Town Creek (Green Ridge State Forest)

Town Creek flows south out of Pennsylvania through Green Ridge State Forest, Maryland's largest block of public land, to the Potomac near Oldtown in eastern Allegany County. It's a remote, lightly fished freestone creek of big pools and riffles that DNR stocks with adult brown and rainbow trout in spring and fall, many of them trophy size, and manages as delayed-harvest water. In summer, when it's too warm for trout, smallmouth bass, rock bass and redbreast sunfish take over.

When to fish

• Late winter: stonefly hatches give surprisingly good early dry-fly fishing, according to DNR.
• Fall through spring: the trout season, after the fall and spring stockings. It's catch and release with artificials from October through May.
• Early summer: the delayed-harvest water opens to harvest in June, and trout usually hold until midsummer.
• Summer into fall: smallmouth and sunfish.

Where to fish

• The delayed-harvest stretches in Green Ridge State Forest: two sections marked by red posts, along Lower Town Creek Road and below Maniford Road.
• Root balls, small falls and the heads of pools: the Fish & Hunt Maryland guide points to these as the best trout cover.

How to fish it

Wade up or down from the parking areas. The trail guide recommends a 9-foot 5 weight with a floating line and bushy attractor dry flies or tan caddis; DNR notes the insect hatches are prolific. In the catch-and-release season, use artificial lures or flies with barbless hooks and no bait.

Getting there

From I-68, take Route 144 east, then Town Creek Road and Lower Town Creek Road to Maniford Road, which ends at a dirt lot by the creek. DNR also lists access along Lower Town Creek Road and at a pull-off on Wagner Road. Green Ridge has about 100 primitive campsites, so it's easy to make a weekend of it. You need a Maryland nontidal fishing license and a trout stamp.