Casselman River - Mother’s Day Caddis 2024
Where: Casselman River, Near Grantsville, Garret County, MD
When: April 27-28, 2024, Saturday to Sunday.
Participants: Pete Anderson, Bob Bokulic, Ken Bowyer, Jouky Chang, Randy Dwyer, Don Hinds, Rodger Johnson, Ron Kerrick, Bob O’Donnell, Lou Reichel, Allan Rutzen, Jay Sheppard, Karan Singh, Candy Smith, Cliff Taylor.
Jay Sheppard and I drove up to the Casselman River on Friday arriving a little after 11:00 AM. The temperature was a cool 45 degrees with intermittent clouds. After a streamside lunch (we picked up at the Subway in Grantsville) we fished under the Rt 68 bridge, but no luck, just a long-distance release. We then drove up to Farmer’s Lane where Lou and Bob O. were fishing. Bob had done well and caught several fish using a tan Mop Fly. I had two to net and Lou also landed a fish. Ken Bowyer and Roger Johnson met the four of us at Farmer’s Lane and later we all went to Penn Alps for dinner.
The next morning, we met at the Penn Alps overflow parking lot at 9:00 AM to officially begin the outing. The morning was overcast with light intermittent rain but while we were waiting for everyone to arrive there was a heavy rainfall for a short while. Thankfully there was a porch roof that we could all take refuge under until the rain stopped. We had a few new faces come on this trip and two people from NCCTU joined our outing as well. Everyone then headed out to fish the Casselman and some of us drove over to the Savage River below the dam. Jay and I were among the Savage River group. We didn’t have any luck, but Jouky managed to catch two Brown Trout and one Rainbow, his first time on the Savage.
On both the Casselman and Savage Rivers the water level was about average and a little murky, but the air temperature was nice, in the high 60’s, and no rain in the afternoon. There were no Caddis hatching and only the occasional rising fish. Again this year on the Casselman at Farmer’s Lane, there was a good number of caddis casings on rocks in the water.
That evening, those of us who were still there met at 7:00 and told our fishing stories over dinner at the Casselman Inn. A few of the people on the outing just came up for the day.
On Sunday, I had never been to the North Branch of the Potomac, so Jay and I headed there to fish. The day got warm in the afternoon, up into the low 80’s. We fished near Barnum but didn’t have any luck and then headed for home later in the afternoon. Lou stayed at the Casselman River on Sunday and texted us that there was a small Caddis hatch and that he caught one trout on a dry fly.
The only incidents were when Jay lost his binoculars and Bob O. fell in while looking for them. But despite that, it was a good trip and I think that everyone had a good time and most people caught fish.
Ron Kerrick
Interim Outings Coordinator
