Dry or Die Trout fishing

Casselmen May, 25, 2012

My usual fishing partner John C and I did a suicide run to the Casselmen yesterday.  Which really isn’t all that difficult with it being about two hours from home. We did however compare the distance to Mossy Creek, Spring Creek at State College, Tyrone for the Little Juniata, even Pens Creek because we both wanted to get on the legendary Green Drake hatch.  Ironically almost all those other famous trout streams were about the same distance give or take 15 minutes.  But the casselmen was the closest by about 30 minutes and being that I had some work to do in the morning, a 10 oclock departure would be pushing it for the other streams. Plus I knew the Casselmen very well and knew it’s the place for numbers.  We both hadn’t had a good trout afternoon in a while and both wanted good insect activity.  We were both kind of in a “dry or die” kind of mood.  Even though we both fish for musky with the heaviest of conventional tackle, we will both chunk bait for giant blue catfish when the opportunity arises but we also like our quality trout fishing.  John probably more so than I as he chose to go to college at a school with the Yellow Breeches practically running through its campus some 15 years ago. 

Okay, back to the fishing.  We get there sometime after noon.  Set up in a far away difficult to get to spot with one other car.  Most spaces had company already up and down the stream. We knew conditions were low at around 50cfs.  Which is about at the bottom of the fishes comfort level and mine for that matter on that river. I prefer to fish the stream around 150cfs, even 180cfs after a decent rain or on its way down after a high water event.  At that stage fish are literally everywhere, behind every rock where back casts catch fish as well as forward casts.  But at 50cfs the flow is slow and low and it concentrates the fish making it seem overly unnatural.  The water temperature was into the 70’s already.  The fishing this season there is just about over.  What will today bring?

We immediately get into fish on dries as there was a decent breeze and some caddis dancing on the surface from time to time.  Nothing huge, beat up fresh stockies most likely.  We worked upstream passing a lot of bed rock and featureless water until we get to a long flat stretch.  I almost shot straight past it to find the head of the pool and the riffle but John noticed a few rises. We had found the mother lode of fish in the tailout of the long slow pool and they were regularly rising to something.  Something very small and we noticed midges and maybe #26 ants or something in the surface film with the occasional shuck from a larger mayfly.  We worked over these fish taking turns casting for a couple hours in the hot mid day sun.  The fish would occasionally come up and hit my leader knots of all things but I did manage the only brown trout of the trip with a #22 midge emerger off of a beetle patter.  It was a quality fish of about 14 inches.   That was all we managed from this spot where there were dozens of rising fish, some massive golden trout were seen but easily spooked and the place was just chocker block full of fish in the slow water but they were defiantly difficult to entice.  If not impossible.  We wasted most of the day playing with those fish too. 

We moved on up to the head of the pool in long perfect looking riffle. The riffle itself seemed lifeless but the few pockets down below in the deeper run had a lot of fish.  Rises were seen easily too.  I picked away at a few fish on caddis flies and John worked up river.  I knew that the water up river wasn’t the greatest but had a lot of riffles.  I wanted to be right in the best looking riffle come evening when the finest hour was approaching fast.  John went up and the light grew shorter. Things started to get very interesting.  March browns starting swirling over head by the hundreds.  Previously in the late afternoon I was only able to hit fish in this one tiny little pocket below the riffle all the way across the river.  But once these bugs starting showing themselves, they started feeding much better.  But again, only in this one spot and only after I’d let it rest a few minutes after pulling a fish from it.  Then I’d see some rises in the riffle itself.  That got more intense as it got darker.  Sulfers had joined the March browns and things were coming to life.  The riffle literally exploded wutg life with fish coming out of the wood work and a strike almost every cast.  If I could dance and skip my March Brown fly across the surface the fish would fight over it.  It was incredible to see a place that previously was deserted of fish literally explode with fish.  Even golden trout showed up to the party when there were none in sight a few minutes earlier.  The rainbows I was catching in the riffle right at my feet appeared in far better condition than the fish from earlier in the day.  They had almost pinkish fins with a  more robust body form and almost a steelhead like appearance with bright, flawless silver sides.  I think these were the warm water variety rainbows so common on the North Branch of the Potomac and the Youghiogeny.  They were no where to be seen earlier but were throwing themselves at the fly in the waning moments of the finest hour.  It was dry fly fishing zen.  My last March brown finally was far too wet to ever get to float again but even just swinging the fly in the riffle got action.  When I was able to bounce the fly off the riffles with my 7’ 3wt it would almost always get a rise, even at the end of my rod. 

The fishing stayed good even after true dark.  It was 9:30pm when it finally slowed down and it was well past pitch dark.  But I was still fishing and so was John, somewhere up river.  I thought about a spinner fall, and I could still hear the occasional rise.  I’ve known from experience on popular trout streams that the largest of the large, the top dogs of the river come out to play at night to avoid the angling pressure of the day time.  Could it be that time? I had my last strike around 9:40pm just as John showed up.  We stuck it out another 20 minutes and walked back to the truck to call it a night.  John C also said this was one of the craziest hatches and dry fly outings he’s ever had.  I agreed with him completely.  What a day.  Home just after midnight with that happy and content feeling you often feel after a fine, successful fishing trip. 

We were too busy catching fish to get any photos of the fish.  I was holding out for one of those swimming logs that are common to that river but we never caught anything of any size.  Mostly 11 to 14 inch range.  But we certainly made up for it in numbers.  It was an insane numbers day.  Gotta love it when a plan comes together. 

The first picture below is a cell phone picture of a swarm of March Browns dancing over my head.  They later danced right on the riffle as dark 30 was knocking at the door. The fish were litterally throwing themselves after them, sometimes going competely airborne.  

Just a few shots of the river from my cell.  Too busy catching fish to take many other photos.

Close by Trouting

May 24, 2012 Patuxent

Trout fishing is pretty good right now on the Patuxent.  Particularly below Brighton Dam in the Fly Fishing only, catch and release section that extends a few miles below Brighton Dam on the main Branch of the Patuxent below Tridephia Reservoir. 

Just last Tuesday I got an unexpected rain inspection for my current job so I was able to mix in a couple hours of fishing after work.  The last job site just so happens to be within a few miles of the best access point on this river.  Or did I just plan it that way? Duhh?

So on Tuesday I was rigged with my 7’ 3wt with plenty of gear and gave it a go for the surpluss of trout that have been stocked in that section this spring. Most of the stocking takes place in early March but I’m usually busy fishing elsewhere come mid March through April.  It usually isn’t until now do I take notice in trout again and what better place to do it than in a tailwater stream close to home.  The water temperature was still rather cool, much cooler than the Little Patuxent was at Savage mill last week. All I caught there was a good buzz at the Savage Mill Inn. Very warm water when I was wet wading.

Anyway, I fished a copper John nymph probably size #12 below a large stimulator and managed to catch two good size rainbows in the riffles.  There’s only about two good riffles in that entire stream and they just so happen to be right next to the parking spot.  But I also managed a ten inch yellow perch on a bugger, numerous fall fish, creek chub, stone rollers and creek chub suckers, along with a couple sunfish. So it wasn’t a bad two hours fishing.  I did realize that many of the trout that I saw, but did not catch, were very inquisitive to anything that fell into the water. So… next time I was going “dry or die” so to speak. 

Went back to the Patuxent today (May 24, 2012) below Brighton Dam a good ways and fished a long slow stretch that had a few rising fish. Sure enough they were trout, and more than a few fallfish. The lie was very difficult to get a fly into with a overhanging branch. I had to do a sideways rollcast that hooked the tree 3 out of 5 times but when I got it in there I'd always get an inspection. Pretty cool to fish over well educated, long since stocked trout. These fish were all browns that I helped stock back in early March, or was it February this year. Nothing huge but they sure were coming up quite often. There was a good breeze and seed pods from dandy lions and who knows what else was in the water and the trout were hitting them pretty regularly. But they were also showing a liking to my #16 Japanese beetle pattern. Caught two in a couple hours and missed quite a few more. Lost two spools of tippet somehow too out of my waste pack so in the end I was throwing 4x, 6.4 pound tippet. That probably didn't help.

Then I worked upstream to a popular spot that I know was stocked with over 100 fish. Probably 300. When I first stepped off the bank in ankle deep water (sneakers and shorts) I saw a brown rooting around on the bottom like as if he had a bad case of whirling disease. But he was chasing something and ate it right in front of me, less than a rods length. I was rigged with a beetle pattern and a #22 midge with a glass bead and flicked it out right on top of him. Some tiny little fall fish quickly grabbed it. That continued until I snagged a branch. Broke off and went to a bugger. a few misses and it was time to go home.

On the way there I spotted a huge school of good size 20+" suckers spawning below a blow down in the gravel. They had nests just like a steelhead would. I passed them on the walk up thinking I'd try to find some more rising trout but on the walk down I really wanted to hook one of these suckers. Put on a large "thinga ma bobber" and a san juan worm with some shot and dredged the fast run. I ended up spooking all 100 suckers somehow, even crouching behind the giant multiflora bush. But there were quite a few fall fish and trout in and amongst the suckers. I had a few takes. Got the text that the wife wanted to go out for happy hour. Had to rush home. But got in two good hours of fishing close to home and the job site. Gotta love it. Oh.. just finished happy hour too. 

Here's a shot of a good run/maybe a riffle that often holds a few fish.  Sure doesn't look too shabby for being between the two beltways.  The fishing there should stay good for about another month. 

Now What?

It's the middle of May and I'm a little heart broken summer is rolling on in.  I can just feel the sweltering, hot, humid, lifeless days of summer creeping closer and closer.  And to top it off, what I'm really depressed about is that most of the migrants have left our region.  The big cow stripers, which I did not connect with this year too well but made up for it in numbers, have hit the ocean hard and using their tales like fish so often do.  Almost two weeks ago I got a report from my Indian River Inlet, DE friend Neptune Pete that the fish have arrived in decent numbers. It's nothing like last year's blitz after the sustained NE winds but it's sure pretty darn good. Anglers are wall to wall, shoulder to shoulder in the inlet and are catching rather well.  Last week Assateague Island in Va and Maryland had an incredible showing of fish.  Just my luck too because I'm in charge of a Boy Scout trip to AI this coming weekend on May 18-20th.  Most of the fish have moved on but with a little luck I might be able to put some boy scouts on some fish.  I'm planning on putting out a 10 plus rod spread on the beach this weekend and see who's home.  I received some good Intel that quite a few Black Drum are feeding in the surf on sand fleas mixed together with a crab fishbite combo.  I'll have the scouts catch my bait and who knows.  I know last year I caught a good fish from the surf in OC as late as Memorial Day. 

The last week of April did not disappoint.  My favorite week usually.  The Potomac had a showing of schoolie size fish since mid April which usually signifies the end but Diego struck gold on April 26th putting numerous big fish in the fletchers boat.  He had one at 42 inches confirmed that hadn't even looked like it spawned yet and another considerably larger that he lost boat side.  Plus countless 29 inchers.  I took the kids on the John Boat a little further down river on the same day and played with more than a few 20 something inch stripers, jigged up a 35 inch fish, missed a few others on the jig, played with 30 pound blue catfish too.  It started raining and the fish loved it.  Except the kids didn't too much. 

I made another quick trip down that deathly walk from GW Parkway to fish the big pool at night on Sunday, April 27th around midnight. First or second cast gave up a 28 inch, followed by a 30 something inch stripa and a 22 inch walleye, all on 10 inch BKD's.  Capt Steve liked the picture of the walleye so much he gave me an incredible deal on a fine package of baits too. 

But that was then.  The fishing came to an abrupt end around the fist week of May, right about the time that AI island was infiltrated with good fish from the shore.  We went out one last time searching for stripers on row boat and came up empty. Well, except Ryan and Diego. We did however find the mother lode of giant blue catfish.  But we had to go way up river to find current with 3.5 feet at little falls.  The striper came on a shad fly.  The shad fishing still wasn't too bad but they were all small males, spawned out too. Check out the size of this kitty. 

The Casselmen trout fishing is about as good as it gets.  One report from PPTU described it as almost too easy with 150 fish coming to hand in a couple days effort.  The DNR only just stocked brown trout into the system too and they did not cooperate for this one report. Recent rains have the river flowing at optimal flow of 150+ cfs.  Reportedly the grannon caddis hatch was still going strong, sulphurs and a plethora of other insects were out on the prowl and those clueless stockers didn't stand a chance. 

I messed around in Little Seneca Creek a few hours last week and came up empty.  No fish in the usual good pools up from the bridge for some reason.  I did get a swing and a miss from a small fish so it wasn't a complete loss. Then this weekend I took Ryan, Matty, Jake and their dad down to Black Rock for an hour or so to give the mothers a rest on Moms day.  We set up in a popular spot and I almost immediately saw one of the largest trout I've ever seen in that stream or any stocked water for that matter.  This fish was up there close to double digits.  Sure enough I went back after him or her early Monday morning in the rain but struck out. Diego and Par did the same Sunday evening but no sightings. A couple inches of rain fell last night so that fish probably washed out of there with a little luck, or else went home in someones freezer. 

Musky fishing is not taking off into the expected post spawn blitz type pattern like it did last year.  The difference with this year compared to last is that around this time of year last year the Potomac was finally coming down after a long prolonged high water event. The fish basically hadn't fed well the whole month of April and then it was game time.  This year conditions have been perfectly clear, maybe too clear and low fishable water all spring long.  Many regulars and good fishermen are getting the old skunk.  Like John and I did on the full moon in early May near Shepherdstown.  I'm 90% sure I had a follow and a swirl near a bridge abutment covered up with a log jam on a 8 inch soft tail.  John managed a 17 inch smallmouth on a creeper top water bait which is more like a kids toy than any lure I've ever seen. So at least the smallmouth are on top water. 

Tides are about perfect for some Kent Narrows top water and the area opened up to fishing today.  Heck it was even Washington, DC's opening day Rock Fish season today.  I'm sure there are a few big fish sitting behind center rock and my 8' heavy action Musky Mojo rod is just the tool for the job too.  I just can't be bothered though.  No time either with the new job, even if it's only part time. Another very import interview tomorrow too and I'm here now writing a run on fishing report.  Too bad this doesn't pay the bills.  I bounced two checks this week, well, they paid it but I've got to forget about fishing for a while.  One check was from November! 

Okay, one more quick report. I hit up Needwood lake in rockville, MD today coming home from my site inspections. There is so much life back towards Rock Creek mouth it isn't even funny. The forebay is complete and filled with water.  YOY and yearling fish litter the banks by the thousands.  Schools of bass can be seen chasing bait fish too.  The place has really come back alive.  But I only managed one bass in an hours effort working pretty far up the creek too.  I had a hunch that some good bass, trout, heck maybe even a musky would push up the creek with the high water but the creek barely rose at all, just discolored.  OH well.  It's definitely worth a look if you have the time in the evening hours.