County No. 14 Carroll County

Father's Day 2017 and the family is out as an entire group. With my oldest son working in the evenings, and my wife finishing up her school year we don't often have everyone together. This morning we got everyone up and drove up to Cascade Lake. My wife had read about it, and even though the boys are well into their teens, we thought it would still be fun. From my point of view it meant a chance to possibly catch a fish in a new county.

After paying the fee to get into the area, $15 a person, we made our way to the parking area. A walk down the hill brought us to a very pretty area. Personally it reminded me of of Lake Lure in North Carolina, where they filmed some of the scenes for "Dirty Dancing." (My family visited that area a few years back.) There were water slides, a diving platform, with three different heights, paddle boats, and a small beach for the younger kids.

There were multiple signs around the area that said "Catch and Release" fishing only. I made my way towards the earthen dam at the far end of the lake. I spotted a couple of other anglers and just before I made my first cast one was reeling in a largemouth bass. I had a 2/0 wide gap hook tied on from earlier in the week. I put a green pumpkin Senko worm on the hook rigged "wacky" style. I made a cast along the shoreline and allowed the bait to drop. It got hit immediately but I was late setting the hook. Another cast to the same area and I hooked up with my first of eleven largemouth. On reeling in that fish the worm fell off into the lake never to be seen by me again, so I switched to a purple Luck-E Strike curly tail worm. Still rigged without any weight I'd make cast and allow it to fall. If nothing bit, I would lift the rod tip, reel in slack line and wait a little more. During the fall, I would watch my line and look to see if it began moving a different direction and then I'd know to set the hook.

Since I had the time I tried a couple of other baits. The small Rat-L-Trap I like to used produced one first as well as a Matzuo crankbait. Being a pretty big bait I was surprised when I reeled in a crappie on it. But in all honesty that crappie was easily big enough to eat.

So county number 14 is checked off - Carroll County. Where will "Fish Across Maryland" take me next? Stay tuned. Until next time... Tight Lines!