Day Tripping: Gone Fishin' in Calvert County
Grapes at the Running Hare Vineyard in Calvert County, Md. Photo by Andrew Helms.
Sandwiched between the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River south of D.C. and Prince George's County, Calvert County can be the perfect spot for those looking to reclaim a little youth during a day out on the water. While Annapolis and the Eastern Shore get more attention from day tripping D.C. denizens, Calvert County offers the same array of edible sea life and sun-stained beaches, only closer to home (and without Bay Bridge traffic).
Getting there is easy. Head south down Pennsylvania Avenue until it turns into Maryland Route 4, below Anacostia. Route 4 will be your main artery into and out of Calvert County.
On the way down, we checked out Running Hare Vineyard in Prince Frederick, Md. Turning onto the property, a winding gravel road leads past a man-made lake where flocks of ducks and geese crowd the side of the road. The owners of Running Hare were in the midst of hosting an alumni event during our visit, but their “Tasting Room,” a covered patio nestled between two fields of vines, remained open. We were served nine different wines, some featuring only locally grown Cayuga and Chambourcin grapes, the others blended or composed entirely of imported grapes (the Maryland climate just can’t support certain types of vines). I’d never tasted Maryland wine before and had few (read: low) expectations, but the Running Hare wines weren’t bad. My favorite was their Malbec. The grapes are imported from Argentina and Chile and give off an almost burnt orange hue in the glass. If you decide to go, bring a picnic lunch and traipse through the vines sagging low with bundles of grapes.
Running Hare Vineyard is one of five vineyards stretching down Calvert County known as the Patuxent Wine Trail. For the nautically averse, these vineyards are a great option for exploring the county and avoiding all living marine life. But I wanted to get in some fishing, so we got back on Route 4 and continued the trek south, stopping off at Nick’s of Calvert, also in Prince Frederick, for supplies. Good sandwiches are available from $2.99 at the deli counter. Try my favorite, the Beef Eater. Grab a few for when you are sunburned and angling for rockfish. Those interested in some recreational crabbing can purchase frozen chicken necks by the pound.
Fishing boats to rent at Solomons Island in Calvert County, Md.
If you’re dying for a rockfish, you’ll need to rent a boat to get out into water where they school in pools deep, dark, and heavy. Bunky’s Charter Boats rents 16' Carolina skiffs for fishing and crabbing. For more power, go to Solomons Boat Rentals and rent a powerboat great for water skiing or tubing. Check out the websites for pricing information and availability. Don’t forget, if you’re planning on fishing or crabbing, make sure to purchase the proper license from the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. You can buy, purchase, and print your license online.
On our way home we ducked into the Calvert Marine Museum for a little naval history. The museum is right off Route 4, and if you are at all interested in the marine history of the region, check it out. Try your luck finding a shark’s tooth to take home hidden amid a sea of sand and shells.
After the museum, we ditched Route 4 for Broomes Island Road to find the original Stoney’s Seafood House. There’s a Stoney’s in Solomons as well, but Stoney’s Broomes Island opens out onto the water and you can munch on a mind-bendingly large crab cake as you watch the sun sink into the Patuxent River.
For more information, check out the Calvert County Visitors Guide online.