Backwater Angler Staffer and bamboo rod builder Bill Felter sent in an interesting report from this past weekend in western Maryland- “My birthday was this past Sunday and my wife and I spent part of the holiday weekend doing some light backcountry camping in western Maryland. We passed up the Savage and its perfect flows and instead headed up to a tributary of Savage River Reservoir, for a little brook trout fishing. That was the plan anyway-to fish for brookies-but 10 minutes after leaving the house a deep sense of dread came over me. Oh, crap! The fly rods! I had forgotten the fly rods. …

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Thanks to Adam Wilner for the fishing reports from the San Juan and Animas. Thanks to a buddy’s wedding, last week I was able to re-visit my old stomping grounds in the Southwest where I used to be guide. The first morning we wet a line in the San Juan river in northern New Mexico. This river probably has more 17-24″ trout per mile than any other river in the country. This tailwater fishery flows through high desert terrain at about 48 degrees all year. Size 20-26 midge and baetis nymphs are the ticket and there are some pools and flats where a tiny midge …

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Thanks to Joe Matthews for the report and picture from the North Branch of the Potomac River from early September that pointed to early fall fly fishing picking up in Western Maryland. For release information for the Savage and North Branch this weekend, be sure to check out the US Army Corp of Engineers Current and Projected Releases Page and plan your trip accordingly. Hey Jason, Sorry for not getting back to you sooner. A buddy and I fished the Savage and North Branch the weekend before last (9/6-9/7). Fished the Savage first, from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Picked up some 10-14″ browns on …

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