Maryland's Best Kept Secret
By Brent Nelson

The large wooden inboard boat moored to the end of the dock reminded me of the kind found in the movie, "On Golden Pond". Sleek teak gunwales, stained and polished, a New England nautical antique that’s been judiciously pampered with over the years

That particular spring morning yielded a piscatorial menagerie of largemouth and smallmouth bass, numerous toothy chain pickerel and a crappie as large as a dinner plate, not to mention a four and a half pound walleye. Where else within a three hour drive of the Washington/Baltimore Metro area can you find such an assortment of freshwater fins.

Deep Creek Lake claims to be Maryland’s best kept secret, and savvy anglers have been heard whispering amongst themselves about how this lake has rebounded and become a fisherman’s potpourri.

Tucked away in Maryland’s western most county, Garrett, this highland reservoir is the largest in the state. It contains sixty five miles of shore line and covers nearly 3,900 acres. It’s water eventually flows into the Ohio River.

Built in 1925 by the Youghiogheny Electric Company, the lake was purchased by the Pennsylvania Electric Company in 1942. In July of 1980, the lake and buffer strip were leased to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to be managed as a public recreational resource.

Fishermen will find a number of campgrounds in the area. Motels, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, cottages and condominiums also dot the shoreline, providing excellent accommodations. Many provide dock facilities, sandy beaches and swimming areas.

Deep Creek State Park offers the only public boat ramp along with plenty of parking and friendly personnel.

Fish Species

If and angler can find more fish species to fish for in a Maryland impoundment than Deep Creek, I ’m not aware of it.

Largemouth and smallmouth bass can be found in good numbers throughout the lake. A recent moratorium for keeping bass in the spring spawning season has really helped this fishery.

Back when I was a boy, the lake yielded many bass averaging one to one and a half pounds. Now, bass in the two to three pound arena are common place.

Deep Creek is the most popular lake in the region to pursue walleye. Every year, numerous fish in the eight to ten pound range are reported. Look for ole "mirror eyes" to be shallow from ice-out to mid-May. As summer progresses, look for these fish in deeper water, preferably near weeds and rocks. At night during the warmer months, walleyes will roam the shallows. During the summer of 95, my partner and I took numerous walleyes, at night, in the six pound class on black buzzbaits in less then a foot of water. Sounds pretty unorthodox, doesn’t it!

Rainbow and brown trout fishing has come on strong in the last few years due to an aggressive stocking program by the state of Maryland. When the water is cool in the spring, the fish can be found almost anywhere over the entire lake but as warmer temperatures prevail, look for the trout to migrate to the cooler confines of the down lake dam area. Fishermen find most of the trout suspended in 15 to 20 feet of water. Use small minnows, in line spinners and castmaster spoons.

The largest fish in the lake are northern pike. Although not as prolific as his cousin the chain pickerel, the big fish can be taken with regularity in the back cove areas immediately after ice-out. This is when the big females spawn and become more concentrated.

Yellow perch, crappie and huge bluegills round out the panfish theater. My clients and I have a ball catching huge bluegills with flyrods in June and July on this water. More citation bluegills were reported from this lake then any other impoundment in the state of Maryland during 1995.

Seasonal Patterns

Some people claim there are only two seasons in Garrett County, Winter and August. Don’t believe them as far as fishing is concerned! Just after ice-out in late March, the fishing can be awesome at times. Fish begin migrating from their winter deep water haunts to prowl the shadows.

Now is the time when the temperature gauge on your boat can be the most important piece of equipment you own. Underwater springs with ambient water temperatures in the 60 degree range can concentrate huge schools of bass. Look for out cropping and rock walls on shore and watch your temperature gauge closely. Many times only 1 degree in water temperature change can be the difference between a bad day or a successful one.

Jerkbaits in the post winter period have been known to take quality bass and even an occasional trout. Use a suspended model, preferably one with a gold finish, when the water temperature hangs in the 50 degree range.

Spring fishing on Deep Creek is probably my favorite. Look for numerous fish species to be concentrated around hard cover such as rocks, stumps, weed lines and especially docks.

"Flipping the docks" (see graphic) can be the most successful pattern when a cool spring morning gives way to a sunny warm afternoon. Use spider jigs, gitzits and grubs.

After the Memorial Day weekend, Deep Creek Lake takes on a new personality. Jet skis, ski boats and sailboats pound the water and fish seek cover in the deep weed lines and drop offs. This is the time so many of the vacationing fishermen I talk to fish this lake. Most come home saying Deep Creek is the last place on earth they’ll fish again.

Now is the time to approach this lake at night. While Washington DC and Baltimore Metro areas are cooking in 90 degree plus heat, Deep Creek is experiencing cool night temperatures in the 50’s and 60’s. Bass, pike and walleyes migrate to shallow water in search of minnows and crawfish. Again, spider jigs, pig and jig combos and gitzits are hard to beat, not to mention spinnerbaits, crankbaits (Crawfish pattern) and buzzbaits in water from one to six feet deep. One of my most productive baits is a 1/2 oz. black Big Mouth spinnerbait in combination with a pork tail trailer.

When first light appears on this impoundment, tie on a noisy top water lure, find a main lake point preferably with grass and rocks beneath, and hang on! Tiny zooplankton are attracted to the light and congregate near the surface followed by the bait fish which feed on them. Smallmouth bass command the end of this aquatic food chain and will charge up through twenty feet of water to savagely attack a noisy Pop-R or Nipp-i-ditty top water bait. Sometimes a floating Rapala twitched on the surface will garner the same results.

Fall will find most vacationers curtailing their pleasure boat activity and fish begin feeding aggressivly during the daylight hours once again. I find a crawfish Luhr Jensen Hot Lips (1/4 ounce crawfish) crankbait or bomber 7A crankbait to be my choice when the trees turn their colors.

Walleyes and big perch can be taken on deep water worm rigs and drifted shiner minnows.

The gold jerkbait pattern for bass emerges again as the water temperature decreases into the 50’s.

Fishermen traveling to this western Maryland impoundment should make it a point to stop at the Bassin’ Box in LaVale Maryland. (Exit 42 off Interstate 48—just west of Cumberland) Owner Jim Weigand is a seasoned veteran of Deep Creek and offers advise and technical expertise without reservation. His tackle selection covers the spectrum.

Don’t expect to become a piscatorial vacuum cleaner every time you visit this pristine mountain lake. Some days and nights, and especially after a high pressure system dominates the weather pattern, the bites are few and far between. But if you’re the enterprising type angler with an eye for a different change of venue, give Deep Creek a try.

If you haven’t experienced a large smallmouth slamming a topwater plug at first light or and eight pound walleye hammering a bottom fished grub, on this lake, you’ll never be a rich man! Seriously consider exploring this reservior and experience a new dimension to your angling adventures.

Brent Nelson is a graphic designer/illustrator and grew up near Cumberland, Maryland. He is a licenced captain and guides for Ken Penrod’s Life Outdoors Unlimited He can be contacted at (410) 799-9326