Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization

SMRFO

Latest News

Wounded Warriors Take to the Waters

On Monday, October 1 st , wounded warriors and disabled veterans fished the waters of the Patuxent River. The participants were supported by volunteers from the Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization (SMRFO) who served as boat captains and mates for the day. Volunteers serving as boat captains included Parran Wilkinson, Gary Boyd, Tim Floyd, John Stilwell, Andy Cusick, Brian Vallandingham, and Dave Meiser with Leon Smith, Greg Boyd and Phil Zalesak serving as their mates.

Participants came from the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing local programs at the Washington DC Veterans Administration Hospital, Fort Meade, and La Plata. The sponsor for this event was Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing with support from SMRFO, the Greenwell Foundation which provided fishing rods and tackle, and the Tackle Box of Lexington Park which donated blood worms for the event. At the end of a very productive morning, all 41 participants and volunteers were treated to lunch by Mission BBQ of California, Maryland, at Greenwell State Park.

According to George Gaines, National Capital Region Coordinator for PHWFF, fishing events are therapeutic for service members suffering from disabilities. He stated that “getting out in the water is truly a healing event for many active service members and veterans with disabilities.” One of the PHWFF vision-impaired veteran participants was quoted as saying, “It was the best outing I have participated in for well over a decade. Many thanks!”

This event is a tribute to what organizations can do when they work as partners in support of Americans who have served their country. This was the second annual Patuxent River outing for Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing participants and will be an annual event supported by SMRFO going forward.

Leon Smith (left to right), Donald Ford, Zernola Shamber, and David Meiser pose for a picture before they launch

Henry Phillips waiting for a strike
Tim Owens scores a two-fer

SMRFO President’s Interview

A reporter, Mallory Sofastaii, of Channel 2 WMAR interviewed Phil Zalesak on August 14th regarding the establishment of the Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization and its former relationship with the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association.  The interview was broadcast on Sunday, September 16th.  You can see this interview online here.

SMRFO Serves Breakfast to Wounded Warriors and Their Families

In support of the Solomons Charter Captains Association’s (SCCA) fishing charters for approximately 60 wounded warriors and their families, SMRFO members Captain Bruno and Dorothy Vasta, Andy Newgent, Steve Sadler, Captain Dave Seagle, Russ Millar, Ron Altman, David Skulski, and Captain Sonney Forrest served the participants breakfast on Tuesday morning, August 14th.  

The SCCA was privileged to provide a day of fishing with breakfast, lunch and an all you can eat BBQ for our nation’s warriors and their families. All participants went home with commemorative shirts from SCCA and full bags of cleaned fish after a great day on the Bay.

The August Greenwell Fishing Camp Was Amazing

Thanks to SMRFO volunteers like Gary Boyd and his grandson Jake who served as boat captain and first mate, campers attending the Greenwell Fishing Camp the week of August 13th had an amazing day of fishing on the Patuxent River.   Other members who served as boat captains and included David Hall, Tim Floyd, Parran Wilkinson, and Floyd Warren.

Sixteen campers aboard five fishing boats caught a variety of fish including striped bass, spot, white perch, silver perch, blue fish, toadfish, blue catch fish, and channel catfish in the Patuxent River.  Fishing off boats is the highlight of a weeklong fishing camp held at the Greenwell State Park.

Other volunteer members who served as fishing instructors during the week included Glenn Guy, Shane Wilkinson, Reed Brodnik, Marty Shubert and Phil Zalesak.

If you want to improve your fishing skills and serve your local community, join the Southern Maryland Recreational Fishing Organization today by going to our membership page.

Hooked on Fishing

7/22/18 

SMRFO volunteers supported the St. Mary’s County Parks and Recreation Department “Hooked on Fishing” event at Point Lookout State Park on Friday, July 20th.   Volunteers included Sam Stuber, John Stilwell, Bruno Vasta, Amy Widerman, Reed Brodnik, Cy Staniec, Tom Kemp, Ray Morgan, Marty Stuble, David Gaestel, Chris Goudreau, Tom Meiser, Martin Duby, Ron Smith, Steve Sadler, and Julian Tsai.

Armed with fishing rods, bait and hooks campers took to the pier to claim their catch for the day

Second Greenwell Fishing Camp Supported the Week of July 16th

July 22, 2018

Thanks to volunteers Chris Goudreau, Glenn Guy, Reed Brodnik, Jeff Stevenson, Gary Boyd, Jake Beltz, Julian and Judy Tsai, Leon Smith, Parran and Shane Wilkinson, Floyd Warren, Marty Shubert, and Phil Zalesak, fifteen children learned the basics of how to fish at Greenwell State Park.  They also got to try out their skills by fishing off the pier and off boats provided by SMRFO members who served as boat captains on the Patuxent River. Activities included a demonstration by the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory on the value of oysters in clarifying the water in the bay and its tributaries, a water safety brief by the US Coast Guard, and a fly casting demonstration by Mary Shubert.