Sharing the joy of fly fishing and the region’s streams with others is a passion of Knee Deep guides. Whether you’re an expert angler or a first-time fisherman, the Knee Deep experience is tailored to your specific interests and experience. Our offerings range from in-home casting and fly tying instruction to multi-day on-water escapes. And, of course, we can design custom packages for corporate events and special occasions, including bachelor outings, anniversaries, and girls day out.
Training Knee Deep Fly Fishing’s newest employee, Luke, has taken us away from posting in the last couple weeks. Who would have guessed it! We’re putting in lots of time on the water though and it’s been a great past few weeks. The fishing is finally turning up towards the surface. Caddis have been making their way to the top in waves depending on the conditions. Pack a lunch and plan to fish all day if you’re headed out. There will be lulls in the action but when the switch flips, the bugs hit the surface and the fish begin feeding again. Last week’s outings saw fish on a mixed bag of surface and sub-surface caddis patterns.
Adam lands a beautiful brown fishing sub-surface caddis last week. Thanks for fishing with Knee Deep, Adam!
There are still hendricksons emerging as well as a few sulfurs. The sulfur hatch should start to take off a bit more as the days go by. I’m excited about hitting the water this weekend and in the coming week and am hoping to get some late evening time in on those spinner falls. Give Knee Deep a call (202-681-8765) and we’ll help you put the right flies over fish!
We’ve been a bit busy here at Knee Deep Headquarters. We’re proud to announce we have a new team member/son, Luke Patrick Dammeyer, who joined us last Friday. We can’t wait to get him on the water and busy cranking out flies at the vise. He and mom are healthy and happy as can be. Thanks to everyone for your well wishes and patience while we’ve taken a few days off.
Knee Deep’s newest little helper, Luke
I stopped by Orvis in Bethesda today for the Fly Fishing 101 program and dropped off a fly order. Joe and Trent have a fresh couple dozen Pax specials in the bins and some “super” versions coming by next weekend. If you need sulfurs, get your orders in fast – we’ll be tying them like crazy but the suply won’t last long. What can I say, we have to keep a few dozen for the personal stash!
Just before we went to the hospital, the fishing was hot and cold with the weather but with this new warm blast we expect the sulfurs and caddis to take flight in earnest. Keep that box of midges in your pack as a day-saver.Hang in there, it’s almost sunscreen time!
Let’s hit the water – maybe a nap first!
Micah
There’s nothing like that first trout on a fly!
I had the pleasure of guiding two wonderful young ladies last week and introducing them to fly fishing for the first time. It was a great day on the water and the perfect picnic weather. I had to post a few pictures and say “Thank You” to the Sitar Art’s Center for connecting us. For those of you who don’t know about “sitar”, it’s a wonderful organization that’s putting art and music in the hands of DC’s kids. I can’t think of a tool that’s more powerful than creativity to help propel them into the future. Check them out and think about getting involved. It’s a remarkable place filled with some great folks.
Not a bad day for a steamside lunch!
With Spring dragging its feet and the air temps making wild swings, the Hendricksons have been slow to show themselves and hot/cold depending on the day. Fortunately there are still a few stoneflies buzzing around the Big Gunpowder Falls to keep anglers out of trouble. Grey comparaduns (think #12 & 14) have been working on rising fish feeding on emerges. A pocket full of midges can save an evening. Last night was no exception to that rule. Finally, there have been a few sulfurs popping out of the water here and there. Get you snow-shoe patterns and your Frog’s Fanny ready!
Not sure about where to start on The Big Gunpowder? Give Knee Deep Fly Fishing a call (or e-mail) and we’ll help outfit you and get you started right.
We’ll see you on the water!
Micah
We’ve waited long enough!
It’s about time!
The early black stoneflies are the first real chance we get to fish dry flies in Maryland. Trout are looking up and skittering stones across the surface of the water is a great way to cover a lot of water and catch fish!
We’re booking up for April but still have a couple days left on the calendar for the month. If you’ve not had success in the spring on Maryland’s streams in the early spring, give Knee Deep Fly Fishing a call and let us guide you. We’ll help you make the most of your time on the water.
Ok, it’s only Wednesday but we’re planning ahead. The forecast looks great for Friday and Saturday. With highs close to 60 degrees, there should be some great stonefly action.
What’s that mean for fishing? Dry little black stoneflies and nymphs will be a safe bet but the warm water will be getting bugs of all types stirring. They’ll be moving around in search of the perfect place to take off for their upcoming emergences. Employing wet flies and small streamers (think small wooly buggers and Pax Specials) will bring spring strikes out of the slack water and seams. Don’t forget to wing a wet fly through shallow riffles before crossing the streams and slashing through! I’ve spooked a dozen or more fish out of what seemed like 8” of water while heading to “the good water”. It’s a lesson that’s hard to learn.
In short: fish it all! Don’t be afraid to switch flies often and switch that tippet out when you need to float or sink faster. Can’t escape till Sunday when the forecast looks wet? Grab that rain jacket and hit it anyway. The fish should be active.
Keep your boots in the water!
Micah and the Knee Deep Team
A fat rainbow from the Patuxent River last week
This morning I thought I’d be over dressed for fishing. I started my day south of the Big Gunpowder in 50+ weather and ended at 34 degrees with rain and snow flakes. I know we just have to hang in there for a couple more weeks and we’ll be fishing in t-shirts. – Micah
I met Peter Johnsen at Tie Fest last weekend. He’s working on a film project that sounds pretty cool. His “Great Salmon Tour” is setting out to “document the diversity of salmon and explore the deep cultural and personal connections we humans have to these fish.” That sounds good to me. I happen to have a deep cultural connection to fish
Check out the clip on his Kickstarter page. It looks promising. Maybe skip the mocafrapachino this afternoon and send that $4 his way. He’s already off to a good start. If it goes well, maybe there’ll be a brook trout film in the future.
Keep your tip on the water,
Micah
For us here at Knee Deep (it’s a group effort) the show and expo circuit is wrapping up and, while sitting in a pile of boxes, plastic tubs, and extension cords, it’s nice to know that the air is warming up outside. Traveling to the shows and meeting so many anglers has been rewarding. It’s especially refreshing to meet new anglers and see their enthusiasm. Nothing makes you want to hit the water like hearing someone talk about their first trout on the fly. For those who really get the fly fishing bug, that feeling is the same for every fish caught after that first one.
For me the winter is a time to see old friends from near and far. As a kid, it was when family would come to town and we’d fish tiny streams for brook trout up in NJ. Nowadays, it’s a reminder of all the great fishermen (and women!) that I’ve been lucky enough to have fished with in the last 25 years and who’ve shaped who I’ve become. One pal I tied next to at the shows has known me since I was a 10 year old kid riding my bike to the river with a fly rod in hand. Some of the guys who let me tag along on trips to NY state all those years ago came to see me in in NJ and there is no way to describe how fantastic that feels. They’re still letting me tag along on their fishing adventures all these years later. It’s all been a reminder that the fly fishing family is very large but has a great spirit and will continue on for many years down the road.
Last but not least, during this season’s show circuit I’ve met so many supportive spouses along the way. Some of us have wives who may or may not fish but are supportive enough to set us free from the house every once in a while to share angling with others. Maybe it’s easier to let us run than listen to grumble while painting the house or working on the car. I don’t know how they live with us sometimes. I know I couldn’t have done it without my wife and I’m sure there are many other fishermen out there who feel the same way. Thanks Dear!
Thank you to everyone who attended the shows and stopped by to say “Hello” this winter. Knee Deep Fly Fishing wouldn’t be here without you.
Keep your tip on the water!
Sincerely,
Micah
Tie Fest Is almost here! Saturday is THE day to go get your tying fix with some of fly fishing’s most addicted tiers. There will be people tying, telling big fish tales, and shops showing off their gear. I’ll be there tying and telling some of the hardest to believe stories. IT’s going to be a fun day and I hear the facility will have a great restaurant with tasty grub AND a bar. What more could you ask for?
Micah & The Knee Deep Team
For anglers, this is the time of the winter when cabin fever starts to take hold. Maybe it’s when we’re in the car in the mornings and we notice we now need sunglasses again rather than headlights. For the hardcore trout bums, perhaps they notice the dog is waiting for them to get up and get moving. Whatever it is, we know spring is coming. We just have to hold on!
If you didn’t make it to Somerset, NJ for The Fly Fishing Show, you’ve got another chance to get your fix. The crew is on their way to Lancaster, PA for the weekend of March 2nd/3rd. I’ll be there tying and telling even bigger fish stories (it’s been a long winter) and hope to see some of you there.
The next weekend, March 9th, is Lefty Kreh’s “Tie Fest” closer to home in Grasonville, MD with the gang from CCA Maryland. This one is going to be pretty cool. It’s the region’s best tiers and guides getting together to share what’s coming out the jaws of their vises. There’s even a bar so you can buy them a beer and try to get them to let go of a few secrets. I’ll be tying there too so be sure and stop in for an hour or two just to say hello.
Looking forward to these two events should help to ease the pain of winter. Last year the stoneflies were climbing out of the water by the second week of March so there’s an end in sight!
Tight lines,
Micah
