Micahdammeyer – Page 4

June Openings – This Friday!

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, fishing report, Summer, Trout June 11, 2014Big Gunpowder Falls, DC Fishing, Flies for big gunpowder Falls, flies for gunpowder falls, fly fishing big gunpowder falls, flyfishing, Gunpowder Falls, Gunpowder Falls fishing report, Gunpowder Falls Fly Fishing Guide, Gunpowder Spinner Fall, Maryland Fly Fishing, Maryland Fly Fishing Guide, Maryland trout fishing, Sulfur hatch

So we’ve been (read “I’ve” been) slow to update. It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever done. On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve been lucky enough to be busy and spending a lot of time on the water. Along the way I’ve been fortunate enough to share the Big Gunpowder Falls fishery with some great folks. In the last week I even got to spend the day with Mike Abramowitz and his fantastic spouse. You all may know him from the Mid Atlantic Fly Fishing Guide and perhaps from being the friendliest guy on the water. A great Family and good friends of CCA, an organization that’s close to my heart, I just had a fun day sharing my view of the Gunpowder with them. While Mike is no stranger to trout fishing, his wonderful wife managed to hook up all day, seemingly without trying!

The Big Gunpowder Falls has finally shaken off the cold wet spring. Flows are back to a manageable level and the Sulfurs are emerging from that long year of rock-crawling to find their mates. I’ve had a few passes from the home-work and caught the spinner-fall and it feels like summer again. The regular crowd has some great stories about big fish lost and landed and, though I’m late to report the news, it’s shandy time at dusk while watching the fish wake up the water’s surface.

While the Knee Deep Schedule is filling up fast we’ve got a couple openings (even this coming Friday). If you’re looking to get out with us, call or email fast! info@kneedeepff.com (202) 681-8765

Keep your tip on the water,

Micah

Why Wets?

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls May 17, 2014Big Gunpowder Falls, DC Fishing, Flies for big gunpowder Falls, flies for gunpowder falls, fly fishing big gunpowder falls, flyfishing, Gunpowder Falls fishing report, Gunpowder Falls Fly Fishing Guide, Maryland, Maryland DNR, Maryland Fly Fishing, Maryland Fly Fishing Guide, Maryland trout fishing, Sulfur hatch, sulfur mayflies, Sulfur wet fly, Trout, trout fishing, Wet FLies

A refill for my box and enough to get me through a few days of guiding.

Fly selection is a funny thing. I love to share tips and swap flies in the parking lot with my pals. Sometimes, it’s the most basic flies that catch fish. I can remember fishing the Claremont Stretch with my friend John when I was a teenager and him insisting that wet flies were the ticket. Now as I spend my time on the Gunpowder, I find myself swinging wet flies more and more.

Part of why I chose wets is past performance and the other is faith in a particular pattern or two. When a method produces fish, anglers are a hard lot to change. If it worked last time in these conditions, why not this time. I often find myself starting the day with a dry-dropper combo but later swinging wets. If it keeps working, I’ll never change!

My faith in a few simple flies contributes to my style of fishing as well. I tie a few simple soft hackle and caddis patterns that I believe in. My “Fast Caddis” is a winner when swung in tandem and the simple orange or yellow bodied fly with a light colored hackle is a go-to for the sulfur hatch. I believe that having faith in the fly on the end of your line enables you to catch more fish. If you believe in that fly, you’ll work harder to present it to the fish, making sure it drifts or swings perfectly though the strike zone, and taking your time while wading and not getting distracted by “walking” during the swing or by a good cigar that’s threatening to shorten your mustache. If you think the fly will catch fish, and you give it an earnest attempt, you’ll hook up more.

Assembling a box full of tried-and-true flies that you believe in can ensure that you catch fish. Spending the day with a guide who knows the water is a great way to see what secrets are in his box. I bet you’ll be surprised at what you find in there!

Tight lines,

Micah

The fishing is hot!

Holy High Water…we’re fishing!

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing report, Spring, Trout April 2, 2014Big Gunpowder Falls, DC Fishing, Flies for big gunpowder Falls, flies for gunpowder falls, fly fishing big gunpowder falls, Gunpowder Falls fishing report, Gunpowder Falls Fly Fishing Guide, Knee Deep Fly Fishing, March Trout, Maryland Fly Fishing, Maryland Fly Fishing Guide, Maryland trout fishing, Micah, Micah Dammeyer, Stoneflies

Got some time on your hands and want to get out? We’ve got two openings next week. Tuesday and Wednesday are up for grabs and we’d love to show you around our favorite spring spots. Temps are good even if flows are high and it’s a great time to work on your streamer game.

Spring is here and it’s been a wet one. While drying out, we’ve been getting busier and busier here at Knee Deep Headquarters. It’s time to start thinking wet flies for the spring hatches and streamers are a good bet when the water is high up on the Gunpowder. The sulfur hatch is a ways off but we’ll have Hendricksons, caddis, and stoneflies right now. Every day is different this time of year and we could find ourselves nymphing, swing wets, or tossing big minnow patterns to create our own bite.

We’ll be on the road for the next few days but available. Give us a call to book at (202) 681-8765 or email us at Info@kneedeepff.com

We’ll see you on the river!

Micah

We’re headed to Hacklebarney TU , Thursday!

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, Shows/Expos March 11, 2014Big Gunpowder Falls, fly fishing big gunpowder falls, fly fishing gunpowder falls, Gunpowder Falls Fly Fishing Guide, Hacklebarney TU, Maryland Fly Fishing, Stoneflies, The Fly Fishing Show, tie-fest, Where to find Knee Deep Fly Fishing

Just when I thought the show season was over, it’s time to pack up and head to my old stomping grounds at NJ’s Hacklebarney Trout Unlimited meeting. This Thursday night, we’ll be there talking about fishing The Big Gunpowder Falls and telling all sorts of lies. I hope you can make it if you’re in the area. I’m really looking forward to it!

I owe a big thanks to everyone who came out to Lefty’s Tie Fest last weekend and especially to everyone who came to hear my talk at the show. I couldn’t have asked for a better reception! It was great to see so many kids at Tie Fest. While it makes me feel old, I’m excited to see what the future holds for the world of fly tying. If you’ve got kids who are interested in tying, it’s a must attend event to put on the list for next year.

Hey, it’s still cold but the stoneflies are coming. we’ve got some new stuff in the works so keep checking in!

Keep your tip on the water,

Micah

Baby Steps

Micahdammeyer Fly Tying, Shows/Expos, Winter February 3, 2014February 3, 2014Dr. Slick, Fly Show Lancaster, Lefty Kreh's Tiefest, Peak vise, The Fly Fishing Show, tie-fest

Ok, so he’s not there yet but Luke is going to make a fine fly tier some day. I can spot ’em! Maybe I’ll ask the good folks over at Dr. Slick if they have any plans for a “Safety Scissor”. If you made it to the Fly Show up in Somerset, you may have seen me working with a new set of “Razor” scissors. I’ve been holding them hostage since the show and I love them. Honestly, they’re so sharp that I don’t have to close them to snip my 6/0 thread. Luke is definitely not ready for those. He’d be more like Luke Skywalker with those in his hands. The Dr. Slick team is helping me put together a new arsenal of tools for this spring and I’m looking forward to all the new ways to apply bandages to my fingers. I can’t wait.

Spring is coming. I swear. It happens every year. Just when you can’t take it any more, the sun shines again and it’s time to fish. After all these fishing expos and today’s run down to the Maryland DNR offices to renew my guide’s license just this morning, I’ve got cabin fever bad. I’m looking forward to some upcoming shows like the big Fly Fishing Show up in Lancaster, PA and Lefty’s Tie Fest. Both are great opportunities to keep spirits high and get your fishing fix. Both the “fly show” and CCA/Tie Fest have facebook pages where you can stay up to date of what’s going to be at the shows. While we’re at it, have you “liked” OUR PAGE? Tie fest is a hardcore tying event and packed with some of the best tiers and a few shops selling materials (even a few rod companies). I think it’s a great chance to get up close and personal with the tiers and really learn a few tricks. Get yourself to both shows and you won’t regret it.

Keep cranking them out. Longer days are coming!

-Micah

The Big Show is Here!

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The Fly Fishing Show is coming to Somerset, NJ January 24^th, 25^th and 26^th. It’s the biggest thing in fly fishing and you need to go!

Not only will you have a chance to see the latest in fly fishing gear, you’ll get to sit in on free seminars and lectures by fly fishing’s greatest minds. Oh and don’t forget, rows and rows of the worlds best fly tiers showing you how it’s done and telling some of the biggest “fish stories” if you’re willing to listen. If you need a new rod, this is the place to cast them (go see our friend’s at Mystic) and if you need tying materials, this is the place to find it all (maybe you need a new vise from Peak?).

We’ll be there (maybe just me) and I can’t wait to see you all and hear how your season’s wrapped up and your plans for 2014. Be sure and stop by to say Hello. If you’ve never been, you should score a hotel room nearby and load up a car full of fishing buddies to make the trip with you. You won’t regret it; depending on your carpool buddies.

See you at The Show!

Micah

Get To The Tying Show!

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing report, Fly Tying November 19, 2013Fly Tying, Fly Tying Expo, The Fly Fishing Show, The Fly Tying show, The Fly Tying Symposium, The Tying Show

What are you doing next weekend? You’re loading up the car and heading to New Jersey for the International Fly Tying Symposium. Not a tier? You will be after the world’s best fly tiers show you what you can do with a little thread and a hook. It’s a chance to meet the celebritieslike Baltz, Popovics and Clouser as well as learn a few speed tricks from the commercial tiers like Ken Walrath, Anthony Giaquinto, and Mike Schmidt.

Every year the “Tying show”, as many folks call it, puts on the best expo devoted to fly tying. Knee Deep Fly Fishing will be in the house and I’ll be showing off flies that tease up tight lipped browns from the depths of the Gunpowder and telling big fish stories. For 20 years I’ve been attending but it’s the first time I’ll be tying at the show. Be sure to swing by and say hello! It sounds like I’ll be sharing a table with my friend and tying hero Matt Grobert (a hometown ‘Jersey boy). Hopefully he’s got his earplugs and can handle my noise; I’ll buy him some coffee for putting up with me.

From classic salmon flies and crazy bass bugs to the flies of hard working guides, there’s a hook to be wrapped for everyone. Get yourself to “the tying show”!

Keep your tip on the water,

Micah & The Knee Deep Team

Fall is here and it’s awesome!

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Fall is here and it’s the perfect time to hit the water and toss some flies. I can’t think of a better time of year to spend in waders while sharing some memories with friends on the water. The fishing has been great with a mixed bag of hatches and weather this month. We’ve seen high water, low water, and even a bit of frost. With a couple warm nights in a row, the tricos will hatch and there’s plenty of baitfish to make streamer fishing exciting.

How about Brad’s fish, Huh? That’s a bruiser. He’s a large guy and even with his size ruining the scale in the photo, there’s no denying that’s a BIG Gunpowder brown trout. Fall is the time to catch the big boys as they come out of their low water – summer- hiding places. There’s less and less traffic on the river so it’s even more relaxing out there. Give us a call or e-mail and we’ll get you on the calendar for a fall outing before the real cold sets in!

Brad, Good luck on the future. We’ll miss you on the river. Thanks for all the great laughs over the past few years! – Micah

Endless Summer

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IMG_2084 wm — Not a bad way to spend your time with Dad before going back to school!

While it may be “back to school” time, the fishing isn’t stopping. There’s still plenty of action to be found on The Big Gunpowder Falls. The “trico” hatch is going on now and there are caddis to be found throughout the catch and release section. There’s no better time of the year for getting out with the family to fish and have a streamside picnic.

IMG_2070COPY - Reduced — Late Summer flows are perfect for wading on the Potomac River for smallies.

Over on the Potomac River, there is still great fishing for smallmouth bass. Getting out on the big river for a few hours is a great way to get your casting dialed in without the bother of trees! Any way you go, there’s some great fishing to be found in September. Give Knee Deep Fly Fishing a call and we’ll get you to the fish! (202) 681-8765 or Email us!

Tight lines,

Micah

The Ants Come Marching

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IMG_2012WM-001 — It’s always cooler on the river!

It’s been a while since the last Knee Deep update. The fishing has turned around in the last couple weeks. I never thought I’d see a summer where I wished for less rain. Now that the usual southern heat has set in the fishing is a bit more consistent. Caddis, ants, and beetles are on the menu now and will be until the weather cools down again.

We’ve had a great few weeks on the water fishing large Elk Hair Caddis. They are a great fly for covering a lot of water and make a great point fly for a dropper rig. Even fishing a big foam ant, a 6x dropper with a caddis larva has proven to be a wining combo. My ant seemed to receive 25% more takes than my fishing companion’s beetle on Sunday but I thing that could change depending on conditions.

Over on the Potomac the smallmouth fishing has been great. The rain has tapered off and just outside town there is good wading to be found when the Point Of Rocks gauge is below 5,000cfs. Olive and white Clouser Minnows are a good start and poppers fished over openings in the weeds and boulders will bring the exciting surface hits. Speaking of Clousers, check out his FB page for a shot of his new floating minnow. What’s not to love?

Get out there and get your line wet. It’s a great time to break out the swim trunks and get out after work. These long days won’t last forever. If you’re not sure where to start, give Knee Deep a call and we’ll get you into the fish!

Micah