Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-04-19

W6Ie happy W DEC IAlClh VANSAN'
We also caught fish and therein Z
lies a secret we'll reveal a bit {
later. {
Big Hunting is reserved for
fly fishermen and we picked 1t
for that reason as well as the
fact it is one Of the most beau
tiful trout streams in Mary
land.
From the slopes Of Catoctin
Mountain the creek tumbles
along a rocky course in sue
cession Of rifles, pools and
waterfalls, at times through
thick forest and at others along
the highway that leads to the
park.
We also picked Big Hunting
because its steep course allows
for quick runoff and several
days of rain made the condi-
ton of the trout streams in the
lowlands dubious.
The trip followed several
nights, nay, several weeks OF
suuinting over No. IL hooks as
we tied countless Black Ghosts,
Royal Coachmen, yellow Mari
bous and Black Maribous as
well as assorted nymphS.
We met Fred O'Rourke and
Ed Sweeney, from Potomac
Park, in Bethesda after groan-
ing out of bed at 2 am. It's
easy to forget things in a sleepy
start, so we had packed the
station wagon the night before.
Lights twinkled as we sped
up 240, through Frederick and
out Route is to Thurmont
where we turned left to climb
the slope. We had hoped to be
at our appointed spots beside
the pool below Cunningham
Falls before the magic hour OF
$50, but we were late and so
many cars lined the road we
even had difficulty parking.
Outfit Cheap but Good
Because the forecast for the
mountains was for a tempera-
ture in the 20s, I wore insulated
underwear, heavy trousers, wool
shirt and fishing vest, a grave
mistake it turned out when the
sun climbed high. Both Of us
donned hip boots, rather than
waders because Big Hunting
can be fished easily enough
from the bank.
Lest the novice think that fly
fishing is for the wealthy, here
was my outfit: Light action
Montague glass rod, 7 feet long
retail cost, $3.50; single &C
ton Ocean City reel, retail cost,
about Sc; canvas creel, $3.50;
landing net, 81 rs years ago.
No $85 custom made bam-
boo rod or fancy automatic reel.
The only expensive item was
my line, an Ashaway double
tapered HDH, which with
backing cost more than rod and
reel together. A good line is a
necessity.
Ties on Black Ghost
To it I attached a tapered
leader, 3-pound test, and q
Black Ghost streamer, home
tied Of black yarn set of by
silver tinsel, yellow tail and
white maribou wings" dis
pensed with the traditional
jungle cock eyes but added a
touch of red maribou at throat
and collar.
Streamers represent minnowt
rather than flies and tnaribou
has a fiuttering action in the
water much like a tiny minnoV
fleeing for its life.
Finally reaching the pool We
found at least a half dozer
fishermen casting, but to our
good fortune not one had gont
to the effort Of clambering ovel
the rocks to the foot of the fall
itself.
Easing into position. I fiickeC
the Black Ghost under the falls
twitched it a few times, fount
it did not sink properly ant
attached a bit Of wrap-on sink
er well above the fly. I cas-
again and then strike! A 10
inch rainbow boiled out of tn
fast water and quickly was il
my creel.
Casting again, tried drop
ping the fly alongside a rocl
on the opposite bank and thel
twitching it through the cur
rent. The reward was anothe
strike and another rainbow tn
same size. Fred, meanwhile
also was fishing under the fall
and was having equal luck.
A few more casts produced
couple of half-hearted strike
and we decided to move down
stream. That's where we ra
into competition - an alnoS
elbow-to-elbow line OF angler
There wasn't one pool tins
didn't have two to three aroun
1t.
We gave up. got in the sts
ton wagon and drove back