Cold Water and Happy Fish

While the hot weather eases-up occasionally, it never seems to go away this July. Knee Deep Fly Fishing is here to help you cool off. Right now is the perfect time to ditch the waders and sport those wading-boots with a pair of neoprene booties and get cool in a tail-water like The Big Gunpowder.  While your fishing friends may be driving north to New England the water is running in the 50’s here in Maryland.

Staying cool and getting her hands wet!

Outings in the last few weeks have required a lot of patience later in the day (see article about tubing here) but a great assortment of trout-feed has the fish looking up. Caddis, Tricos, beetles and grasshoppers have all fooled trout while anglers kept cool. Big terrestrials fished with a “Fast Caddis” for a dropper have been a winning combo in the riffles. We’ve seen lots of anglers catch their first fly-rod trout in the last few weeks and had quite a few laughs at the tubers floating by. While a few days topped out around 100 degrees, time on the water has been time well spent. 

Give Knee Deep Fly Fishing, LLC a call and we can help you find the fish and escape the heat of the city!

Proof that trout make people smile!

The Water’s Cold, Wish You Were Here!

With the heat setting in, standing in the mid 50’s water on the Big Gunpowder Falls has been a GREAT way to beat the heat. Just recovering from a hot week on the road, Thursday was a great day of fishing before the air temps hit 100. I spent the day sharing some of my favorite parts of the Gunpowder with a great fellow angler and we had success with summer patterns like the classic Elk Hair Caddis and my “fast caddis” fished as a dropper and in tandem wet-fly rigs.

Great cold water brown from The Big Gunpowder

Weekdays are a treat on The Big Gunpowder Falls as the crowds are sparse. I was amazed how few anglers were on the water yesterday. The weather forecast may have scared a few folks off but the temps on the water were comfortable. With neoprene booties in my wading boots, I was comfortable going without my waders. An occasional trip into deep water for a snagged fly was refreshing!

If you’re headed out in the heat this weekend/coming week, be sure and pack some water as well as some kind of “sports drink” and travel light. Check your boxes for a few light colored Elk Hair Caddis, bright green larvae for subsurface as well as some trusty PT nymphs and midges. Friends are reporting Tricos but I haven’t been lucky enough to see them.  I spotted a few bright green hoppers on the banks and am excited to fish hopper patterns again; nothing else produces such a big splash.  It’s going to be hot for a while but the fish don’t seem to mind! Give us a call and we’ll help get you out there.

Tight lines,

Micah

Super Duper

The water is a bit cool but it’ll feel nice when the temps crank up this weekend. Flows are what we call “nice and flush” here at Knee Deep and things are looking perfect for the next few days. We’ll see you on the water!

 

Sunny Days and Sulfurs

Father and Son

 

First trout!

 

 You can’t help but have a great time when the sun is shining and the sulfurs are coming off the water on a nice afternoon. The fishing’s been great even with the higher flows. If you can stay late for the spinner fall, you’ll be rewarded with plenty of elbow room and bold trout. Give Knee Deep Fly Fishing a call today and we’ll get you out there. It’s a GREAT time to catch your first trout!

 

Getting Knee Deep …Late Night

This is past your bed-time.

Lots of anglers can put in the 8 hour day or even longer. Other anglers only need 45 minutes to catch as many fish as you did all day. Those anglers are making the most of their time on the water by dialing their fishing hours in to the most productive. The minutes just at dusk can provide some of the hottest action if the conditions are right. In May, anglers on the Big Gunpowder Falls often head home to their dinners and families as those in-the-know are just making their way to the river for the spinner-fall. Having fresh tippet and a straight leader before the light fades is key. A powdered floatant and a headlamp with a red light make a world of difference. Scouting out a place to fish the spinner fall during the day is important though it may take a few nights to find a spot to fish that fits your casting and vision needs.

 When booking with Knee Deep Fly Fishing, LLC this month, be sure and let us know if you can stay late into the evening. It’s worthwhile!

He’s A Snake In The Grass

 
Snake In The Grass

I was just about to put my foot down when I saw this nice fat water snake relaxing on the bank. As far as I could tell he was digesting a big meal or was full of eggs. Either way, it was about as fat as a plastic water bottle.

It’s a sign that spring is in full swing and it’s great to see a good diversity of water-life after last fall’s hurricanes. The hatches are great this year and the fall’s high water doesn’t seem to have affected them. Get out there and don’t forget the camera and a flashlight if you’re fishing late! (Be sure to check your batteries – everyone’s got a story there!)

Tight Lines,

Micah & The Knee Deep Team

There Are Days Like This

 
Sulfur Madness
 When the weather heats up in the Baltimore/DC region and the flows are down on the Big Gunpowder Falls, there’s nothing better than a little wet-wading. In the last week there have been a few days that feel like proper summer is on it’s way. Temps in the 80’s with high humidity got the sulfur hatch fired up and the action has been exciting! Now’s the time to call start using up those sick-days and get your feet wet. There’s a few openings on the guiding calender for May, get your name in on there fast!
 
Get out there and put a bend in that rod!
 

A Few In The Know

The Night Shift

 A few folks in the know leave work a lttiel early to beat traffic and hit the Gunpowder Falls for that magic hour after the sun fades. It’s a time when I’ve made some great memories with family and friends, both old and new, and caught a lot of fish. The Sulfur hatch is on and it’s time to start bailing out early! E-mail us or call and set up an after-work outing in the next few weeks!

Keeping Up With The Browns

Mixed hatches of caddis and mayflies have stirred up the hungry fish on The Big Gunpowder Falls. While it’s known as a great brown trout fishery, you never know what’s hiding beneath the glare of a riffle…
Hooked-up

 

It's Not Always About The Browns!

 Sometimes, the slashing takes on your elk-hair-caddis are from the toothy end of a beautiful brook trout.

The Big Gunpowder falls is fishing great right now. The week ahead should provide great dry-fly fishing. If you haven’t hit the water yet this year, this is the time to get out and work the kinks out of that old fly-line. Check the flows before you head out; there’s a few thunderstorms in the forecast mid-week. Be sure and have an up-to-date license and trout stamp. If you don’t have one yet, swing by Backwater Angler on the way and have them help you navigate the new Maryland DNR system.

Not sure about heading out on your own? Give us a call or e-mail and get on the calander!

 

Report: It’s Like A Heatwave

Hooked Up

 Spring seems to be here to stay and so are the hatches.  Sunday’s outing provided plenty of sunshine and warm temps as well as mayflies and caddis. A mixed bag of insects keeps anglers busy changing flies but the action seems to continue throughout most of the day.  As the sun rose higher during the day, the hatches changed, turning on and off but there always seemed to be some surface action.  Forecasts for the week predict similar conditions and the fishing should be great. 80 degree weather feels pretty good!

Now’s the time to get on the calendar for an outing in June and there’s a few dates remaining open in May. If you’re headed out on your own, bring along some #14 elk hair caddis and a handful of #14 sulfur emergers. Snowshoe comparaduns are a favorite and float well in faster runs and tail-outs. Don’t forget lots of water and sunscreen!

Sunshine and Brown Trout