I picked Jin up around 6am at his place and we sped off down the Beltway to fish Beaver Creek. Traffic was light and despite missing the exit (I was too busy yaking) we got there a little past 7am. There was another angler there but we had the spot I wanted to fish all to ourselves.
Heavy thundershowers had moved through Washington County overnight and the water level was high and colored. We rigged up quickly and began fishing various runs. As the minutes turned to hours it was obvious that the fish weren't going to cooperate today. We fished deep. We fished shallow. We fished fast. We fished slow. We would pull a streamer through the run a few times then switch to another color or style. Jin had a large rainbow swim up and inspect his streamer then turn away. i had a quick take that did not stick. That was pretty much all the action we had for the day.
However we did see several huge snapping turtles carried back to the creek by one of the nearby landowners. Two labs were barking continuously and it turned out to be a turtle. The landowner drove up on his tractor and using a large shovel, picked up the turtle and put it back near the stream. He told me it was time for them to lay eggs and sometimes they get stuck trying to make it back to the water. A few minutes later the dogs found another turtle and the landowner repeated his scoop and release.
EQUIPMENT: We used fast action 9' 5-weight rods, weight forward lines and heavy fluorocarbon leaders and an assortment of nymphs and streamers.
DIRECTIONS: From I-70 heading towards Hagerstown, take Exit 66 (Boonsboro) and turn left at bottom of ramp onto Mapleville Road (66). Continue down 66 and turn right onto Beaver Creek Road. About 100 yards past Beaver Creek Church Road on your right is the fly fishing parking lot. Follow the signs and instructions.