Calvert Man Is MD’s Latest Master Angler
Eric Packard holds a hickory shad. (Photo courtesy of Eric Packard via Maryland Department of Natural Resources)
Eric Packard of Solomons has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award under the FishMaryland program. The award recognizes recreational anglers who catch 10 trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland.
Mr. Packard is the 11th Master Angler since the program began in 2019.
In addition to being an extremely avid angler — fishing an average of 240 days a year — Mr. Packard serves as a commissioner on the Maryland Sports Fisheries Advisory Commission, representing the tidal and non-tidal recreational anglers in Southern Maryland.
“A cast not taken is a fish not caught,” Mr. Packard said. “So get out and take that cast, you can’t catch a Maryland citation-sized fish if you don’t. It all starts with a simple cast.”
The FishMaryland program includes dozens of species from both salt and freshwater. Mr. Packard submitted entries for all 10 catches and received individual certificates for each catch. The department will present the Master Angler Milestone Award certificate and a gift card prize to Bass Pro Shops at its store in Hanover, MD.
Mr. Packard caught his 10th FishMaryland eligible fish, a spotted seatrout, on July 2, 2024, off of Point Lookout.
Learn more about his qualifying catches here.
Packard fishes frequently in Southern Maryland and in other parts of the state in fresh, brackish, and salt waters. He fishes mainly by kayak and shore, but also fishes on power boats with his network of fishing friends.
