Afternoon Exploring Western Maryland

Type: Nontidal
Region: Western
Location: Youghiogheny River and Bear Creek

On the afternoon of May 7 th , and after having some new freedoms given, it only seemed fitting to take the boys on a fishing trip for whatever we could catch. It was a beautiful spring afternoon, so the boys did not hesitate to load the truck with gear and snacks and hit the road. Jase was particularly excited about the snack part of this trip; �Finley, I have so many snacks, you�re never going to believe this!� he rattled off to his brother at one point.

Our first destination was on the Youghiogheny River where it slows as it turns into the lake. This location provides a great opportunity for a mixed bag of species that are fun to catch, and great for the table. The boys were excited to be away from the house and started casting away�.. This didn�t last long as this new freedom had them wound tighter than a banjo string and they then proceeded to skipping rocks, searching for frog eggs, looking for salamanders, and crossing a log over a vernal pool that I was certain would end with two soaking wet kids. While the boys were exploring, I took the time to make a few casts myself and I was able to land a couple of nice smallmouth.

Second stop on the tour was on the trout waters of Bear Creek to try and catch a few stock trout for the smoker. About a millisecond after getting out of the truck, the exploring and rock skipping continued. This soon turned into them wanting to be my guide. I was always under the impression that I was to guide them but hey�.. Ill take it! The boys would sneak from spot to spot in search of the prized golden trout and then I would proceed to not catch them! We finished out explorations on Bear Creek with a rainbow and one of the prized golden trout!

In all it was a great day to be outside and to see some different territory. While we did manage a few fish, that is not what made the trip, the trip was made just by watching the excitement of my kids exploring the outdoors! I encourage others to get their children out there and do some exploring while fishing and hunting�. Just remember that being out there is what it is all about, catching fish and harvesting game is a bonus!