March 19, 2024

Captain’s Message: All Storms Are Different

hurricane

The Storm of 1933, 10 years before I was born, caught everyone by surprise. It ended maritime transportation and commerce in St. Mary’s County by knocking out the wharves. Here’s a look at the major storms in my lifetime, 1943 to last month.

Message from the Cap’n – Oh, That Skunk

Skunk

Don’t get skunked!

Message from the Cap’n: Saga of a Burned Duck Blind

Robert Lynch was a big-time waterfowl hunter in the St. Mary’s River. He had a duck blind as decked out as a restaurant. Then one night his premier duck blind burned.

Message from the Cap’n – Maryland’s Belted Kingfisher

Belted Kingfisher

Year-round residents of the Chesapeake Bay region, Belted Kingfishers are a bright flash of blue on the wing, their territories along streams and rivers.

Oyster Prices Down in 2023-24

shellfish harvesting

“Oyster season in the months with R” used to be the norm, but conservation efforts and disease have dictated some changes to that meme.

Winter in the Chesapeake: Where Are the Ducks?

It’s the time of year where rafts of ducks fill Island Creek for good eating — and usually hunters are out looking for the same thing. But this winter has seen few arrivals thus far. Give Cap’n Jack a shout if you’ve spotted some of the ducks listed here.

Message from a Cap’n: Season of Jellyfish, Turtles, Ospreys

With the water temperature in the 80s, jellyfish are taking over. Bad news for swimmers. Good news for oysters.

Waterfowl Blinds Licensing Open ’23-24 Season

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is offering an online process for Maryland hunters to apply for a 2023-2024 waterfowl blind site license, which reserves a location for a landowner or authorized individual to place a hunting blind.

MD Offers Free Fishing Day on July 4

Fishing

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources offers a license-free fishing day for all state residents and visitors on Tuesday, July 4.

Catch a Snakehead & Maybe Win a Prize

Snakehead

The northern snakehead tagging program is continuing this summer in an effort to spur removal of invasive fish from Maryland’s waters.