Antietam, 05/27/25

Today was a first. I had to go to Antietam to work to be ready for all the excited fly fisherman who will be fishing there the next few weeks. I weed wacked trails and trimmed branches on one of our drive in access points. Many have said to me, I can’t believe you only make a cast or two when you work down here. I reply back, I want the water for you all. Well, today I did fishing the clear and 51 degree water for 90 minutes. A few sulphurs and Yellow Drakes were hatching, but I fished nymphs and then a streamer in some deep runs. Takes were light, two of which I did not know I had a trout on. Streamers, well that was a crushing strike. I picked up 11 beautiful Antietam trout from 12 to 15 inches. I thought I had my, “Welcome to Antietam trout”. Still over 40 years of fly fishing, my personal best and a hell of a fight, I netted a 21” American Sucker. I was not too upset with that.