Trout Fishing at Owens Creek

Type: Freshwater
Region: Central
Location: Owens Creek
Tags: rainbow trout, brown trout

I hit Owens Creek a couple weeks after the stocking, 550 is still closed but you can still take the detour through Cunningham and reach some of the nicer pools. I met a couple of live bait guys who said not to even try the deep hole. I go to the hole armed with joe’s flies ... nothing. Switched to a Trout Magnet white color... nothing then I tried the salmon color and that turned them on. I caught 2 rainbows and 3 browns including a 9 inch and an 11 inch. I had about a 15 - 16 inch rainbow on but it came off because he didn’t bite it well enough. I saw that someone else must’ve had him and broke his line because he had a flashy spinner in his mouth. Those browns fight hard. Owens is just about done in terms of catching them easily. I’ll go there with a fly rod in a week or two with some mayflys probably.

A Little Spring Creek in Washington County

Type: Freshwater
Region: Central
Location: Stream in Washington County
Tags: trout

Washington County can be defined as the limestone center of Maryland just because of the karst area, and with that most streams in the area can certainly be defined as limestone spring creeks (if it's a spring creek to begin with) or at least a spring creek with a limestone influence. This little stream is no different. No more than three feet wide in any location, this little stream is not special in size, but it is big in beauty, and the wild trout that call it home are just an added bonus.

This spring creek starts on a little farm, where the watercress is plentiful and so are the cows. As the stream meanders, it runs through many farms, backyards, under a major highway, and gains more and more cold spring water with each passing farm from small feeders or springs. The stream runs for a couple miles before flowing into a larger water system. This stream, throughout all its reaches, is all private property, and you must ask permission to fish it. After meeting some friends of a friend and gaining access to the stream, I climbed an electric fence (that was live, but I didn't know that at the time, so always be cautious) and immediately noticed the big 2"+ grasshoppers that hopped every step I took. This section of the stream is definitely not the best part to fish as far as size and numbers. The first thing I noticed was that there were no fences. The livestock had access to walk into the stream whenever they pleased, in fact a couple cows came by while I was casting to the little runs and riffles. To keep it short, no fish were landed whatsoever, but I am sure they are here on this property, ready to be caught. I fished a couple attractor dry fly patterns including a size 14 march brown and other mayfly imitations, as well as some hopper patterns.

Beaver Creek Has Been Good To Me

Type: Freshwater
Region: Central
Location: Beaver Creek
Tags: brown trout, rainbow trout

Beaver Creek has fished well lately, hoppers, scuds, as well as wet ants have been the ticket. This is a great fishery with great potential and lots of fish. The presentation must be good, no drag. Fished a couple sections including the upper fly only, and some private water which I was lucky enough to gain permission to fish it. Biggest brown has been right around 13", and a couple wild rainbows reaching 9", but most of the wild rainbows I caught were around 7" and their colors are beautiful. Biggest fish from the private water was a 19" rainbow who fought like a wild, but was not "born" in the stream, but sure did have some awesome colors.