Understanding Maryland's Turkey Population Maryland boasts a robust turkey population, making it a prime destination for hunters eager to pursue these magnificent birds. With a diverse landscape that includes forests, farmlands and wetlands, the state offers ideal habitats for turkeys to thrive. The Eastern wild turkey, the most common subspecies found in Maryland, can be spotted across various regions of the state, from the wooded areas of Western Maryland to the agricultural fields of the[...]

“Citizen science? Not for me. I just want to go fishing.” That’s an understandable reaction. Sometimes all of us want just to kick back and relax on the water. But most of us anglers also want to learn to “think like a fish,” to hone our skills and catch more, even if we plan on releasing some of that catch. It turns out that the more we learn about ecology in our favorite waters, the[...]

Going back nearly 50 years I can always remember the anticipation of several “early season” trips to Maryland’s Eastern Shore to fish the many and varied mill ponds that dot the flat landscape of the Delmarva. Small, tannin-stained and often overlooked, these small bodies of water yielded an abundance of bass, crappies, bluegills, pickerel and more. In the streams below the mill dams there were often, if you timed it right, migrating runs of blueback[...]

They say that March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. So far this month March has been all “winter,” with below average temperatures and howling winds. But despite less than favorable conditions, there has been a slow but steady migration of one of the tastiest fish that swims in our Chesapeake Bay tributaries…that being the ever-popular crappie. Yes, Maryland has been blessed with tidal river systems on both the Western and[...]

With school back in session and cooler fall weather on the way, it’s a good time to plan a trip to one of several Maryland lakes that offer excellent late-season fishing for bass, panfish, stocked trout and even land-locked striped bass. A few of these lakes include Piney Run ( Carroll County), Hunting Creek Lake ( Frederick County), and Greenbrier Lake ( Washington County). Let’s take a look at the available species and tactics for[...]