BALTIMORE, MD—Nathan Choinski, a 10th-grade student from Harford County, has been named the 20th Master Angler by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources’ FishMaryland program, recognizing his achievement of catching 10 trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland waters.
Choinski, of Churchville, began fishing during the COVID-19 pandemic after friends introduced him to the sport and the FishMaryland program. What started with catching award-sized bluegill and pumpkinseed sunfish at a local pond evolved into a passion for angling. Guided by his father, Choinski explored various fishing spots, with the lower Susquehanna River and Conowingo Dam pool becoming his favorite locations. There, he used paddletails and other lures to land striped bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, Chesapeake
Channa (northern snakehead), blue catfish, and a small flathead catfish.
Choinski’s qualifying catches, in order, were:
- Pumpkinseed – 10.2 inches
- Bluegill – 11.1 inches
- Hickory shad – 18.1 inches
- Striped bass – 43 inches
- Smallmouth bass – 20 inches
- Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead) – 31 inches
- Blue catfish – 40.5 inches
- Crappie – 15 inches
- Largemouth bass – 21 inches
- Bullhead catfish – 15 inches
Choinski highlighted his 43-inch striped bass as his favorite catch, noting the thrill of its prolonged fight.
“The thing I like most about fishing in Maryland is the diversity of all the different species that you can catch from the mountains of Garrett County to the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean,” Choinski said.
Choinski, who began fishing before turning 16 and did not need a license, purchased his first fishing license in March 2025. The FishMaryland program, launched in 2019, celebrates the state’s diverse, accessible, and high-quality fishing opportunities, encouraging anglers to pursue year-round recreational fishing. More details on the Master Angler Milestone Award and the FishMaryland program are available on the program’s website.
Photo via Maryland DNR
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