February 20, 2021 Big Hunting Creek

Outing Report:  Big Hunting Creek 

Where:  Big Hunting Creek, Thurmont, MD

When:  Sat., February 20, 2021

Participates:  Bob O’Donnell, Craig Vander Kolk, Dennis Covert, Jim Senker, Joe Taylor, Lou Reichel, Matt Reck, Randy Dwyer, Ron Kerrick, Peter Schuler, Tristan Buenaventura.  

(Please forgive me if I left anyone out or misspelled names.)

Snow was on the scenic hills and forests and on the Big Hunting Creek (BHC).  In the morning we did have a heavy snow fall for about 15-20 minutes. It was cold, sometimes sunny with blue sky, and sometimes slight overcast with a slight chilly wind.  At least there was water flowing in the creek which was much better than in August when I last visited BHC. Unfortunately, I did not see any little black stoneflies.  Of the rocks in the creek that I turned over I saw only one stonefly nymph. That could be due to my nymph hunting ability.

We did have some new members join us.  One of our new members comes from Colorado and may have some good stories on where to go fishing in the western states. He mentioned eastern fishing is different than Colorado.  BHC is a challenge, so don’t get disappointed if we didn’t catch any trout. You can always revisit during the spring and fall, the water can get low in the summertime. But it is always a nice drive to Catoctin National Park in Thurmont, Md. Also nice orchards in the area.

Most of us started around the Peniel Bridge, up and down the creek.  Of course Bob O had one LDR (long distance release) somewhere in the canyon area below the bridge.

We had our hot lunch of brats and beans cooked by Joe and Randy.  It was very good. We had lunch early so we could fish more in the afternoon hours and hoping for more bug and trout activity.

Most of us drove upstream and parked in the Joe Brooks parking area, just below the Visitor Center.  I met Dennis at a nice pool and he mentioned he didn’t have any action.  Bob O walked in, second cast and had a nice brown trout.  He was using either an egg pattern or colorful sucker spawn.  So forget the natural stonefly nymph patterns or pheasant tail nymphs and put on my pink San Juan worm. I still didn’t catch anything.  Bob O reports catching 3 brown trout to hand, 2 LDR, all in the area between the Joe Brooks parking lot and Visitor Center.

After standing in the creek talking to Joe and Dennis, I decided to leave Joe and Bob to fish upstream. I stopped by the Peniel Bridge parking to check on any members. I had trouble taking off my frozen waders and I left at around 3:30 pm. 

Our next outing in March will be at our local Patuxent River.  Date depends on when the creek is stocked.

Hope to see you there. 

Lou Reichel

Outings Coordinator