A drive to Toronto and the promise of warmer weather led me back to Potter County at the end of March. It became my first brook trout trip of 2025 after a long and cold winter in Western New York. I decided to explore a familiar watershed along with a few tributaries I had never fished. Pennsylvania Elk As I approached the state game land road that leads to the stream, I noticed a strange animal grazing in a field beside the main river. At first, I thought it was the biggest

The famous Salmon River. In November, I started my first engagement as a consultant. This meant lots of time traveling to the client site in Toronto and unexpected exposure to fishing opportunities I normally wouldn’t be able to explore. I would drive to my grandparents’ house in Lockport, NY, and commute to Toronto every Monday, often spending several weeks in Western New York before heading home to Philadelphia. My grandparents were living in Florida for the winter, leaving

When most people think of fly fishing in Baltimore, they think of the Gunpowder River in northern Baltimore County. The wild trout population in the Gunpowder is strong and the cold water temperature allows for year-round fishing. I grew up fishing on the Gunpowder and it was where I learned to fly fish. I can remember catching my first brown trout near Masemore Road. I have many fond memories of the Gunpowder and feel a special connection to the river. Unfortunately, I have

As the temperatures get hotter, many of the tributaries transition from trout waters to smallmouth habitat. To give the trout a rest, I have started smallmouth fishing a lot more this summer. This series, Summer Smallies, will highlight techniques and fisheries, detailing the different opportunities that anglers have to target smallmouth. These stories will range from fishing small creeks to major rivers, after work wade trips to day long drifts. The summer can be one of the