Frederick’s Jason Koontz becomes Maryland’s 35th FishMaryland Master Angler

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources named Jason Koontz of Frederick the 35th FishMaryland Master Angler on Sept. 29, 2026. The Master Angler Milestone Award is for recreational anglers who land 10 trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland.

DNR listed his qualifying catches in this order: a 31-inch Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead), a 60-inch blue shark, a 22.75-inch Spanish mackerel, a 13.75-inch white perch, an 8.125-inch blue crab, a 38.5-inch striped bass, a 20.5-inch sea bass, an 18.5-inch hickory shad, a 24.25-inch summer flounder, and a 20.5-inch smallmouth bass.

The smallmouth was the one he called most memorable. He caught it on the Monocacy River, close to home, on water he had never fished and for a species he had not targeted before. Wading was part of what stayed with him. He told DNR he had not realized how beautiful the river was, and he plans to fish it more often.

White perch was the hardest award on the card. He went through dozens of smaller perch before one finally made the trophy size. Koontz started fishing with family from boats kept in Annapolis and Ocean City. He said the milestone program pushed him into new methods and new places, and he wants other anglers to use it the same way. He is looking ahead to fishing community ponds and the Youth Trout Fishing Area in Frederick with his young daughter.

FishMaryland is the state’s recreational award program, with more than 60 eligible species. Fishing licenses can be bought online or from license agents.

Photo: Jason Koontz with a 31-inch Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead), courtesy Jason Koontz.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Maryland DNR — Maryland Department of Natural Resources Awards 35th FishMaryland Master Angler (Sept. 29, 2026).