The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States, spanning 11,700 miles of shoreline across six states and playing home to some of the world’s largest striped bass (locally known as rockfish for hunting above the the bay's rocky oyster beds). With that in mind, it’s easy to see why getting out on the bay chasing rockfish – especially during the spring trophy run – is an annual event. With the arrival of[...]
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For decades, world-class fishing in Maryland freshwater tides has attracted the attention of United States presidents like George H. Bush, and nationally-favorited sport fishing organizations like Bass Angler’s Sportsmen Society (B.A.S.S.). It offers hotspots for all of the highly talked about targets including largemouth bass, northern snakehead, striped bass, perch and catfish. Anglers can target all these popular fish in one day, or spread out trips over multiple days. Maryland is a unique state where[...]
“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[...]
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[...]
Are you whiling away the hours until deer season comes back around? Here are some ideas to put that time to good use until opening day rolls around again. Why not try hunting something different? Spring turkey season can be a blast, literally and figuratively. If you’ve never been, get ready for an action-packed morning in the woods where you can enjoy the sounds of the forest as it awakens, interrupted by some gobblers who[...]
Maryland is celebrated for its access to water. It’s the birthplace, nursery, and playground for many Atlantic fish, teeming with life and migrating animals from all over the world. Because the state’s unique habitats, its marine biodiversity is hard to match. The state’s range of salinity levels makes it easy to see how so many different species of fish thrive here. All these elements and factors have made Maryland a suitable host for just about[...]
In the spring, Maryland’s Chesapeake swells with silver: shad and river herring. Like salmon, these fish are anadromous: the adults run upstream into fresh water to spawn, then return to the Atlantic Ocean to live for the rest of the year. The new generations develop from fertilized eggs suspended in stream currents to swimming fry and then juveniles, feeding and growing over the summer before migrating to the ocean, where they somehow meet the adult[...]
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[...]