Trip Report: Day Hiking and Rainbow Trout

Its been almost a year since I landed a Bow. Its been almost two years since I landed a fish over 8" here in Maryland. Don't get me wrong, they're there, just elusive. Well, that was changed yesterday...

The family and I decided this morning to head 30 minutes up I-97 to Savage Mill to hike a park we hadn't been to together before. It was our first hike as a family of three and Lilly's second fishing trip (she's been my good luck charm so far). Since Savage Mill was just stocked, I figured I'd bring my new Redington Classic Trout 4wt and put my Allen Fly Fishing Trout Reel on it and give it a shot. As we walked to path, water was low and tea stained but looked good compared to how the Middle Patuxent usually is.

We hiked for a good hour or two before we decided to plop down and have some lunch below the falls around the Mill. There is a sweet run after the falls followed by a deep pool that just looks like good water. Looks more like Smallmouth water than trout water but either way, there was fish in there. So, naturally, the rod was put together, and ready to go.

After not being able to walk three steps without seeing a grasshopper along the trail, I decided to make that my patterns of choice and immediately showed results. I couldn't keep the Bluegill and Fallfish away. All was fun, especially on the 4wt, but I wanted a trout. I grabbed a size 12 BH Olive Wooly Bugger and headed back to the run after lunch. After a few casts and decent hookups on some leaves, I thought I was snagged. Nope, Bow. I got it up to my feet after an awesome fight and me yelling like a little girl (so my wife could look of course) and boom, broke me off, at the knot...stupid knot. So I tied another Bugger on and began dead drifting it through the run again. After about 10 minutes an nothing, boom, fish on! Amazing fight again! Got this beautiful Bow in hand, measured in at 12.5" and was the biggest Bow I'd ever caught in Maryland, until the next fish. Yup, there was another, same technique, same run, this time it was 14" even, amazing fish. This one was my reward for releasing the last. Although it was stocked, it had color like any wild Bow I'd ever seen, as did the other 3 I got in hand. After losing 2 more fish, I landed my third Bow, 13.75" and fought like a tuna. All fish were released, only to probably be caught by some powerbait using redneck tomorrow, either way, I had the enjoyment of catching and releasing.

Third fish was the charm and I decided to go back to spending more quality time with the family. We had a blast, amazing day, amazing weather, amazing hike. I am so blessed to have the beautiful family that I do and to have the privilege of catching such amazing creatures.

God is good, and fishing is too (especially this time of year).

Boom...Morgan