BALTIMORE, MD—A Parkville man has earned a Master Angler Milestone Award from Maryland’s FishMaryland program.
The FishMaryland program recognizes anglers who catch and release ten trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland waters. Jeffrey Spicer achieved the milestone on March 16, 2024, when he caught a 32.25-inch Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead) near Aberdeen.
Spicer, who learned about the program from fellow fishing buddies and master anglers Tim Campbell and David Mccollum, enjoys fishing in both tidal and nontidal waters close to home, including the lower Susquehanna River, the Bush and Gunpowder rivers, and Loch Raven Reservoir. He prefers to use artificial lures when fishing.
“You can consider me a self-taught angler; as a kid, I loved spending my time fooling around in the waters of the Gunpowder, and this is where I first learned to fish,” Spicer said in a statement. “I’m fortunate to be able to fish with older and knowledgeable anglers who are my close friends, and I never tire of the challenge of deciding what lures to use and when is the best time to fish.”
Spicer’s qualifying catches, in order, were:
- Hickory shad – 18.5 inches
- Crappie – 16.5 inches
- Striped bass – 40 inches
- Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead) – 32.25 inches
- Largemouth bass – 21 inches
- Smallmouth bass – 20.25 inches
- Channel catfish – 30 inches
- Redbreast sunfish – 8.25 inches
- Chain pickerel – 24.25 inches
- White catfish – 20.25 inches
Spicer said the largemouth bass was particularly challenging to catch, as he caught and released several that were just shy of the 21-inch requirement. He unexpectedly caught an award-winning channel catfish while fishing for walleye at the Conowingo Dam pool. He also described his 24.25-inch chain pickerel caught in Loch Raven Reservoir as a fish he was particularly impressed with.
FishMaryland is Maryland’s recreational fishing award program, offering fun year-round exploration of affordable, accessible, diverse, and high-quality fishing. Information on the program, including details on the Master Angler Milestone Award and the more than 60 eligible species, can be found on the FishMaryland website.
This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.
Photo via Maryland DNR
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