I am 71 years old and love to fish. I just joined the MRA for the friendship and company of like-minded anglers who fish the Reservoirs. My past fishing experience has been saltwater Coastal Bays and Offshore.

I have little to no experience in fresh water fishing but I am eger to learn. I also would like to learn fly fishing from a canoe in the Reservoirs. I am proficient with spinning tackle and can tie my own rigs and make my own variations of lures, but not freshwater lures.

Unfortunately I can no longer fish the open waters of the Coastal Bays or Atlantic Ocean. However I can still fish the quite waters of the MD Reservoirs.

I want to fish from a canoe at Pretty Boy Reservoir. This will alow me to continue fishing at a much slower and easier pace without the strenious demands, maintenance, expense and hassels of power boat fishing large bodies of open water.

A close friend of mine lives very near the Pretty Boy Reservior and I visit him frequently and we sometimes hike short distances on the Trails. We also ride around the Reservoir and he shows me the beautyful landscape that surrounds the water on the back country roads. But my friend does not fish.

I have taken several American Canoe Association (ACA) Certified Canoe Courses Level III and can safely and proficiently handle a canoe, including overturning emergency self rescue.

I have been renting canoes at various watersite locations just to practice and try fishing from them. The locations have all been in the quite protected flat back water creeks in the Dundee & Saltpeter creeks.

I know that the canoe can not be used on any other body of water except the Reservoirs. I have just purchased a brand new canoe, never used on any body of water.

I also know that I need a Permit to do so. I read that only 1800 boat permits are issued. I went on line and downloaded the Permit Application and read the rules. But it did not say if there were permits still available. I also called the phone number listed on the Regulations but only received a recorded message about how to apply for the Permit.

Can any one tell me if there are Permits still available that I can Purchase to allow me to use my canoe on Pretty Boy?

It is late in the season to purchase a Permit that will expire in 6 months but at age 71, you live from day to day and 6 months is a long time and from what I have read, fall is a great time to fish freshwater.

Anyone lives near me or wishes to contact me by email or phone, I have included my contact info.

Best Regards To All, and thanks for accepting me as a member.

Joseph J. Palmere
4313 Penn Avenue
Nottingham, MD
21236
Cell: 410-852-0550