White perch are semi-anadromous members of the family, Moronidae, that migrate to tidal fresh and slightly brackish waters each spring to spawn.​ Silver in color with a slightly projecting lower jaw and teeth, white perch may reach a mature length of 19 inches but are more commonly found around 7 to 10 inches, weighing from 8 ounces to 1 pound.​ The largest was caught in the Chesapeake Bay and weighed 2.6 pounds. Seasons While the[...]

Maryland's Fly Fishing Trail The first of its kind, this Trail is a great resource for experienced fly fishers as well as anyone learning to enjoy the sport. It includes 48 sites located across all of Maryland's counties and Baltimore City. Information for each site includes details on location, species, recommended equipment, local guides, shops and more. Check out the Fly Fishing Trail to get ready for your next fishing adventure LEARN MORE Maryland's Catfish[...]

A prevalent—and delectable— gamefish, perch can be found on the Atlantic Coast from South Carolina to Nova Scotia. Maryland’s reservoirs, lakes, and the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries provide a wide variety of habitats for both white and yellow perch. In fact, this tasty species is one of the most abundant in Maryland.

He wrote: “They fasten red wool...round a hook, and fit on to the wool two feathers which grow under a cock's wattles, and which in color are like wax. Their rod is six feet long, and their line is the same length. Then they throw their snare, and the fish, attracted and maddened by the color, comes straight at it, thinking from the pretty sight to gain a dainty mouthful; when, however, it opens its[...]

Brook Trout Brook trout are native to eastern Canada and the northeastern United States, extending as far west as eastern Minnesota. Brook trout are the only trout native to Maryland waters. They are also the only trout species in Maryland with light spots on a dark background. Relatively small, rarely growing over 9 to 10 inches, a 12-inch is a considered a real trophy. Because of their small size, at best Maryland streams support relatively[...]

If there is one fish that has antifreeze for blood, it is the chain pickerel. I have caught them along ice edges using the ice as an ambush source. Cold weather in Maryland from late October to late May is pickerel time. The pickerel can be found in many brackish waters as well as ponds and lakes. The aggression of these fish is what most pickerel fishermen like about them. This is the perfect fish[...]

Maryland is home to the nation’s first state-wide Fly Fishing Trail. I’ve had experiences at many of its 48 sites. In fact last spring in late May I was hiking near a trail site along the Upper Savage River at Big Run State Park. I had been hiking for just under an hour - about two miles upstream from the road - in search of the elusive Green Drake mayfly and brook trout, Salvelinus Fontinalis[...]

When it’s 94 degrees and humid in Annapolis on a late June afternoon, head west to Garrett County where Maryland’s lower Savage River can offer a respite with cool 80 degree temperatures- and some of the state’s finest brown trout fishing. On the Savage River, just below the Savage River Dam, and a few miles downstream from Big Run State Park, you’ll find one of the 48 sites that are part of Maryland’s state-wide Fly[...]

Maryland’s history and tradition of waterfowl hunting is as rich as any in the world. Presidents and kings have been drawn to duck hunting on the Chesapeake Bay for centuries. When English Captain John Smith first discovered the Chesapeake Bay, he remarked that “heaven and earth have never framed a better habitat for mankind.” These immortal words will resonate with any sportsman who sees the Chesapeake Bay for the first time. Join Us Non-resident hunters[...]