Fishing small streams in Maryland

Fishing small streams is very rewarding. The smaller streams usually dont get as much interest as the bigger bodies of water. Therefore you usually have the stream to yourself. You can wander around...check out plants, bugs and birds..and scare up the occasional deer or beaver. Needless to say the fish are smaller but they are just as challenging to catch as the bigger ones. Often the fish are skittish and you need a bit of stealth to approach them. Since you dont have wider areas to cast....an issue with flyfishing...you need to pick your spots and have your casting skills up to par.






Picking your stream: Many streams are listed on various sites. Maryland DNR has many maps and its a good bet to check blue lines on google. This requires a bit of intuition and luck...but some blue lines can surprise you. I suggest looking for these off established known trout waters. Its good to check the USGS stream flow site as well. Many small streams can be an exercise in futility if the water flow is too low.  https://waterdata.usgs.gov/md/nwis/current/?type=flow&group_key=basin_cd





Picking your gear: Flyrods in the 2-5 weight range and 7 foot length are a good bet. Tenkara is also a good choice. Spinning or spin-cast rods will also do. For fly rods I prefer dryflies in very small streams but nymphs also work. With spinning gear jigs...grubs and small spinners are my go to. Use what you have the most confidence in.