last Great Places,” Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge features a mixed landscape of forest, marsh and shallow water habitats. Containing one-third of the state’s tidal wetlands, Blackwater hosts a striking biodiversity. It was established in 1933 as a waterfowl sanctuary, but is also home to the largest breeding population of American Bald eagles on the[...]
An Interesting Challenge Late season deer are not the kind you’re used to when the season opens. For one, they’ve likely been chased, shot at, and generally pursued for a few months by now. The remaining bucks and does have learned new behaviors and movement patterns to stay alive. That means this is the worst time to slip up by hunting on a wrong wind or making noise on your access trail. Be particularly smart[...]
Jesse Grew up in Deale Maryland, spending most of his time in the woods or on the bay. Jesse finds great joy in raising his son to follow the paths of his father. Hunting with Jesse is a family fun experience for all hunters. Questions & Answers What makes Maryland unique? Maryland is a unique place to hunt because of the diversity of duck species that flock to the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries every[...]
Being a Multi species angler growing up in Maryland, at a young age Steven found himself in love with fly fishing and hoped to make a living off of it. Soon he realized that Snakehead fishing doesn't compare to any other species in Maryland let alone the States. What makes Maryland unique? No matter where you are in Maryland, you're within driving distance of mountain trout streams, ponds and lakes, tidal and brackish rivers, saltwater[...]
Late season deer are not the kind you’re used to when the season opens. For one, they’ve likely been chased, shot at, and generally pursued for a few months by now. The remaining bucks and does have learned new behaviors and movement patterns to stay alive. That means this is the worst time to slip up by hunting on a wrong wind or making noise on your access trail. Be particularly smart and stealthy about[...]
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[...]
Some of the mill ponds date back as far as the 18th century. Dams were built to capture water from creeks and small rivers. The water was then used to power gristmills, saw mills, and textile mills. All but one of the mills are now gone, but their retention ponds are still here for our recreational use; and they are loaded with fish. The ponds hold a variety of species, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, crappie[...]