Welcome to the Weekly Creel, a compilation of regional news and announcements for anglers and outdoor enthusiasts of the Chesapeake Bay region. Please email us directly at editor@reelchesapeake.com to have your organization’s news item or event listing considered for next week’s column. Per usual, here are direct links to the lastest, local fishing reports from Reel Chesapeake, On The Water, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Anglers Sports Center, and FishTalk Magazine. The leading photograph (above): Sandy Point State Park photographed in April 2022, by yours truly.
Baygrass Fest This Weekend
Today, the Annapolis Baygrass Music Festival kicks off with a top-tier of bluegrass talent taking over Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. The two-day festival boasts amazing acts, including Yonder Mountain String Band, Railroad Earth, Keller Williams w/ Larry and Jenny Keel, Melvin Seals & JGB, Fruition, Cabinet, Cris Jacobs, and many more. There’ll be plenty of local food vendors on site, as well as breweries, crafts, arts, activities, and much more at the Chesapeake Bay-front park. And it’s all for a great cause, with 10 percent of proceeds to benefit numerous Bay-friendly nonprofits working for a healthier Chesapeake. Check it out. The weekend will be beautiful!
Anacostia Park Design Feedback Requested
If you have any recreational interests tied to the Anacostia River (snakehead fishing anyone?), then this news item may be for you. The National Park Service (NPS) invites the public to comment on preliminary management concepts for the future of Anacostia Park. Everyone is invited to help shape the long-term vision for the park and provide feedback from September 27th through December 1st.
Anacostia Park, an expansive, more than 1,100-acre park, offers a mix of natural areas and cultural sites, with numerous recreational amenities along the shores of the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C. The NPS is currently looking at ways to improve the area of Anacostia Park north of the 11th Street Bridge and south of the CSX tracks.
In 2021, the NPS developed the vision and goals for the project with public input and a set of design concepts were shared with stakeholders for feedback. The current and upcoming comment periods have been enhanced to engage larger numbers of stakeholders representing Ward 7 and 8 residents, and to include activities that engage individuals and organizations historically less involved in NPS planning efforts.
Public participation is vital to the planning process. Public input will be used to inform the development and refinement of concepts of a plan. There are several ways to get involved, including in-person meetings and online feedback. To provide comments online or get additional information on the project, visit: https://parkplanning.nps.gov/Reimagine_AnacostiaPark_PrelimDesign.
Fall Stocker Season Coming
Maryland will resume its trout stocking program in the week(s) ahead, as the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has announced it’s plans for the autumn season. Though exact dates and locations of stocking are not released yet, expect weekly updates—sometimes daily updates—of where they’re depositing fish on any given day.
Department crews will transport thousands of state hatchery-raised brown, golden, and rainbow trout and release them in select creeks, rivers, lakes, and ponds across the state. “Due to several variables that can alter schedules, stocking sites and times are not announced in advance,” DNR says, “But are available immediately afterward. Anglers are encouraged to sign up for email updates to receive the latest stocking information.”
Starting this coming week, anglers can call the trout stocking hotline at 800-688-3467 on Fridays for a weekly update on all locations stocked. The department publishes daily stocking updates on its trout stocking webpage. Photograph courtesy Maryland DNR.
Land Conservation Conference This Week
Forever Maryland invites all to the 30th Annual Land Conservation Conference, “Changing the Future, Now!” on October 4th and 5th at the Crowne Plaza Annapolis, in Annapolis. This conference is ideal for land owners interested in conservation, both the environmental and legislative interests in doing so. “Changing the Future, Now, is about breaking down these immense challenges into actions and opportunities where land conservation can be the key remedy,” the organization states. “In addition to essential land conservation practitioner seminars, this two-day conference will focus on ways in which landowners, community leaders, governments, and average citizens can utilize land conservation to enhance water quality, sequester carbon, increase native species, and help transform communities for the better.” Registration (pre and day-of available) required. Pre-reg pricing, $115/day, $200/both days. Full details available at the link above and the daily schedule is here.
The Record Gar & Other IGFA Insights: An Interview
I had to share to this excellent interview that IGFA recently had with one of the organization’s multi-record holding anglers, Art Weston. Weston recently made waves in the angling world by landing a 283-pound world record alligator gar on 6-pound test line (yes, you read that right!) while fishing Sam Rayburn Lake in Texas. But there’s so much more to Weston and what went into capturing his most recent record fish. Read the full interview here to glean his insights and background, from fishing the Amazon for multiple records to how he analyzes fishing tackle at home in the states. Photograph courtesy IGFA.
And that’s a wrap for this week’s Creel. If you have news to share, please send an email to editor@reelchesapeake.com.
