Enjoy fishing responsibly at Montgomery Village lakes

More residents have rediscovered Montgomery Village parks this summer and have been enjoying a variety of outdoor activities, including fishing. Following proper fishing etiquette will go a long way to ensure that all park users have an enjoyable experience when visiting a park. Listed below are guidelines that anyone fishing in Montgomery Village parks should follow:

• Abide by Maryland’s fishing regulations and report those who don’t. Regulations are in place for a reason, so please respect and carefully follow the laws on the water you're fishing. Maryland requires a fishing license for those over the age of 16.
• Appreciate the importance of a clean environment. A good angler avoids littering at all times. Pollution kills fish. The practice of proper recycling and trash disposal is crucial as it prevents pollution and keeps our environment clean. Put fishing line, bait containers, cigarette butts and other trash, all of which can harm wildlife and degrade others’ outdoor experience, into the trash containers. Some of MVF’s lakes have fishing line recycling containers around the lakes, including Edward DeSimon, North Creek Lake Park and Lake Whetstone.  These bins are for monofilament lines only; please place no trash in these bins. Leave your fishing area cleaner than you found it, and take care not to disrupt the environment around you.
• Practice safe angling. Be aware of others around you before casting. Safety should be the number one priority.
• Keep fishing line away from trees and branches. Fishing line tied in trees or left tangled in branches can ensnare birds and other wildlife.
• Respect other anglers’ and park patrons’ rights. This means being courteous to others and not intruding in other people's spaces. Anglers will have more fun fishing when they respect each other.
• Practice catch and release. Know how and when to fight and release fish in a manner that gives the fish, especially the little ones, a fighting chance at survival.
• Do not move fish between waters or introduce fish to waters from which they did not come. Doing so can have far-reaching consequences, posing threats to native fish from predation and competition, perhaps infecting waters and spreading disease, and may harm native fish recovery.
• Support conservation efforts and local resource management to preserve fishing for generations to come.
• Share fishing knowledge and skills. Help others to become better anglers and improve the sport of fishing.

For more information about fishing in Maryland, visit the Maryland Department of Natural Resources website www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries.