New fishing organization is filling the void

In 1981, a dedicated group of 15 fishermen banded together to protect rockfish so that future generations of anglers could enjoy catching and eating the most iconic of Maryland’s species.

But, sadly, that storied history has been sullied by the discovery, earlier this year, that the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association had a backlog of unpaid bills that could not be settled.

MSSA executive director David Smith resigned after it was discovered that thousands of dollars were missing from MSSA’s coffers and the organization could not stay solvent.

That was in January, and many months later there still hasn’t been any official word from Frank Holden, president of MSSA, about what the future holds for the organization.

The end of the MSSA would be a big loss for Maryland’s recreational anglers, especially here in Southern Maryland. Our local chapter has been an integral part of the community, educating the public about boating safety, introducing our youth to the sport of fishing and helping veterans heal on the restorative waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

But the guys and gals that made up the local chapter of the MSSA are a tough and resilient bunch, and they weren’t about to let all the good they do for our community come to naught over something they had no control over. Instead of sitting idly by, those folks decided to dissolve the Southern Maryland chapter of the

MSSA and create a brand new local organization to fill the void.

The mission of the newly formed Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization is to “preserve and protect the Maryland fishery resources by protecting the rights of recreational fishermen, supporting research in the sustainability of fisheries and serving the community by supporting local fishing events.” Go to www.smrfo.com to find out more, or better yet, come to a meeting.

SMRFO’s next meeting takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Solomons Volunteer Rescue Squad and Fire Department located at the corner of Dowell Road and Route 4. The meeting

is open to the public, so everyone is welcome.

Come on out and bring along your fishing buddy, too. Each month, the group hosts a speaker who shares their knowledge and skills to make it an informative night for all who attend.

Thursday’s speaker is Capt. Phil Langley, whose presentation is sure to be of interest to anglers who are ready for hot summer days to find their way to Southern Maryland.

It seems the hotter the weather gets, the better some of the local fishing opportunities become, especially for the Chesapeake Bay and her

brackish tributaries.

Titled “Transitioning to Summer Fishing: Strategies and Tackle,” Capt. Langley’s presentation couldn’t come at a better time. Tomorrow is the first official day of summer.

First day of summer is here

That’s right — astronomically speaking — Thursday is the first day of summer for those of us residing in the northern hemisphere.

The sun will be at its highest point in the sky,

which means Thursday is the longest day of the entire year.

With all that extra daylight tomorrow, you could use that time wisely and get a few things knocked off your honey-do list, like mowing the lawn or cleaning the gutters.

Or, if those kinds of things don’t get you stoked for summer, maybe you should put your tackle box and fishing rod in your car right now. Then when you leave work tomorrow, head directly to your favorite fishing hole to truly savor some of that special summer solstice sunlight. It only happens once a year, you know.

Learn about horseshoe crabs

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, people in Sweden traditionally celebrate the summer solstice by eating the first strawberries of the season.

I don’t think you’ll be able to find strawberries at any of the farmer’s markets or roadside stands around here this late in June. Peak strawberry season usually hits around Memorial Day Weekend in Southern Maryland. But you could certainly buy some nice local blueberries right about now.

We’ve got a full moon coming up next week,

and this one is traditionally known as the Full Strawberry Moon. But it probably would be more apt to call June’s full moon the Full Blueberry Moon or perhaps even the Full Horseshoe Crab Moon.

Did you know that horseshoe crabs like to spawn by the light of a full moon? They aren’t very picky; they are equally happy to procreate when there’s a new moon, too. You can learn these facts and all about horseshoe crabs this Friday night at Flag Ponds Nature Park in Calvert County.

Not only does the moon and tide affect the mating behavior of

horseshoe crabs, but other factors like weather and the water’s salinity are important, too.

You never know what you’re going to see when you get to the water’s edge because Mother Nature is unpredictable, but walking the beach by the light of the moon is guaranteed to make for a memorable night.

There won’t be a full moon on Friday, but more than half the moon will be visible in the night sky.

This event starts at 9 p.m. Older children are welcome, but take my word that you need to be prepared to carry a sleepy child about a mile over moderately difficult terrain in the dark. I know this from experience.

You’ll need to wear comfortable walking shoes that can get wet and bring along a flashlight, preferably with the glass covered by red tape. Horseshoe crabs are very sensitive to light. They have 10 eyes, two of which detect visible and ultraviolet light, along with light sensors on their tails. You wouldn’t want to disrupt their nocturnal activities with bright flashlights.

Meet at the gate to the park. For more information or to RSVP, contact Andy at 443-624-3687 or brownaj@co.cal.md.us.