I managed to convince my father(a.k.a. The Boss) that we should take advantage of the sixty degree weather forcasted for the mid atlantic region and hit a local stream, a mental health day so to speak. We arrived at the stream around two o'clock and found blue bird skys, sixty degree air temperature, and amazingly perfect flows for this time of year. As I anticipated the little black stones were out in force; unfortunately the trout showed little or no interest to the floating naturals. Almost immediately my father hooked and caught a small brown on a #10 bead head bugger. I began the day fishing a #18 black stonefly nymph with a #24 zebra midge dropper. After about an hour of no luck I switched to a single epoxy bead egg. This proved to be a good choice as I hooked my first fish of the day soon after. Although I lost this fish I made my way furthur upstream and spotted a rainbow holding behind a midstream boulder. It took a little manuevering but my first drift to the fish resulted in a fifteen inch rainbow cartwheeling down stream and eventually to net. I fished the next run and hooked an even larger rainbow(18" class). Unfortunately after a few runs and a jump this fish also eluded the net. Soon after I called it a day.
I had never fished this stream before but it certainly will not be the last. It is amazing that this piece of water is only minutes from Washington DC. Although it certainly does not hold a candle to the waters of Pennsylvania or even Maryland's own Gunpowder, it is nice to know that decent action can be had less than two hours away. I can't wait to go back in a few weeks and see how the fish respond to my ausable wulffs and #22 copper johns.
I had never fished this stream before but it certainly will not be the last. It is amazing that this piece of water is only minutes from Washington DC. Although it certainly does not hold a candle to the waters of Pennsylvania or even Maryland's own Gunpowder, it is nice to know that decent action can be had less than two hours away. I can't wait to go back in a few weeks and see how the fish respond to my ausable wulffs and #22 copper johns.