Connecticut Fly Angler in Maryland

This weekend I was visiting with my Auntie and Uncle in Maryland. I hadn't seen them for some time. I really enjoyed reconnecting with them and exploring their farm; and, of course, doing a bit of fly fishing. On Saturday Uncle and I, along with my brother, went to a local river, the Monocacy. It was a fairly cool, slow river: wide and shallow. It was not long before I was catching big Maryland Redbreast Sunfish on wet flies.

My first Maryland fish.

After I got tired of those, I tied on a little popper and caught a couple Smallmouth, a big chub, and some more chunky panfish. The chub was a heck of a surprise.

We called it a day and went to pizza hut. For the rest of the afternoon we sat and talked, or enjoyed the company of their two dogs (Rocky and Maxie) and "Cat".

Rocky, getting in my face.

As the evening wore on I explored the fields, and fished for small shiners and chubs in the tiny spring creek down the hill from the barn. I can't tell you how beautiful this area is. unfortunately, corporate America is slowly encroaching on the farmland, and in a strange scene on one side of the road would be a Walmart, on the other a rich green soy crop.  

The next morning I did some of the weirdest fishing I have ever done. The day before I had seen a very interesting looking canal in the middle of Fredrick. I immediately expected it would be loaded with carp. This morning I discoverd this to be true. There were Commons and a few Koi. There were also Largemouth Bass and Bluegills. These, unfortunately, were all I caught. I did have one of the large carp follow my sucker spawn pattern down, but I don't knot that it ate. I was plenty happy with the Bass and Bluegill. It was fun. I like doing weird stuff, and fly fishing and urban canal is fairly strange. I'll have to make another trip next year. I regret  not taking pictures of those carp....

Not my usual habitat.