Category: Outdoor Life

Breaking News, Court News, Land of Pleasant Living, Outdoor Life, poaching, Police Beat

Judge lays down hefty fines on DC area recreational fishermen; fines deferred for waterman convicted of poaching

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Five men were found guilty in July in Dorchester District Court of poaching 191 striped bass from the Fishing Creek Bridge, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

NRP officers conducting overnight surveillance on May 30, 2014 caught the men exceeding the daily catch limit, keeping undersized striped bass, catching striped bass in a restricted area, and possession of striped bass while fishing between midnight and 5 a.m.

All five men pleaded guilty to exceeding the daily catch limit.

Ricardo Alvarado, 41, of Washington D.C. received a one-year suspension of fishing privileges and a $1,200 fine, plus court costs. Alvarado was already serving a six-month suspension for striped bass violations, set to expire on July 30.

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Proposed Late Waterfowl Hunting Seasons Open to Comment

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The proposed 2014-2015 late waterfowl hunting seasons and bag limits are now available. DNR will accept public comment on the proposed regulations through August 19, to be finalized in early September after DNR reviews citizens input and obtains approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The proposed youth waterfowl hunting days are November 1 and February 7. These special youth hunting days are part of a national effort by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state wildlife agencies to increase participation in the rich tradition of waterfowl hunting.

The proposed regular duck season opener would run October 11 through 18. The second and third split seasons would be November 8 through 28, and December 16 through January 24.

Breaking News, Chesapeake marine traffic, Fraud, Outdoor Life, poaching, Police Beat, Recipes, This Just In!

Hagerstown crabhouse double-dipper in poaching sting for undersize crabs

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HAGERSTOWN, MD. — According to the Maryland Natural Resources Police, a follow-up visit to a Hagerstown seafood shop charged earlier in the month with selling illegal crabs yielded more of the same last Thursday, the Maryland Natural Resources Police reported.

An officer conducting an inspection at Cameron’s Seafood on Dual Highway discovered one bushel with 82 undersized crabs and another with 42 undersized crabs. On Aug. 1, he found one bushel with 110 undersized crabs and another with 59 undersized crabs.

For the latest violations, Hussein Kato Katende, 38, of Columbia, was issued two citations and the crabs were delivered to a Hagerstown food bank.

Breaking News, Land of Pleasant Living, Outdoor Life, Police Beat

Piney Point’s Golden Eye in the bull’s eye of Crab Cops for selling undersize crabs to Hagerstown’s Chics Seafood

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PINEY POINT, MD. — After playing a starring role in a federal sting of rockfish poaching in recent years, a St. Mary’s County seafood dealer is once again in the sights of lawmen.

According to the Maryland Natural Resources Police, which is hell-bent to enforce laws against harvesting undersized crabs, reports finding several bushels sold to a crabhouse in western Maryland that were delivered to it by the Golden Eye seafood owned by Robert Lumpkins of Piney Point.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police made good on its promise last weekend to crack down on illegal crabbing activities as part of the “Don’t Get Pinched” campaign.

From seafood shops to recreational crabbers and watermen, officers checked catches, licenses and records as they aggressively targeted violators across the State.

Boating, Breaking News, Outdoor Life, Photo Gallery, This Just In!

Bringing Light to Night Bowfishing

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The major distinction of this particular boat is the Bimini top framework that is a combination of leaning post, bow rack, and 12 volt lighting and searchlight holder. At my age, reduced level of dexterity, and penchant for fishing alone, this is a personal option that might save me another dunking by falling off the boat. Been there, done that. More than once.

Two of the most important factors of fishing at night are having numerous lighting options to see with and a Plan B means to motor home. The Smokercraft has two twelve volt battery systems, a 24 V trolling motor power pack, and a soon to be purchased 2000 watt Honda AC generator. Lighting is provided by the floodlights, a 12 volt searchlight, and an overhead anchor light. And, let’s not forget the Maglite. The outboard motor and trolling motor offer a couple different means to power both to, through, and from those remote creeks back to the security of the public ramps along the rivers.

Boating, Land of Pleasant Living, Outdoor Life, Travel

Summertime Fishing Transition: Bowfishing

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This summer, the Blue Crabs have been not only scarce. They are terribly expensive as well. It would upset my stomach to pay sixty dollars a dozen to eat crabs. Who would pay five bucks for a crab?

Usually, while fishing baited bottom rigs, we pick up about a half dozen crabs that fall off at the surface. This summer, the crab net is positioned close by in the boat to dip those big Jimmies. Would you let a five dollar bill float away?

Also, the most successful summertime anglers are actually archers who are putting hundreds of pounds of fish flesh into their coolers while most of us are sleeping. The sport of bowfishing is quickly growing in Southern Maryland. During the day, Cow-nosed Rays are usually targeted. At night, the more delectable invasive snakehead fish and Blue Catfish are more easily seen in the floodlights.

Boating, Chesapeake marine traffic, Entertainment, Land of Pleasant Living, Outdoor Life, Photo Gallery, Remember when, Travel, U. S. Coast Guard, Welcome

World’s largest flotilla of Chesapeake Bay Buyboats assemble at Fitzie’s Marina

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Fitzie’s Marina owner Dan FitzGerald reports that thirteen historic Chesapeake Bay Buyboats are visiting Fitzie’s this weekend.

“There were thirteen here last night and tonight and tomorrow we expect to host ten at Fitzie’s,” FitzGerald told THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY.

21540 Joe Hazel Rd

Leonardtown, MD 20650

301-475-1913

Boating, Breaking News, Outdoor Life, Photo Gallery, Reach the Beach, Remember when, This Just In!, Travel

Big Bucks Billfish! Join the White Marlin Open

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There is still time to register this weekend for the world’s largest billfish tournament which will be held from August 4 till August 8 in Ocean City. Boats from Key Largo all the way north to New Jersey will depart from the Harbour Island Marina for a work week of fishing that will culminate with an awards ceremony at the Clarion Hotel on August 9.

Do not expect such major money from just registering with the minimum thousand dollar entry fee. Captains and crews who put additional wagers in multiple calcuttas earn the really big bucks if they can put the biggest White Marlin, Blue Marlin, tuna, dolphin, Wahoo or shark on the dock.

Boating, Breaking News, Chesapeake marine traffic, Land of Pleasant Living, Outdoor Life, Photo Gallery, Reach the Beach, Remember when, This Just In!, Travel, Welcome

The Chesapeake: Some choose not to reach the beach and just go fishin’

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By Ken Rossignol

THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY

CAMBRIDGE, MD. — In spite of all the great destinations along the Delmarva shore, some folks decide that poking around Pocomoke City, taking an island cruise from either Point Lookout or Crisfield to Tangier and Smith Islands or fishing from a pier jutting out over the Choptank is for them.

One such fellow is Tony Averella, of Baltimore. Tony had been working his assortment of crab traps from his post along the two-mile long fishing pier at the Choptank River on July 21st until deciding to pack up about noon following a close encounter with a turtle.