18th Master Angler Honor Goes To Harford County Fisherman

DARLINGTON, MD — A Harford County fisherman has been named a master angler by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

Thomas Over Jr., 30, has become the 18th master angler since the program started in 2019. He earned the Master Angler Milestone Award after catching 10 trophy-sized fish of different species in Maryland.

“Fishing has always been a passion since I was a kid, thanks to my father,” Over said. “Growing up, I did more saltwater fishing than freshwater due to his obsession with offshore fishing. After moving closer to one of the greatest fisheries in the area, the upper Chesapeake Bay and Susquehanna River, I’ve spent countless hours on the water in search of every species that swims.”

Over’s qualifying catches, in order, were:

• Chesapeake Channa (northern snakehead) – 30.1 inches
• Blue catfish – 41.25 inches
• Rock bass – 10.5 inches
• Yellow perch – 14.25 inches
• Smallmouth bass – 20.75 inches
• Muskellunge – 40.75 inches
• Striped bass – 44.25 inches
• Blue marlin – 78 inches
• White marlin- 60 inches
• Crappie – 15.5 inches

Over also is a state record holder for rock bass in the Chesapeake division with a 1.0-pound fish caught in the Susquehanna River that tied a record from 1997.

“Luck definitely had some play in this master angler award with the state record rock bass catch while targeting yellow perch, and the musky catch while dragging a jig through lay downs on the Conowingo Reservoir while bass fishing,” said Over.