I Finally got a boat

Smallmouth bass on the Shenandoah, watch out. I picked up a Blue Heron 9 Pontoon boat today. Not sure when I'll have time to go, but at least I know I can now ;-)

I love this picture

http://www.flickr.com/photos/15432983@N00/5305749/

New Template

My blog design was getting a little out of control so I'm starting over from scratch. I'll be adding in some of the other components of the page slowly over the next few days.

Gunpowder River - Maryland Pictures

More Maryland

Maryland is the place to be. I desperately want to find a job in Frederick. I got a book called Guide to Maryland Trout Fishing: The Catch and Release Streams

that discusses the good and the bad of the MD streams. I'll be visiting Big Hunting Creek very soon and will give a review with pictures.

I'll be picking up some pictures from my Gunpowder trip this evening and will try to post them.

Au Sable two fly flyfishing competition

I'm considering entering the Au Sable two fly competetion in May. Here's more info about it if you are interested. Looks like a lot of fun, though it may be about 5 minutes of fun for me when I lose both my flies.

Urban Flyfishing on the Kelvin � A book from ebay!

Urban Flyfishing on the Kelvin � A book from ebay!

Interesting post. It does make you wonder.

It's a great book btw.

Big Hunting Creek info

Big Hunting Creek in Maryland

One of the best things to come out of the Rapidan TU flyfishing show was that I found that one of the best trout streams in the area is only about 30-40 miles from me. Big Hunting Creek near Frederick MD is supposedly an excellent place for native brook trout and stocked rainbows and browns. I can't wait to get out there. As soon as I can gather some information about it, I'll post it.

Rapidan TU Flyfishing show

I spent some time at the Rapidan TU flyfishing show in Middleburg on Sunday. It was very well attended for a little show. I wanted to win one of the door prizes so bad, but I didn't. I did pick up a great DVD by Mel Kreiger called the Essentials of Flycasting. It is very well done and learned a lot from it.

If you want some info about it - click here:

I was really enjoying a presentation he was giving at the show, when my wife called and was expecting me to come home. So I missed the end of it. I highly recommend the DVD.

New Bulletin board system installed

I decided to set up a bulletin board system for my blog. I have NO idea if anybody will use it, but I think it's pretty cool. So, let me know what you think and post away.

Dean

Fly Fishing Techniques: Casting Accuracy - MidCurrent

Fly Fishing Techniques: Casting Accuracy - MidCurrent

Haven't had a chance to read it yet, but looks informative enough to post on my blog.

Gunpowder Trip 2-5-05

I may have finally found my home water. I went to the Gunpowder Falls river Saturday morning. My wife and son had been in Texas for a week and a half and she was flying in to BWI around 5. So, I had to be in the area anyway.

I started at Backwater Anglers outside of Monkton/Hereford. Theo helped me with directions to the good spots and gave me a selection of flies including some small black stoneflies (expected around noon) and some midges. Amazingly, he only knew of two books about Maryland fly fishing and he was out of both. Theo told me to take two rights out of the shop and park right past the high school on the left.. before you get to the bridge. There was only one car there so I pulled in and had a nice conversation with a local angler in the parking lot. I went down to the river which was about 1 to 2 feet deep and fairly fast moving at the bridge access point. I cast a size 16 black stonefly up and let it drift across and there was a violent take. It was a small rainbow maybe 9". He put a good fight but I brought him in and released him. Beautiful colors and very healthy.

Unfortunately, that was it for fish for the rest of the day. The water was extremely cold and when I got out of the water, I was about a foot deep in snow on the banks. There wasn't anywhere to get warm. At least the air temp wasn't below freezing so I had no problems casting.

I took some pictures of the river, but will have to wait a while to get them developed as I have 20 more exposures on the camera. I need to get a cheap digital to take fishing with me. I don't want to take my good digital fishing. My last one ended up in at the bottom of a waterfall in Georgia.

So, I really liked Gunpowder. I don't know what it would be like when the weather is warmer as I bet it is filled with anglers. I only saw one other person on the river that day. He had been skunked so I felt lucky to get my one fish. The fly shop down the road was great, good prices and nice folks. It's about an hour and a half from me so not too bad of a drive. Now if I can get a job in Baltimore, I would be set!!

Trout: Reading the Water - MidCurrent

Trout: Reading the Water - MidCurrent

Excellent article from my favorite fly fishing news source.

New state to explore

I'll be in Maryland this Saturday so I decided to pick up a MD fishing license and head to the Gunpowder in the morning. I have no idea where to go. I'm having a hard time finding any info about the area online. I couldn't even find any Maryland fly fishing books though I know they exist as I have seen them. William H of Eastern Trophies Fly Fishing mentions on his site that between Prettyboy Dam and Bluemount Road (MD 138), it is catch and release, flyfishing only. Sounds like where I ought to be. Hopefully I'll have some luck this time and I won't completely freeze. I ordered some stuff today that will keep rod guides and lines from freezing. William mentioned using Spam, but that sounds awful.

Ice on Stoney Creek 1-05 

Kevins first trout of the day on Smith Creek 

Bridge over Stoney Creek at Lutz Mill 

Stoney Creek 1-2005 

Passage Creek 

Smith Creek 

Rapidan Chapter of Trout Unlimited - Home

Rapidan Chapter of Trout Unlimited

Just joined the Rapidan TU chapter. I'm looking forward to getting involved in TU again and meeting some new fishing partners.

Desktop Backgrounds : Pictures of Trout and Underwater Photographs

Some nice Desktop Wallpapers that anyone can use. My wife really likes the cased caddis larvae background... kidding.

Desktop Backgrounds : Pictures of Trout and Underwater Photographs

Skunked and way cold

I keep forgeting that fishing involves water and water freezes below 32 degrees F. I got all ready to head out to Passage Creek outside Front Royal Monday morning at 5:30AM. It was so cold (around 20 with 15 to 20 mile per hour wind gusts) that I could hardly gas up my car. I guess I thought that I could handle it as soon as I hooked up with the first monster stocked trout of the morning. I was wrong. I made it out to Passage right before sunrise. The water looked a little fast, but it wasn't too high or discolored or anything so I slipped into my waders and pulled out my new Fly Logic rod. The rod cast beautifully... until the line froze to the guides. There just wasn't a heck of a lot I could do other than knock the ice off with my bright red numb fingers every cast and retrieve. I tried some bh nymphs and a Murray streamer that I tied. After about an hour of pure misery, I packed it in and drove over to Murray's Fly Shop in Edinburg. I asked Harry if it was even worth fishing now and he said "sure, fish eat in the cold too." He recommended a white size 10 Murray Strymph and a black maruader. I went ahead and bought a few and asked about the best location on Stoney Creek. Harry said to go to Lutz Mill about 2 miles up the road. So I did. The temp was up another couple of degrees to 22 and there was a little sun showing so I jumped back in. No luck again unfortunately. I actually froze to a rock while I was casting, it seemed very comical at the time. The water in my felt soles froze my feet to the rock I was standing on.

I took a bunch of pictures that I'm getting developed now. I don't think I'll have them online until Thursday or Friday, but I will post them. The additional Smith Creek ones will be on there too.

BTW, take a quick gander at the eBay listings on the right. I have some work to do on the formating, but it's pretty cool to get live eBay listings on your site.

Must be insane

I have decided to fight the elements again and go fishing in some of the coldest weather we have had so far. I plan on hitting Passage Creek, east of Edinburg on Monday AM. The forecast is snow overnight tonight, windchills of -5 and 10 to 15 mile per hour winds. Sounds like perfect fly fishing weather. There are only a few situations where I wouldn't go fly fishing. High winds would do it for me. I hate casting when it is windy. I'll bring a camera and post some pictures later. Can't believe that the days I have off are always frickin cold.

FlyLogic Rod arrived!

I got my new FlyLogic rod yesterday and my first impressions are very favorable. I went out in the rain last night to cast it. It felt great. I think my cast has been suffering from bad rods. I'll blame it on poor equipment. One of these days, I need to try a really expensive rod and compare it. The FlyLogic 4-5 wt really feels miles better than my other rods.