Outings

Lou Reichel and Ron Kerrick are  our Outings Coordinators for PPTU. Periodically, photos and descriptions of the monthly outings will be posted to this section of the web site and to our monthly newletter, The Conservationist. If you plan to attend an outing, please complete the Outing Registration form. Outing details will be posted prior to the scheduled date. Also, please add This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to your contacts list for information and updates.

For more information on these outings and for other outing suggestions, please contact Lou at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 443-745-0313.

2024 - 2025 Outings Schedule

DESTINATION PERIOD*
TBD December, 2025 TBD
Erie Steelhead November 14-17, 2025
Western MD Campout, Savage River, Big Run State Park, Monroe Pavillion October 10-13, 2025 Fri-Mon, 4 Days, 3 Nights
Gunpowder, MD 1-Fly Contest September 20, 2025
Yellow Breeches, Boiling Springs, PA # White Fly Hatch August, 2025 TBD Short notice of date, weekday, 2nd-3rd week, after 4pm.
Camp Buffalo Bill - 2025 Yellowstone Anglers' Basecamp August 3, 2025 to first week in September, 2025
Bass Fishing (place TBD) July-August, 2025 TBD
Catskills, NY @ (Beaverkill, Willowemoc, Neversink, Esopus) June 5-8, 2025 4 days 3 nights
Spring Creek, State College, PA # Sulphur Hatch May 16-18, 2025 3 days 2 nights
Gunpowder, MD 1-Fly Contest CANCELLED May 3, 2025
Casselman River, Grantsville, Md. Grannon Caddis (Mother’s Day caddis) hatch. April 26-27, 2025 2 days 1 night
Conawego Creek, Biglerville, PA # (after trout stocking) March 22, 2025 TBD
Big Hunting Creek (Little Black Winter Stonefly) Snow on the ground is great! CANCELLED February 15, 2025
Beaver Creek (A spring creek. Great winter fishing in MD!) January 25, 2025
Erie, PA Steelhead + CANCELLED December 6-9, 2024
Conewego Creek, PA # November 9, 2024
Western MD Campout, Savage River, Monroe Pavillion October 11-15, 2024 Fri-Tue, 5 Days, 4 Nights
Big Spring, PA # September 14, 2024
Gunpowder, MD 1-Fly Contest June 1, 2024
Spring Creek, PA Sulphur hatch, Near State College, PA # CANCELLED May 24-26, 2024 3 days, 2 nights
Casselman, MD Grannom - Mother's Day Caddis April 27-28, 2024 2 Days, 1 Night 
* All dates subject to change and dates may be added or deleted due to weather
+ Requires Non-resident PA License and Lake Erie Permit or Combo Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit
# Requires Non-resident PA License and Trout-Salmon Permit or Combo Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit
& Wyoming, Montana, and/or Yellowstone NP License Required
@ NY License Required
! VA License Required

 

Valid New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia Licenses with Trout Stamps are required for out-of-state trips. (The cost of a seven day non-resident New York freshwater fishing license is $28.00.  The cost of a non-resident one day Pennsylvania license and stamp is $31.97. The cost of a non-resident Pennsylvania license and combo Trout-Salmon/Lake Erie Permit is $81.94. The cost of a non-resident Virginia five consecutive day license is $21.00. You do not need an additional Non-resident Trout License to fish the Rapidan River in Virginia or streams in Shenandoah National Park.)

Remember, your feedback and participation are needed in order to make our outings’ program a success

One Fly Contest Winners

The One Fly Contest has become an annual outings tradition. The honor roll of winners are listed below along with the inches of trout landed and the fly used.

  • 2025 Joe Taylor, 53”, #14 Hare's Ear Soft Hackle
  • 2024 Bob Dietz, 34.5”, #14 Tup's Spider
  • 2023 Scott Cernick, 47”, #16 Blow Torch
  • 2022 Scott Cernick, 17”, #16 SOB Czech nymph
  • 2021 Roman Petruniak, 70”, #16 olive perdigon nymph
  • 2020 Roman Petruniak, 8”, Pink Squirmy Worm
  • 2019 Bob Dietz, 19”, Hares Ear Flymph
  • 2018 Sean Beck, 94”, Chartreuse Mop Fly
  • 2017 Bob O’Donnell, 39”, Hot Spot Pheasant Tail
  • 2016 Bob Kaiser, 48”, #14 Flymph
  • 2015 Zack Dingus, 9”, Stimulator
  • 2014 Bob O’Donnell, 43”, #18 BH Midge
  • 2013 Lou Reichel, 17”, #22 Midge Emerger
  • 2012 Bob O’Donnell, 23”, Titanium Head Peasant Tail Prince Nymph
  • 2011 Dennis Covert, 40”, #14 Crane Fly
  • 2010 Bob Dietz, 8.5”, #14 Grouse & Herl
  • 2009 Bob Dietz, 18”, Grouse & Herl
  • 2008 Bob Dietz, 90” , Grouse & Herl
  • 2007 Nick Weber, 19”, Brassie
  • 2006 Ken Bowyer, 45”, #14 BH Brassie

COMING EVENTS

Savage River, Monroe Pavilion Camp Out, October 10-13, 2025 

When:  October 10 – 13, Friday -Monday (3 nights, 4 days, Columbus Day/Indigenous People’s Day weekend).

Where: Big Run State Park, Monroe Pavilion, next to Savage River, Garret County, Maryland

The October Outing and Campout in Western Maryland will be held from October 10 to 13, 2025. Friday (set up 3 pm or later) thru Monday (must vacate by 1:00 pm), 4 days and 3 nights.  Join us for one or all days, and fish the wonderful Savage River, North Branch of the Potomac and the many other mountain brook trout streams in the beautiful autumn foliage of Western Maryland.  You may camp with us at the pavilion or stay at other facilities or lodgings in the area, but everyone should join us for the evening campfires.

All this for just $180 split per participants ($30 maximum – or Pavilion cost split between all of the participants and rounded up for easy cash payments).  We do need at least 6 people to sign up for the Pavilion to keep shared payment at a reasonable price. Pay Ron at the Pavilion, direct amount in cash or check, there will not be change available.  Donations are appreciated.  Cost is per participant and not the days.  Join us for as many days as you can make it.

New members and new to fly fishing are welcome.  Let Ron or Lou know if you need assistance.  There will be members there that can show you the rivers.

For those not interested in camping, there is lodging available in Keyser, WV (Keyser Inn) or Grantsville, MD (Casselman Inn), within 30 min to Savage River.  There is also a large hotel, Comfort Inn just off I-68 at exit 22, just before Grantsville.  In addition, there are camp sites and cabins in nearby New Germany State Park, which have toilets and showers, but generally, you need to reserve a month in advance for cabins.  Please, still fill out the Registration/Liability form and let us know where you are staying. Still join us for dinner and at night around the campfire for fish and ghost stories. 

Fishing on the Savage and North Branch is great during the fall months.  Nights are cool and days are warm. The leaves are just starting to turn colors. There are small mountain creeks like Crabtree and Popular Lick with brookies hidden beneath rhododendron and mountain laurel.  Pocket water fishing on the lower Savage River with pools called the “PHD pool” (the trout are very smart).  Some of those brown trout can get large on the Savage and North Branch and if you are lucky, you can catch a rainbow, brown and brook trout all on the same day. The upper Savage can resemble a mountain brook trout stream and then move to the large North Branch which can resemble a large Western style river with large brown trout.  See for details, “Guide to Maryland Trout Fishing, the Catch and Release Streams” by Charlie Gelso and Larry Coburn.

For new PPTU members or those unfamiliar with Savage River, it is difficult to have a meeting place on the river for the first day since we all arrive at different times.  I suggest checking out the “PHD pool”, at the upper cement bridge, or the Garrett and Alleghany suspension bridges, which have tight turns into small parking areas.  See for details, “Guide to Maryland Trout Fishing, the Catch and Release Streams” by Charlie Gelso and Larry Coburn.  I will try to be at the Pavilion by 4-4:30 pm Friday, to start setting up.  Please be aware that the picnic tables in the Pavilion will need to be moved/arranged as per the Outings Coordinator’s specifications, so I do need strong members to help move heavy picnic tables.

We generally put 2-4 person size tents inside the Monroe Pavilion on the stone floor. It can hold up to 6-7 tents.  So bring an air mattress to sleep on the stone floor.  Larger tents and campers can be placed around the Pavilion.  The Pavilion has a stone fireplace for great campfires, picnic tables, and a place to gather after the days fishing to cook, make coffee, swap stories, and if it rains, we have some shelter.  Bring firewood (Local store bought wrapped bundles), which can be purchased at the New Germany Ranger station or other gas stations and convenience stores in the area (Grantsville exits). The campsite has no running water, no fresh water at Big Run SP so you must bring your own water.  The camp is rugged and has men and lady’s dry bathrooms.  We do have access to the showers at New Germany SP (15-20-min away).  Alcohol is not permitted (within reason!).  In previous times we have been checked by Park Rangers looking for suspicious people, and they did not arrest us even with a few bottles of good whiskey sitting on the table.  There is electricity in the shelter which I do require for my sleep apnea CPAP machine.  No TV’s, and only Blue Grass or Appalachian music allowed!  Please bring a ghost story for the October Halloween late night campfire.  Don’t forget that the Blaire Witch, Snallygaster and Goatman live in western Maryland.  I encourage people to share their smores with me.

Bring your own food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  For breakfast I eat oatmeal (I want to be on the river early), but others have cooked bacon and eggs, etc.  Lunch is mainly cold cuts for sandwiches.  I do bring for sharing a camp stove, extra water and some pots and utensils, and a washing basin if you need to clean pots.  I generally have coffee brewing in the mornings.  If you plan on grilling, there is a charcoal grill set-up at the Pavilion (charcoal for grilling will be provided).  You can pre-cook baked potatoes and just warm them in the coals.  If you have a favorite side dish, please bring and share with us (peach pies, cobbler, potato and macaroni salads, baked beans, fruit salad, etc.).  It seems in the past, the last dinner is hotdogs cooked on the grill, with beans and we finish up all the side dishes.  But if someone would like to bring something to cook for all of us, that is appreciated, let Ron know.  In the past we have had Jay’s grandmothers famous French toast in the morning, Steve’s award-winning chili, camp stew, jambalaya and rice, and fresh elk steaks. If you don’t want to cook, there are places to eat near Grantsville and Westernport, MD and Keyser, WV.

There are no trash cans in the Park.  Please be considerate and pick up trash and don’t leave food outside at night, there are wild black bears and feral cats.  Trash will need to be stored inside cars at night and taken away by us when we leave. Thanks.

Items Needed:  MD Fishing License and Trout Stamp. Take into consideration all types of weather when packing gear, for this is October in the mountains.  There can be a cold frost at night and then, be quite warm by afternoon. Bring camping stuff like tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, flashlight, etc.  Food for breakfast, lunch and dinner and cooking utensils, water, toiletries, basically everything needed to sustain you for 3-4 days.  Per park regulations, bring only local, store bought firewood for the campfire. Firewood can be bought there or buy packaged parcels at the local stores, do not bring wood from your home wood pile.

Rods:  Bring 3 to 5 wt. rods (7ft to 9ft) for either small brook trout streams or large brown trout in the lower Savage and North Branch.

Flies:  Stop by the Savage River Outfitters on Savage River Rd, to find out what flies are active.  Typical Fall hatches contain dark to mahogany flies.  In addition, there has been talk of green drakes (#10-12) on the North Branch and upper Savage.  Savage River contains midges, mayflies and multiple caddis including the #10 October caddis.  Griffith gnat, BWO, paralep mahogany dun, Blue Quill, Adams dry and Parachutes, Slate Drake, Simple 3-hackle (Gelso and Coburn book), purple haze parachute, soft hackles, pheasant tail s.h., Leadwing Coachman s.h., peacock and brown s.h., and every kind of nymph, San Juan worm, Don Juan worm, mop fly and terrestrials.  Heck, just bring everything.
See Jay’s Maryland Fall Fly List .

Directions to Monroe Pavilion from Baltimore:
Of course, there are many different ways to get there, but this is my route.  Take I-70 West.  At Hancock I-70 splits, bear left onto I-68.  Proceed on I-68 through Cumberland, just before Grantsville, take Exit 22, turn south (left) on Chestnut Ridge Rd.  Follow and turn left at stop sign at New Germany Road. Follow past New Germany State Park and proceed on to Big Run Road (small road, be prepared).  Turn left on Big Run Road and proceed to Park entrance.  Monroe Pavilion will be on your right, a short distance before the road ends and just past the sign for Monroe Run Trail and bathrooms (GPS coordinates 39.546434, -79.143451).

Drive time from Silver Spring is about 3 hours.

Fishing Areas:
Going past Monroe Pavilion, at the end of Big Run Rd, turn right onto Savage River Rd, and follow past the reservoir and dam to lower Savage River. The first cement bridge is the “PHD pool” (GPS 39.502283, -79.123455), followed by two suspension bridges, Garrett (GPS 39.501200, -79.114267) and Alleghany,  (GPS 39.501325, -79.106731) onwards to Savage River Outfitters, and after 2-4 miles downstream to the metal bridge near end of the Catch and Return fishing area and Rt 135.

Sign-Up
To sign up for this outing, please complete the Outing Registration.  People not staying at the Pavilion, please still fill out the Registration/Liability form and let us know where you are staying.

Hope to see you there. Please contact the Outings Coordinator if you have any questions.   

Lou Reichel and Ron Kerrick (240-423-8375)
Outings Coordinators
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MOST RECENT TRIP REPORT

September 2025 One Fly Contest

Outings Photo Album

These first ones are from the December 2022 Erie Steelhead outing

 

Below are some photos from some previous PPTU outings.


Savage River Brookie

Savage River Gold

North Branch 23" Brown

NB 20" Rainbow

Savage River

PPTU Members along NB Potomac 06

Youghiogheny

Fish Camp Fire

Tim Bowers 20 Incher NB Oct 06

Mike Abramowitz's Big Brown NB Oct 06

Dennis Covert 18" NB Rainbow 06

Tim Bowers 24" NB Brown 06

Fish Camp Fall 06

NB Fall 05 22" Brown