The Same River Twice

Savage River

I think it was the Greek philosopher Heraclitus who said "you can never step into in the same river twice" or words to that effect. Three entire years have now passed since I last set foot in Maryland's Savage River. This moderately sized tailwater was flowing at 110 CFS back on that first trip and the hatches of march browns and sulphers were good enough to bring a bevy of very nice wild brook and brown trout to the surface. Many events have happened on the Savage River over the past 3 years, but probably none of them are more important the repairs that took place up at the Savage Reservoir Dam in the early part of 2010.

With the lake drained for the replacement of the pen-stock gate valves, the huge beds of exposed sediments were now vulnerable to erosion from the 4'+ deep snow pack that was sitting at the time in the surrounding mountains. With a major late winter rainstorm barreling down on said snow pack, the contractors worked double shifts and drank a lot of coffee to get the new pen-stock gates installed and operational thus a major sedimentation event downriver was avoided. Additionally, after the lake was refilled, two major high volume flushes of the lower river were done to remove the residual sediment deposited there by the initial draw down of the lake. Thanks to all of those hard workers involved in the repair project for expediting it's completion.

Savage River

In a mucked up lovely river,

I cast my little fly.

I look at that river and smell it,

And it makes me want to cry.

Oh to clean our dirty planet,

Now there's a noble wish,

And I'm putting my shoulder to the wheel

'Cause I wanna catch some fish.

-Greg Brown, Spring Wind

Savage River Outfitters

My return visit now, 3 years later, once again with my good friends Mike Bowman and Glen Gutgold, finds the river flowing at a near perfect dry fly level of 60 CFS. It's the middle of a bright and sunny afternoon with caddis, sulphers, yellow and orange cahills, and Epeorus vitreus (thanks Greg) mayflies hatching in a fairly steady stream of progression. The water temperature ranges from 52-58F. The fish are in a friendly mood too and they respond eagerly to well presented nymphs and dry flies, even in the middle of a bright and sunny afternoon my rod is bent more often than I'm use to seeing. Mike Bowman had warned us that the Savage River fishes best after the sun had been on the water for a few hours. He was right. I'm pretty sure that Glen said that all his fish were taken on dry flies. Almost surreal.

Fly Shop - Savage River Outfitters

 If that wasn't enough already, it was the evening rise to the sulpher hatch that had us all strung out with anticipation. After all, we hear things. We heard of the epic blue quill hatch that lasted 3 months and the fishing on the river at that time. We saw some pictures of some stunningly beautiful brown trout that were caught. And.......the sulpher hatch was just getting started down here, while it was already finished around most parts up north in Pennsylvania. Sort of a dry fly angler's wet dream.

The natural beauty of the area just adds to the fishing experience with steep forested mountains of hardwoods and hemlocks and an understory of thick rhododendrons and azaleas. Large boulders roll down off of those mountains and into the streambed and making wading treacherous. Maryland has banned the use of felt sole wading boots so I got the first chance to try out my new Orvis River Guard Ultralight Wading Boot with EcoTrax soles. I'll admit right here and now that they performed better than I expected them to and traction was not an issue at all anywhere on the river, unless I really pushed it and took a chance. We'll see if they withstand the test of time but I have a feeling I'll be eating a big plate of crow on this one.

Brownie Cottage - Savage River Outfitters

5-Star accommodations that are right on the river were provided by Mike Evans, owner of Savage River Outfitters. Drift off to sleep each night with your bedroom window open and the sound of the Savage River singing you to sleep. Enjoy your morning coffee on the back deck in peace and quiet. I'd like to thank Mike Evans for all the lodging and hospitality while we were there and I'd like to thank Mike Bowman for setting the whole trip up. For s'more interior photos of the Brownie Cottage click on over to the Savage River Outfitters page.

Savage River

"There are many paths to salvation, one of them is to follow a river"

-David Brower

Savage River

"Men may dam it and say that they made a lake, but it will always be a river. It will keep it's nature and bide it's time, like a caged animal alert for the slightest opening. In time it will have it's way; the dam, like the ancient cliffs, will be carried away piecemeal in it's currents."

-Wendell Berry

Savage River Brown Trout

The brown trout captured above during the height of a sulpher hatch fell for a Flatlander Flies #14 sulpher parachute while aggressively rising in fast water. While the hatches here do seem to have largely benefited from the cleaner substrate as a result of the flushing the river got in 2010, some sections of the streambed were slightly rearranged, but overall the effect has been positive and the river is improving. The presence of the fore mentioned Epeorus vitreus tells us that the river is healthy, clean and well oxygenated.

The fish rise well to dry flies at these lower flow levels (60 CFS). The real etymological mystery for the three nights we fished was the lack of any fishable sulpher spinner falls in the evening. Nor were there any flights or falls in the morning either. Conditions were near perfect for them too. But alas, none fell to be fished over. I know we were in the early stages of the hatch but it couldn't be that early.

Savage River

Nonetheless there were plenty of duns on the water from 4pm to about 7:30pm, then without the spinner activity things sort of tapered off from there until darkness. This trout river holds many secrets.

A nice quiet place to sit by the river during the downtime in between hatches. Enjoy it's rhythm and lifeblood and the pleasant lassitude on a warm summer afternoon. Wildlife sightings around camp included a black bear that came right down to the bank and did a somersault off of a large rock and into the pool below (then ran off up the mountain), a large beaver in the upper river, a mink along the middle river, a scarlet tanager and a possible mountain lion sighting.

Fisherman's Last Supper

We ate a little too much, we drank a little too much.....we dined like ravenous kings after a full day on the river. The various dinner menus included salads, beef fajitas and rice, barbecue ribs and pasta and, as seen above, lobster tails with baked potatoes and corn on the cob. All washed down with your favorite beer, wine, and whiskey. The fact that we are having diner while it's still light out is more evidence of the lack of any sulpher spinner activity.

Vegetarian Special

 Look out Clem's Bar-B-Cue. Chef Glen prepared these mouth watering ribs for all the vegans in the posse.

Mike and Suzanne, the proprietors of Savage River Outfitters enjoy a nice evening fire with us while the beef fajitas are being prepared for dinner.

Savage River

Each day we were there the daytime air temperatures got a little warmer (from 75 to 85F) but the overnights remained cool and the river flows and temps were stable throughout the trip. The feeling one gets along the river is of wild, rugged remoteness but it truth you are not really that far from town. 

Savage River Brook Trout

Not only are the trout in this river particularly beautiful in color and shape but they are tenacious fighters that will walk you all over a pool before surrendering to your net. That can only come from good genetics and a good environment.

Savage River

"Rivers are equisite in their abilities to nurture life, sublime in functioning detail, impressive in contributions of global significance."

-Tim Palmer

Savage River Brown Trout

Another sulpher sipper that mistook a Flatlander Flies #16 biot and CDC sulpher emerger for the real thing. Can you blame them? The sulphers and cahills that we had traveled so far to meet and fish hatched in profusion, the fish rose on their timetable not ours, and lots of  big fat drop-dead gorgeous wild trout were caught by everyone. Including a few really nice sized ones landed by Mike and Glen. Those guys are fishing mo-chines.

Savage River Brown Trout

Brown trout just don't come any prettier than a Savage River brown trout. No how, no where, no way!

"No man ever steps into the same river twice, it is not the same river and it is not the same man"

-Heraclitus

Chillin' and grillin on the banks of the Savage River'. Our visit was seriously enhanced by our stay at the Brownie Cottage. You can even walk right down to the river and catch a trout or two while grillin' up dinner without even getting your feet wet.  Been there, done that.

I may have lost my stream thermometer but I gained a few pounds, which I'll now have to lose before my next visit.

Let There be Light

"I choose to listen to the river for a while, thinking river thoughts, before joining the night and the stars"    

- Edward Abbey

"All the water there will ever be, is."

-Anonymous

Savage River Outfitters

I never travel without my posse.

Thanks again to Mike Evans and Suzanne at Savage River Outfitters as well as Mike Bowman and Glen Gutgold for good company, good food, good drink, good times and some mighty fine fishing.