Johnsfolly

About 70 miles from the house. Seems like it gets a fair amount of pressure. Definitely not a backwoods stretch of water. Fortunately some parts surrounded by state park lands.

Where I was fishing yesterday one hole was that same size and I felt crowded fishing it with three people 😌. Good luck to you guys fishing the opener in the parks. Makes for good memories, good or bad ones.

My Betterhalf and Livie wanted to meet some friends at the Savage Mill, a cotton mill converted to an indoor mall and antique center. The old mill is on the banks of the Little Patuxent river in Savage Maryland. The antique center had some great finds. Only got through a small part of the shop. There were a couple of eclectic shops, a couple of restaurants and a French style bakery and coffee shop. Also there is a fly shop. I only saw it after my fishing trip. Though my Betterhalf did talk with the owner and got the scoop on the river fishing while I was out on the river. The river is one that is stocked with rainbow trout, which occurred earlier this week. Looking at the regulations, it looked like fly gear and artificial lures including non-scented soft plastics are acceptable baits. I started fishing a tri-olive Zig Jig in some fast water at the head of a pool next to the mill. No luck. Moved upstream to a longer hole. There was a guy fishing on the opposite bank, He was telling a couple of guys up stream that he had caught a dozen today. I put on a 1/32 oz tube jig head with a green pumpkin slider body with a chartreuse paddle tail. I made a couple of shorter casts, retrieved with slight pulls on the rod just to get some action from the tail, and got nothing. I made a longer cast downstream in some deeper water using the same retrieve, and as the bait swung closer to the bank down stream I got a hit and landed my first rainbow. My first in Maryland. Not a very large fish, but I wasn't skunked. I went further upstream to a hole above a narrow and fast run of water. There was a 4 to 5 foot waterfall at the head of the pool. Also a couple of guys fishing. So I started at the tail of the pool and switched to a white/chartreuse trout magnet and caught another rainbow. The two guys left and I moved closer to the falls. I also switched reels to fish with 2# line instead of the 4# I had been using. I also switched to a black back and green bellied trout magnet body. I got a good hard bite. The fish fought much harder that the rainbows. It was a nice heavy fallfish my first of the year! Only caught three fish in just under two hours on a new body of water. The wind picked up and I head back to meet my Betterhalf and Livie to grab a hot tea. I will definitely be back to explore this creek some more.

With all of the discussion and nostalgia going on around the trout park opener, I thought that I would post about a March event that I enjoyed for many years while living in Columbia, the Missouri Deer Classic. To be honest I'm not sure that this event is still ongoing. I saw a posting that the 2019 show would be postponed. This to me was an event that I looked forward to every year. It was something to do in the early spring, hunting seasons were still in my mind, and it was near my birthday. I knew a few of the vendors from seeing them year after year. There were many hunting seminars that the speakers went on and became big hunting channel celebrities. Me and my kids would walk through the deer mounts and antlers and guess the scores. All my kids shot BB guns or kids bows. Lots of jerky was bought and eaten. Many turkey calls were tested. Lots of dream hunts were thought about while going through the vendors areas or looking at the animal mounts. Hopefully it's not but it looks like it may be done.

Duane those look great and knowing you I am sure that they work great as well! Congrats on keeping alive that tradition. Now you need to pass it on.

Very Nice. Congrats on some great brown trout fishing especially on landing a 20+" fish!

Seth - I may be back in MO at the end of March. Wonder if your offer would apply to others. I have caught one blue catfish and "bumped" a couple of spoonbills.

The fish in those photos were caught 5 mins from my house. Not an issue😁.

We don't have white bass out this way. We just have their smaller cousins, the white perch, and their larger cousins, striped bass. Been easy to find so far. Might even be able to put @snagged in outlet 3 on some, of course it is about 900 miles to get out to me. So it won't save him any gas !

Honestly there are so many different fish and each have their positive attributes. If it boiled down to a couple (I know I just can't pick one ). I have a preference more often than not to gravitate to more predatory fish. For streams and clear rivers I will always go for smallmouth bass and brown trout. They both fight hard and can be found in some of the nicest places to fish. For sheer enjoyment of abundance and also their spunky fighting you can't beat bull bluegills during the spawn. For saltwater, if we are talking about bucket list fish then possibly roosterfish or big yellowfin tuna. As Daryk pointed out micros are always a passion and they are in every creek or river or pond and you have to like that!

We had leftover crab imperial form the Superbowl and fresh asparagus. So naturally it was time to dig out the Omaha Steaks Xmas presents. Thawed a couple of the filets. Nothing special just Montreal seasoning and garlic powder. A couple of minutes on each side in the grill pan (my 20 yr anniversary gift from work). Also heated up a couple of twice baked potatoes from the gift pack as well. served with bernaise sauce drizzle.

Awesome fish! Congrats again.

The next fish😁!

I just now have to figure out if I am working in Columbia the week prior to Jigfest or the week after Jigfest, but at this time I am in.

Oh we know why !

Then we better not invite @snagged in outlet 3😁!

I would just like to be invited on a white bass trip when I am in town.

That's a great double! Congrats! Browns like stocker rainbows as well😁!

Based upon your proximity I think that both would work well at Crane creek. Can't wait to see some photos !

If you want an easy baked fish, salt and pepper the fillets, squeeze a little lemon juice and then coat the fish with ranch dressing. Bake until flaky.

Tonight we made a squash and brussel sprout dish. Sliced the butternut squash into noodle like ribbons. Salt and pepper and baked for 20 mins. Crisped up some applewood smoked bacon pieces. Pulled the bacon. Then sauted thinly sliced brussel sprouts until tender also with salt and pepper. Added in the cooked squashand the bacon then a third cup of chicken broth. Added some chinese 5 spice. Served with a roasted chicken thigh.

Dan I fry with a mix that I make myself. I start with regular bread crumbs mixed with half as much panko crumbs. Add dried oregano and sweet basil to the mix. Then garlic powder and salt and pepper. I also add in parmesan cheese. I dredge fish in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. Then into a couple of beaten eggs then into the bread crumb mixture. Fry until golden brown.

I may have to try and make my own. The local Amish applewood bacon is really good. I can also get some good dark chocolate as well.

Great trip QB! Congrats buddy! Can't wait to see you hold up some trout in Arkansas. Skunks breed in Feb. So your reference to the amorous Pepe Le Pew is apropo😁.

I have never caught a spot as large as any that you guys were catching. So I would still have gone with smallies as the hardest fighting black bass. Though would be willing to try one😁!