Hendricksons

April is here…no fooling!

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, Spring , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been a long winter. You’ve hidden in the basement or your den tying flies for months and, after a few tastes of warm weather (and that time the weather-man said it would be 85 but it was only 58) you woke up this morning to get cracking on your taxes! When will the fishing begin?

A favorite spring day making memories on the stream.
A favorite spring day making memories on the stream.

It starts right after you get an e-mail off to Knee Deep Fly Fishing and book your next weekend! We know you spent the winter chasing down deals on gear that Santa didn’t deliver and you’re itching to get those new rubber soled wading boots wet. We want to help make the most of your time on the water but we also know the value of taking a deep breath and there’s nothing better than a “full day” outing complete with a real streamside lunch (no soggy sandwiches here).

What’s new for the 2015 season? We’re going to get you out there with no haggling. You have a pal who wants to tag along but he doesn’t have gear? We’ll get him kitted out for the day at no extra charge. As we’ve always done, there’s no bill at the end of the day for flies and leaders; we just want you to worry about fishing. Check out our Booking and Rates page.

April is filling up fast but we’ve got a couple weekend days left in the second half of the month so shoot us a line fast and get on the calender. Need flies to kit yourself out? Send us an email and we can get cranking at the vise and to the UPS store.

We hope to see you on the water!

Micah and The Knee Deep Crew.

A First Trout & A Fishing Report

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing report, Spring, Trout, Uncategorized , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

 

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

Report: It’s Like A Heatwave

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, fishing report, Mayflies, Spring, Trout , , , , , , , , , , ,
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

Unexpected December Action

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, Trout, Uncategorized, Winter , , , , , , , , , , ,

High water and crazy temperatures have made for interesting fishing this winter. I had one free morning before I was back to the grind and into holiday travel. So, despite a weather forecast of clear skies, I headed to the river anyhow.

I made it onto the water just at daybreak with no help from my coffee maker’s malfunctioning timer. The prediction of clear skies had me hoping to get some casts in before the sun hit the water. Things were slow and after only a few strikes on tandem nymph rigs I moved to a slower open section of river.

While the  irresponsibly high water is carving out under-cut banks –  that will surely be high and dry once the City of Baltimore tightens the vales this summer – it’s creating a temporary haven for reclusive brown trout seeking a refuge from the fast water. Employing 3” long heavy wooly-buggers I was able to create some activity by dropping them as close to the banks as possible. The skies stayed overcast and, while targeting any difference in flow rate along the banks, I had eager 12″ trout slashing at my flies while enjoying a deserted river.

Sometimes you have to head out even when the weather-guessers are telling you to stay home; they get it wrong more often than you think! Keep an eye on the USGS gauges if you’re headed out and don’t forget to get a new license before you hit the water and pick up some flies and fresh tippet.

Here’s a collection of shots from the last 2011 outing. Happy new year!

Orvis Days, Care For Kids and a big Thank You!

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, Fly Tying, Mayflies, Spring, Trout, Uncategorized, Winter , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Comment

On October 8th, I was lucky enough to be invited to speak at the Orvis Store in Bethesda, MD during their “Orvis Days” event. I was flattered to have a great crowd of folks turn out to hear me talk about the Big Gunpowder Falls and show off some of my photography with a presentation following the seasons on the river.

Also presenting during the event was Trent Jones, who schooled us on fishing in DC on the Tidal Potomac River, all while we were entertained for most of the day by jazz guitarist Bart Stringham. Joe from the shop brouth in Sandwiches from PotBelly and other snacks and refreshments. Except for being on the water, what else could a fly-fisher want?

I couldn’t have asked for a better reception and I’m grateful for all the kind feedback I’ve received. Thank you to everyone who turned out and to Orvis for having me at the shop!

If you missed you missed the Orvis Days promotions last weekend there’s a chance to save at the store coming up the week of October 21st through Oct. 30th with a Care For Kids Card from the folks at the Children’s National Medical Center. The cards are $50 and get you 20% discounts on regularly priced merchandise. It’s perfect if you’ve had your eye on new boots and waders or a new rod for under the tree not to mention the long list of first class merchants who’re participating! I’ll even be working at the store Sunday the 23rd if you want to come and say hello.

Welcome To Knee Deep Fly Fishing

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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.

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The Weather’s Here…

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, Spring, Trout, Uncategorized , , , , , 0 Comment

I didn’t think Spring would ever hit Maryland’s streams. While the great heat-island of DC has been green and flowering for weeks, it seems that the banks of the local streams have been slow to catch on. Last week’s trips to The Big Gunpowder gave me a chance to see the skunk cabbage really filling in and May apples in bloom. 

I got to take out an old friend that I’d met in VA a few years back when I lived down in the mountains there. We used to fish for smallmouths on the New River and chase brookies on tiny creeks in moonshine and ginseng country. We used to get into all sorts of trouble with locals and one particular warden that had it in for us because we used fly rods and had fancy waders. He’d moved to DC and had dug out an old Sage RPL 5wt and has been chomping at the bit. We’d met up after he’d been released from a conference in Baltimore. After getting him into some fresh wading boots he was in the water before I had all of my crap together. 

After a few false casts into the trees he was into fish. It felt pretty great to see someone hook into fish after saying “I don’t know if I remember how to cast!” ten minutes earlier. We caught quite a hatch of sulphurs, hendricksons and then caddis before calling it a night in favor of some greasy grub on the road home.  It was a great day of fishing. 

A Mouthful

Micahdammeyer Big Gunpowder Falls, fishing, Spring , , , , , , 0 Comment

The Big April Mayflies are a meal for the trout on the Big Gunpowder Falls. I was lucky enough to get out last Wednesday when the weather was in the 80’s and the sun was shining; I have no excuse for not posting a report sooner.  

The official report: PERFECT!  

The water temps are jumping up with every rainstorm and the bugs are active. This has the trout feeling pretty bold. While my fish were great in number I didn’t hook into any submarines. They’re still in there however and after running into Theaux from the Backwater Angler up in Monkton, he and his pal had proof on their camera phone at the end of the night and bragging rights. See the short story here. Swing by his shop and pick up a few flies and fresh leaders and keep his lights on if you’re headed up this way. 

 

Monday looks like a repeat of last week’s situation – storms followed by warm weather – and with a little luck the gas prices will stay low.  Here’s a couple pics, below, from my outing. I’m off to hit the bench to crank out a dozen fresh flies.  

I was pretty happy when I saw $4.23 high-test!
Nice Brown
An average fish for the day. I could catch these for days.

 

Jsut look at that bottom!
High but clear.

 

The Bats are out. The warmer weather can't be far behind.
The bats are out. The warmer weather can't be far behind.