Big Hunting Creek in Maryland

[BruceC2C]

Over past few years...
Began with " there r no trout in here".
Committed to MUCHO time /trials on water there &
Evolved to appreciate they ARE here with the right fly delivered properly.

 

[TRHDC]

I live about an hour away from Big Hunting Creek. It is part of a couple of parks and Camp David. It is a great place for camping, hiking and Big Hunting Creek. I must say I have gotten a lot more great pictures than trout at Big Hunting Creek. If you want a fun place to take the family for different kind of visit it is pretty good. Lakes, stream, cascade falls and same really nice views especially in the fall.

Catoctin Mountain Park (NPS) and Cunningham Falls State Park (MSP) make up the two parks with Camp David situated at the top of Catoctin Mountain Park (NPS). The joke is that when any of the presidents are at Camp David, the park service rangers bring in new staff that look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Parts of the park roads all get closed. You can drive by the Camp David entrance, but there is no sign that announces the location. Just some gates, a big sign that that says "Entrance 5" or something. Do not go up that road or you will have some new friends.

Has any had any luck there fishing besides Jimmy Carter?

Today's Sportsman: Idea for Fly Fishing Heritage Trail is a grand vision

Jim Kennedy has a grand vision for the prospective flyfishing heritage trail that is being proposed to follow Big Hunting Creek beginning in the town of Thurmont upstream into Catoctin

www.fredericknewspost.com

Fished BHC above Camp Peniel Bridge last week for first time. Am a new angler of 2.5 years and fish Tenkara style. Used a simple soft hackle fly with peacock herl body, size 14 hook. Caught 8 browns as I worked all the way up to the large left turn pool near the Rt 77 turn. Low water but the action for me was all in the riffles, mostly 5-6 inches but one 8 incher. Saw some big fish holding in the pool just below the Joe Brooks parking area. They weren't interested in nymphs or dries. One struck at the simple wet fly but missed. But the ones I caught in the rifflrs were beautiful browns and the water was beautiful. Didn't see another angler. Lots of traffic on Rt 77. I'll go back if I can in cold weather just to avoid pressured water.

 

[redietz]

BHC fishes pretty well in the winter, but you need to start thinking about not stepping in redds; the spawning season is just about upon us.

 

[TRHDC]

Thanks for the guidance. Didn't know that. Will pay close attention.

 

[TRHDC]

Is it enough to simply avoid wading and fishing near or certainly not in the redds, or do you suggest that it is best to not fish / stress the fish at all, given the other stress they face due to spawning and lower flow conditions?

 

[redietz]

Is it enough to simply avoid wading and fishing near or certainly not in the redds, or do you suggest that it is best to not fish / stress the fish at all, given the other stress they face due to spawning and lower flow conditions?

Just avoid stepping in the redds or casting to actively spawning fish. You wade if you're careful; it's always safe to step into leaf litter, for example. I would avoid wading in places like the riffle above the big right hand above the Joe Brooks parking lot; it's usually full of spawning fish in November.

 

[TRHDC]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[bdhoover77]

BHC fishes pretty well in the winter, but you need to start thinking about not stepping in redds; the spawning season is just about upon us.

BHC is a stream I want to explore this winter. Hopefully we will have some decent conditions this winter.

I always think about going to check out streams I have yet to visit…but the local streams are always so much easier because they are closer to home.

 

[JeffP]

Yep and Carter was the last president to fish BHC. Carter took Egyptian President Anwar Sadat on BHC.

Where did you hear that? I'll have to add that to my Camp David Accords lesson. Wonder what Begin was up to?

 

[DaveKile]

Where did you hear that? I'll have to add that to my Camp David Accords lesson. Wonder what Begin was up to?

I can't recall my source. I'm pretty certain I read it on the interwebs somewhere. It may have been a Baltimore Sun article. It was written somewhere, not something I just pulled out of a hat. But I did do some quick searches and not much is coming up. I don't subscribe to the Sun anymore. This may be it (paywall) - https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports...ng-creek-renovations-1123-20141122-story.html

 

[DaveKile]

Where did you hear that? I'll have to add that to my Camp David Accords lesson. Wonder what Begin was up to?

I used a different browser and got this on the Sun article. I would look and verify with some other sources of course.
"And while the state hopes to preserve Thurmont residents' yards — and eardrums — there's more at stake: The creek, which runs down a mountain near Camp David, the presidential retreat, might be the country's most historic trout stream, having been fished by world leaders from Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter and Anwar Sadat."

 

[joebamboo]

While living in southern MD, I often took the drive to BHC. Truly a wonderful stream that has seen better days. I cringe whenever I see pictures of trout, stocked or native laying on the ground! Regardless "how long they lay there" it cannot be good for the trout.

 

[JeffP]

I used a different browser and got this on the Sun article. I would look and verify with some other sources of course.
"And while the state hopes to preserve Thurmont residents' yards — and eardrums — there's more at stake: The creek, which runs down a mountain near Camp David, the presidential retreat, might be the country's most historic trout stream, having been fished by world leaders from Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt to Jimmy Carter and Anwar Sadat."

Thanks Dave!

 

[Spookintrout]

I live in gettysburg and my brother lives in frederick maryland. When we first started fly fishing we would meet one another at BHC because its half way ( about 20-25 Minutes Each) There are most certainly nice fish there. I have had the most success there around the month of May. I attatched a photo of the prettiest fish I have caught there.

 

[salmo]

I was under the impression that BHC was primarily a stocked fishery. Am I correct?

 

[caddisflyer]

I've fished BHC and the Catoctin region for forty years. It's changed a lot over the years but much remains as it was when I was a kid and visiting these spots has sentimental value - too much for me to write in one post.
The main difference on BHC since the late 1990s is the abatement of stocking and the decline in angling pressure.

Back in the 80s it was just pummeled with anglers and finding a place to park was tough - a real destination spot. It was heavily stocked with large bows and brookies (you could keep a 15" fish). While it still gets a few stocked bows these days, it's basically a wild brown trout stream and it's much tougher to catch fish. Parking can still be crowded on weekends, but these are mostly hikers now and fishermen are much fewer.

Historically, it has been fished by many well known types, Joe Brooks being the best known. There used be stories that when Eisenhower visited Camp David (he gave it that name) that they would stock BHC with huge fish and word would get out to locals who would arrive to catch the big fish that Ike couldn't.

So it was a lot more fun to fish when they really stocked it I guess?

 

[salmo]

So it was a lot more fun to fish when they really stocked it I guess?

I also read that they stocked some huge fish when Pres. Hoobert Heever fished it before the Depression.

 

[redietz]

I was under the impression that BHC was primarily a stocked fishery. Am I correct?

It's got a thriving population of wild browns below the lake as well as some brookies in the headwaters (above the lake.) It does get stocked by both state and private groups as well.

 

[sarce]

Probably the top ranked wild brown trout population on that mountain in terms of density of fish. Unfortunately ranks last in solitude. That aside, it's a fun stream.

 

[jmarshall]

I've had a lot of luck on this stream in past years. And despite the car noise it's still a pretty stretch of water. Last couple of times I've fished it, though, water levels have just seemed really low to me. I walked a stretch of it today (from the Cat Rock parking lot upstream to the visitor center) and I didn't really see any deep pools. Even the "Frank Smoot" pool didn't look any deeper than knee-level. In past years, I seem to remember I couldn't see bottom there. And I seem to remember a lot of deep pocket water. I did some searching around and found this thread and wanted to ask you guys who know it better. Am I just remembering it wrong? Is this just how it always is in the winter?