Big Hunting Creek - Not For The Novice Fly Fisherman



Working President's Pool in BHC 

     I hit the gorge section of Big Hunting Creek today. The gorge section is just about everything down from the Park Headquarters down to the Campgrounds. I do not recommend this spot for the novice fly fisherman. I say to fly fisherman because it is a catch-and-release fly fishing only stream. The regulations are highly enforced. I started off throwing a bead head nymph size 14, since I did not see any hatches. I fished it under a Thingamabobber. I fished my way upstream with only getting one hit in a pool that was about 5 feet deep. I headed up to where the stream goes around an island. There was a very deep plunge pool around 4 feet deep and it was hidden by a boulder and a fallen tree. Unseen by anglers heading upstream. I came up fom the back and after a couple casts sure enough I got a hit. He stayed on for about 30 seconds and got off ?somehow? I have no idea what I did wrong, I guess just a simple rookie mistake. It looked like a nice Rainbow. After that I headed to the Visitor Center and got some info about hiking. Then we headed to the water across the Visitor Center, mainly President's Pool as many call it. The pool is an elbow pool about 6 feet deep in the center. There used to be a huge log right in the center but luckily that washed away a couple months ago; it was a fly taker. I got no hits and it was getting dark so we headed home.

Tackle: I fished a 7'6" 5wt. Fly Rod with a 9 ft 4x Leader with an assortment of Nymphs and Woolybuggers under a Thingamabobber.

Summary: BHC is definitely not for the novice fly fisherman, a lot of scouting and experience is needed to catch fish here.

Big Hunting Creek Cascades Down the Catoctin Mts.

My 5wt. Next to the Sunny Water

Taking a Break