Pangborn Pond Fishing Rodeo

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Pangborn Pond, Carroll Creek, and Owens Creek

Eeen,eeen eeen, there goes my alarm at 6:30. I wake up to snow falling in the street lights. I was for sure the rodeo was going to be canceled but it went on. We arrived up at Hagerstown about 8:30 and didn't see anyone. After a walk around the pond we spotted the registration table.And at 9:00, the rodeo started and so did the snow. Before 9:00 it wasn't snowing up there...yet. Although there were only 2 other kids at the rodeo it was really enjoyable. But, at about 9:35 the snow kept getting harder and thicker. The rodeo was stopped and they handed out the prizes. I caught 6 Rainbow Trout all in the 10-13" range but one was about 16" or so. I got most, biggest, and smallest fish of the competition. (Well, I caught the only fish of the competition.) I won a Mitchell Avocet II, it's an UL rod that sells for $30.00 at Walmart. I also won like $15.00 or $25.00 in fishing tackle (mostly Trout tackle). The Trout were holding in about 8 feet of water, near the bottom. Although I sometimes could see the Trout come up to get something off of the surface. They were all near a deep dropoff. I was casting farther than them and bringing the lure back in front of them. You know you did good at a Rodeo if an adult fisherman asks what lure you were using :) We got a cup of coffe at Sheetz and headed back to the pond once the snow calmed down a little. I caught two more Rainbows, and lost a couple. I crimp down my barbs for Trout so that it makes for an easier release although, 1 or 2 Trout might get off of the hook while playing 'em. 20 minutes in, 2 guys come in (obviously way over 16) and they start fishing. I did not want to see them catch any (since it would be against the law) and I left. As soon as I left they went and fished where I fished since they saw me catch one. All fish were released. Here's a couple reports from earlier this week. Sorry, no pics. </p><p> I've been waiting for Carroll Creek to be stocked all summer and fall, I couldn't wait, I only had about an hour to fish it because of the pouring rain. It's great if you just want to catch fish. This stream is for the blind and under 16 only, so it doesn't receive as much pressure as some of the other streams. Parts of the stocked area are remote, for instance right below the Route 15 bridge it's very hard to get through to the creek and cast. And above the Route 15 bridge is Waterford Park that I haven't been to yet, so I'll have to check it out. But from Fairview Ave. downstream to the dam on N Bentz street it is very easy access and provides plenty of room for the kids to cast. We parked beside Culler Lake and walked downstream to W College Terrace Road and I fished my way upstream. I was mostly Fly-fishing with Black Woolybuggers sizes 8-12 because you can catch a bunch of chubs on them too. I landed 8 Trout, all in the 10-13 inch range with the exception of two, one being 8'' and the other was about 15''. Also caught a couple chubs. I caught most of them Fly-fishing but a few on my finesse tackle. I fished a 3 1/2 foot BPS UL Rod with a Flueger Trion GX-7. The short rod helped out in some places where you have only a couple feet to cast. I used a 12'' Fluoro leader, although it probably didn't matter this early in the season, but it is a necessity later in the winter for catching more fish. This stream also has a lot of Sunfish and a few small Largemouths. Most fish do eventually get caught after a couple months, but I have caught a couple in the summer. All fish were released into their (new) home. </p><p> Owens Creek- We stopped by the Roddy Road Covered Bridge first and with no hits it was off to the mid section. I fished right above where there was a landslide a couple months ago. After doing the regular finesse tactic with no hits I decided to Fly-fish with Woolybuggers. All of a sudden my line went slack and...and I set the hook, and I had a big one on. After about 30 seconds of fighting him, he made a "v" right for me and he shook out the hook. There are some nice Wild Browns in this stream and some nice holdover stocked fish, of course it also could've been a holdover stocker that they just stocked. I changed my fly to a #4 Brown Woolybugger, and nothing. I headed upstream and managed about a 12-13'' Rainbow on my finesse tactics. The Bown was released after a hard fight of him running in and out of the current. Another great day in the Catoctin Mts.