raftman
Active member
- Joined
- Jun 25, 2012
- Messages
- 970
I met up with two good friends at Big Run State Park to camp, reconnect, and fly fish for a long weekend. We found a beautiful campsite along Big Run and spent most of the weekend exploring the Upper Savage River and its tributaries.
The water was low and cold, but the fish were active once the sun hit the water. Long drifts slung with 3 weight rods was the rhythm of the weekend. We saw midges, caddis, and mayflies in the air and plenty of stonefly nymphs crawling under the rocks.
This is Justin's first season fly fishing, so the first night was spent filling his fly boxes and showing him how to set up nymphing and dry-dropper rigs. He was a quick learner and landed himself some nice fish. It was my first experience teaching someone what I have learned and by Monday morning, I realized that I learned just as much by teaching than by being out on the water alone. It was also nice to know I actually had something to teach!
I hadn't seen Jeff in ten years and, with fly rods in hand, we quickly reconnected and fell right back into where left off the last time we had seen each other in the deep north Maine woods. He has a distinctive, independent style when it comes to fishing. Not a purist or an elitist, but one who fishes to be out on the water and in the moment. A true individual and an absolute blast to be on the water with.
Flies that worked: We fished almost exclusively with dry dropper rigs. Both orange stimulators and blue quills worked well on top while hot spot pheasant tails, prince nymphs, and the good old greenie weenie worked well under the surface.
I'm pretty sure this is the largest freestone brook trout I've ever landed. He nailed my stimulator the second it hit the water. He was sitting up against a long rock sitting perpendicular to the water that created a quick, deep run.
?The fish seemed to be most active mid morning and early evening. Big Run State Park is a gem. We practically had the place to ourselves the entire weekend. I think, due to its lack of services, most people end up going to New Germany and Deep Creek. Fine by me. There were quite a few taken campsites along Savage River Road. It was a great weekend of reconnecting with good friends and exploring new water.
Big thanks to 3wt7x and ryansheehan (very cool running into you on the tailwater!) for some helpful tips. You guys really helped make this weekend an enjoyable one. Thanks!
The water was low and cold, but the fish were active once the sun hit the water. Long drifts slung with 3 weight rods was the rhythm of the weekend. We saw midges, caddis, and mayflies in the air and plenty of stonefly nymphs crawling under the rocks.
This is Justin's first season fly fishing, so the first night was spent filling his fly boxes and showing him how to set up nymphing and dry-dropper rigs. He was a quick learner and landed himself some nice fish. It was my first experience teaching someone what I have learned and by Monday morning, I realized that I learned just as much by teaching than by being out on the water alone. It was also nice to know I actually had something to teach!
I hadn't seen Jeff in ten years and, with fly rods in hand, we quickly reconnected and fell right back into where left off the last time we had seen each other in the deep north Maine woods. He has a distinctive, independent style when it comes to fishing. Not a purist or an elitist, but one who fishes to be out on the water and in the moment. A true individual and an absolute blast to be on the water with.
Flies that worked: We fished almost exclusively with dry dropper rigs. Both orange stimulators and blue quills worked well on top while hot spot pheasant tails, prince nymphs, and the good old greenie weenie worked well under the surface.
I'm pretty sure this is the largest freestone brook trout I've ever landed. He nailed my stimulator the second it hit the water. He was sitting up against a long rock sitting perpendicular to the water that created a quick, deep run.
?The fish seemed to be most active mid morning and early evening. Big Run State Park is a gem. We practically had the place to ourselves the entire weekend. I think, due to its lack of services, most people end up going to New Germany and Deep Creek. Fine by me. There were quite a few taken campsites along Savage River Road. It was a great weekend of reconnecting with good friends and exploring new water.
Big thanks to 3wt7x and ryansheehan (very cool running into you on the tailwater!) for some helpful tips. You guys really helped make this weekend an enjoyable one. Thanks!
