"If you want to fish or hunt - Harford County is the place"
Whether its angling or gunning you seek, you'll find it in Harford County. For the area, adjacent to the Susquehanna and the upper Chesapeake Bay, also abounds in fields, streams, and woods, making it a paradise to (hunters and fisherman alike).

According to the annual report of the Game and Inland fish commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1952, the following anglers licenses were sold: 3,937 resident (at $1.25 each), 290 Non-resident (at $9.75 each) and 488 3-day tourist (at $1.50 each) making a total of 4,715 licenses sold. There were 1,733 county resident hunting licenses issued (at $1.00 each) and 51 nonresident (at $19.95 each).

"Goin fishin" in Harford County provides picturesque and profitable background for this great American escape from too tense living. Except for a few winter months there are no seasonal restrictions on the saltwater sport fishing in Maryland. Because of their spawning habits, spring and fall are the best seasons for migratory fish but for Bay-dwelling species summer is best. There are more than 200 species of fish in the Bay and its tributaries. Neither resident nor nonresident fishing license is required for saltwater sport fishing in Maryland tidal waters. (Tidewaters include those where there is an ebb and flow of tide). Pike and Perch abound in winter; stripers, weakfish, and hardheads in spring. Marylanders have fished in the salt waters of their state for more than three centuries.

Many unusual fish are found in these waters; toadfish, for instance, which have large mouths fringed with tentacles and rabbit fish, which have faces like bunnies.

In Harford County fishing is possible in both tidal and non-tidal waters. There are no temporary trout streams in this area. Other trout streams in Harford County are James Run Watershed to Old Philadelphia Road: Rock Run Watershed and Mine Branch Watershed. Only the brook trout are native to Maryland.

Bass, crappie, sunfish, suckers, bullheads, and catfish are also found in these waters as well as in Atkisson Reservoir, Deer Creek, Little Gunpowder and Rock Run. The Susquehanna River and Conowingo Reservoir are, perhaps, two of the most popular fishing spots in Harford County. In the river yellow perch, pikeperch (also known as walleye pike or Susquehanna salmon) are abundant, the walleye being one of the best eating fish found in Maryland.

In Conowingo Dam many species of catfish leap among the ripples and flick their forked tails at fishermen who line the shores of this deep, picturesque water spot. The catfish are divided into three groups, namely: the catfishes proper: the bullheads: the madtoms. The most commonly used bait for catching these fish is earthworms, particularly night crawlers.

Trolling for striped bass in the upper Chesapeake Bay or the lower Susquehanna is just a little different. Wire or plastic leads are used; the leads are from 15 feet in length and using a 4 to 16 oz lead sinkers. For bait when they are biting any shiny artificial lure will do, even and ordinary hook with a piece of pork rind will do the trick. 1

1 Harford County Directory 1953 by the State Directories Publishing Company