Big Hunting Creek

Big Hunting Creek tumbles down the Catoctin Mountains along Route 77 west of Thurmont in Frederick County, through Cunningham Falls State Park and Catoctin Mountain Park. It was one of the first streams in Maryland stocked with trout and became the state's first catch-and-return trout water; today the whole creek inside the two parks is fly-fishing-only and catch and release. It holds a strong population of wild brown trout (mostly under 12 inches, some to 15), a few native brook trout above the lake, and stocked rainbows below it. Its nearness to Camp David earned it the nickname "Stream of the Presidents."

When to fish

• Spring: blue-winged olives and Hendricksons, then tan and olive caddis.
• Summer: minimum releases from Cunningham Falls Lake keep water in the creek; ants, beetles and inchworms bring trout up.
• Year-round: the special rules are the same all year, and the pressure eases outside spring weekends.

Where to fish

• Below Hunting Creek Lake (the tailwater): the upper third runs gently through slow runs and a meandering channel; below the Camp Peniel bridge it steepens into a "canyon" of plunge pools and pocket water under hemlocks. Stocked rainbows are only in this part of the creek.
• Above the lake: a small stream, about 10 feet wide, with wild browns and the creek's only native brook trout; no trout are stocked here.
• Around the rock and log structures: a volunteer group built them to hold trout at low flows.

How to fish it

A short 4 weight (7.5 to 8 feet) with a 7.5-foot leader suits the tight quarters, according to the Fish & Hunt Maryland guide. Traditional Eastern dry flies work well for the wild browns: blue-winged olives and Hendricksons in spring, caddis through summer, parachute Adams and bushy attractors, and terrestrials in summer. You may use only artificial flies with barbless hooks and fly tackle; spinning and casting reels are prohibited.

Getting there

From US 15 at Thurmont, take Route 77 west; it follows the creek, with many small pull-offs and streamside paths. There's no fee to fish the creek (the lake area charges one). In August 2026 the park briefly closed the lake area and the creek above it after rabid beaver attacks; the lake reopened on August 24, so check the park's current status and keep your distance from wildlife. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license and a trout stamp.