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Post 28 Nov 2022, 08:42 • #1 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Hey My Fellow Freestaters..
CarlZ and myself were planning to start a Maryland Conclave but we shelved it in 2020

This summer we officially started the (2 member) Md Cave in his driveway a few weeks before he moved out west .

So now I’m the sole survivor….the Torch has been passed yada yada.

If you follow my posts you know all there is to know already but if your a new guy …

My name is Scott Otto
I go by several nicknames
Ottobahn (car-sbike scene/forum name )
Otto (neighborhood, skateboard scene name)
Scotto ( work name)
Otter ( fishing name )
Dr Phil (my newest…thanks fishhuntmike)
You can pick your favorite… :lol

Im 52
I was born with a zebco 77 in my hand
Grew up fishing tournaments in the middle & upper bay
Spent my summers on the Susquehanna , Gunpowder, Middle and Savage rivers along with countless cricks and ponds ..

Lived and fished in N Central Florida in the 90s

Started fly fishing in 1982 until I severely injured my thumb 91 and wrist in 96
Spin fished hard til 2011
Been 70% fly, 30% spin ever since

I’m a multi species angler but my favs are Brookies and Bronzebacks
Although love Bucketmouths and Snakeheads too
Oh and a Panfish too can’t forget about Panfish.

I love them all , I love all glass rods but I’m especially fond of vintage rods.

While the world moves forward it’s been nice to “devolve” with these magical sticks!!

To take a back cast in time with these rods is one of the most fun I’ve ever had while fishing.

I’m located in Harford county by the bush and gunpowder rivers

I also have a place In Western Maryland
That I’ve been sprucing up last 2 years

I’m right on the top of meadow Mountain

I’ve got quite the casting Meadow out back ..


I have a spare bedroom with 2 twin beds
Living room day bed with trundle and 1 sofa
So I can host 5 guys upstairs.

My basement is unfinished but sealed and walks out to the back yard.

Planning on three twin beds downstairs plus 3 or 4 cots .

We’ve fit 12-18 guys up for deer season and ice fishing / turkey -trout season.

We can fit a good dozen cars out front .

Plus plenty of room in the back yard to camp

I’ve got a working shower and bathroom, plus Another 1/2 bath
( I have hi iron water ) bring drinking water ..

I have a microwave ,oven/range , gas grill and a propane camp stove for any cooking needs ..
Flat screen TVs and the SA mastery series on DVD for entertainment..

I have linens towels , plates cups utensils etc
Two small fridges .. so bring a cooler

So we could have a sweet lil base camp to gather, check out rods and gear on my front porch or out back in the casting meadow ..

Then we all could go fishing …
Oh yeah the fishing ..
I’m minutes away from ALL the best water in the Savage watershed

We will fish!!!!

Brookie streams
Dry run
Crabtree Creek
Middle Fork
Poplar Lick
Monroe Run
Big Run
Upper Savage
Way Way Upper Savage
Lost land run
And maybe a few more that don’t have names
(Shhh)

Wanna fish big rivers ??
How about
Casselman River
Youghigheny River
Lower Savage River
North Branch Potomac River

How about some Stillwater for Bass,and Bluegills,Walleye/perch , Pike,Tiger Muskie
We’ve got
Deep Creek Lake
Savage Reservoir
Herrington lake
Broadford lake
Cunningham Lake/4h Co-op
New Germany Lake
Accident Pond

I’m not a professional guide ..
I just play one on the internet .
Seriously though I’ve got over 40 years on this watershed ..
I know it Better than the guides. LOL ;)
Except Charlie from Savage River Outfitters

That’s the fly shop I’m a semi local at ..
We could maybe do an evening with drinks down at the shop with Mike and Charlie
(Mike likes yuengling’s)
Fish the PHD pool at dusk


Ask AngryViking ??
He’s seen the PHD hatch at dusk!
Intense doesn’t really describe it ..
I’ll let him chime in with a thought

I can put you on some fish ..
But in the immortal words of Flip Pallot..
“The Last 30 feet are up to you “

If anyone is interested in getting together and having ourselves a lil glass shin dig in Western Maryland ????

Hit That PM button!
Our operators are standing by..

Pa , Wv , Va and surrounding area anglers are also invited …

If attendance should exceed my space limit
I have alternate accommodations I can arrange just minutes away ..

I’ll be bringing lots O’ rods ,the space/hospitality and the guide service .

You bring some food ,drinks , your favorite glass rods and some good vibes :)

Hope to get something going ,
Scotto


Last edited by ottobahn on 07 Dec 2022, 16:20, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 28 Nov 2022, 09:49 • #2 
Guide
Joined: 03/21/22
Posts: 172
Location: US-PA
Me describing the PhD pool won’t do it much justice either but I’ll try. I’m willing to bet most of you have never seen anything like it. Right around dusk it all kicked off. Rise after rise of browns and brookies. Big, thick fish 10 feet from you. I stopped fishing because it’s tough to compete with Mother Nature doing her thing. Those fish were keyed in on something better than what I could throw. I sat on a rock and watched some many quality fish rise and rise again for 20 minutes.

I will gladly attend this meet up Scotto, mark me down.


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Post 27 Jan 2023, 01:23 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 07/17/05
Posts: 114
Location: Chester County, PA
Yo otto - man! This sounds great. When are you thinking of Conclaving?

tl
les


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Post 27 Jan 2023, 12:28 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/02/12
Posts: 1859
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Do you have tentative dates for this gathering? Roy


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Post 28 Jan 2023, 09:30 • #5 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
Otto,
I’ll be in the cabins by your favorite fly shop 23-26 March if you want to swing by and get some free beers. Bunch of my military buddies going to fish on/around the Savage for a few days.


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Post 30 Jan 2023, 13:27 • #6 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Hey Roy and Les ,
We’re about to get this party started ;)


Freestate Fiberglass Fest will be going down April 20th(Thursday) to April 24th(Monday)


I’ll be up Wednesday the 19th around 6pm if an early birds want to show up and fish the PHD pool at dusk .


You may just get one of those fat juicy Brown’s AngryViking spoke about .


With G-man’s Team Blue Heron endorsement who needs to be Orvis endorsed.. :lol

Here he is in action up on Middle Fork .




Kenspice with Middle Fork Brookie


I forgot to mention that this weekend is also open to all Fiberglass/Composite
Spin/ULS - Baitcast/BFS folks as well :)
Didn’t want to forget my fellow glass compatriots!
Here’s my Oldest son Chris with a Crabtree Creek spring Brookie


Bring those lil wonderods out for a cast !

My Youngest son Luke with a small stream stunner ! :eek

Caught in the crick only 4 minutes from my place .
My Own personal Honeycomb Hideout..


There are no trails on this part of the mountain.

down in the mountain or up top.. it’s bound to be a good time .
Me and Kenspice way upstream without a paddle …

There’s a TROPHY Brook Trout waiting for you right in this hole :P

Sometimes we even catch fish .


Even when we don’t it’s still a great adventure





Cyguy , That’s opening day weekend so I’ll be up !
Are you guys staying in the Brookie , the Brownie , or the Rainbow Chalet ?
Let’s hook up for sure :)

Anybody reading this ..
Lets keep those responses coming so we get some steam !
Smash that PM button

Will be sending out PM’s this afternoon to all who’ve hit me up earlier.

Now we’ve got the date set everyone can RSVP me
I can get a list of attendees together from that .

Thanks for all the love and positive vibes on this project.
Looking forward to to a great weekend.
Tight lines in 23,
Scotto


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Post 30 Jan 2023, 18:52 • #7 
New Member
Joined: 03/20/21
Posts: 7
Location: Annapolis, MD
I joined FFR a while ago but have been lurking since. This finally motivated me to actually post something. Fellow Marylander here who might try to come over from the Annapolis area if there’s room.


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Post 30 Jan 2023, 20:02 • #8 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 09/18/09
Posts: 5561
Location: Relocated to the Drought Stricken West.
Gunpowderglass, You might check the www.TPFR.org (tidal potomac fly rodders) and check out their casting church (2nd sunday of the month) down in DC.

There are a few people who fish glass, but check to see if the glass people are going to be there before committing to the drive. But it's worth the drive anyway for free casting lessons.


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Post 30 Jan 2023, 20:31 • #9 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 01/02/12
Posts: 1859
Location: Gig Harbor, WA
Bummer! My sister is coming over from England April 12-25. Only get to see her infrequently so will have to pass. Was beginning to get excited about it. Roy


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Post 31 Jan 2023, 09:09 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 04/20/07
Posts: 8920
Location: US-ME
Sounds great. A reminder to consider personal security as arrangements are finalized. Posting detailed travel plans before and during a trip . . . well, that's a topic easily searched, so I won't post a link.

Remember that others can view this forum. And that we want fun details after the event.

The PM/email links enable details to be arranged privately.


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Post 20 Apr 2023, 21:47 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland

Hey guys my I-phone has been acting all kind of crazy after gettting the screen fixed .
I finally put it out of its misery and got a replacement phone all set back up with my log-ins..
Haven’t been able to get word out like I wanted to
Still trying to get a few members together for the weekend in Western Maryland

My earlier round of definites became maybes and then all had to cancel due to work or youth sports .

I currently have 1 definite and have sent some Pms out to a few others .

Heading up Thursday morning and will be staying until Monday afternoon.

I know the freestate flyrodders out of Annapolis are getting something together this weekend on the savage .

Didn’t know if any fellow FFr members are also Maryland Fly Fishers FB group members .

Gonna drop a post on there to see if any FFr glass heads can be flushed out ..

I was just up on Sun-Mon and the streams and tribs are in good shape .


Took my Phillipson Stream Knight 76 for a spin in the state park down the road from my house


Makes a nice companion on an eastern trout hike
Balanced nicely with a Pflueger Progress

Come on up …
The waters just fine

HMU if you want to come up for the weekend and chase some fish on glass .
Scotto


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Post 23 Apr 2023, 19:42 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 10/11/22
Posts: 39
Location: North eastern PA.
Need more pictures of this event


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Post 24 Apr 2023, 14:28 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/20/11
Posts: 1880
Location: US-MD
Excellent Scotto!


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Post 24 Apr 2023, 18:21 • #14 
Sport
Joined: 02/09/23
Posts: 63
Wow. I just read all of this thread. Seems like it would be a great get together! Can’t wait to hear how things went. Hopefully a few showed up!


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Post 01 May 2023, 16:40 • #15 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Hi guys ,
I finally had time to sit down and go thru some pics from the weekend .
Drove up on a Beautiful Thursday afternoon

Was very excited to fish this Phillipson/3m custom built rod I scored from member chaoticscott

I have affectionately dubbed it my DPS ..
Dr. Pepper Special :lol

Fished the upper Savage with my carbon cult buddies Matt and Tony .

I broke the DPS in on a few brookies at dark throwing beadhead Teko bugs


Then it was back to my place for the Doug Swisher happy hour .
Whenever Doug Swisher says “micro-second wrist” you take a drink :lol

Some hijinx followed in my backyard with a glass vs graphite casting contest and an Eagle eye archery stump shoot .
I’m not at liberty to post those shots on this family friendly forum .. LOL :)

Friday was a gorgeous day on the mountain ..
The view from my backyard says it all..

Matt and Tony left before dawn for some Turkey hunting in the state forest and then fishing on the other side of the mountain.
Started things off with a trout hike close to my house fishing the Brookiest of Brook trout streams ..

These are the smallest of the named streams in the whole forest .
No trails just Brookie Bushwackin at its pinnacle

You’ve really got to put some work in to be rewarded with a mountain gem !
This beautiful heritage strain specimen made my day :P

A true trophy for a stream this small .

I hiked back to the car and drove over to Dry Run for a stream side lunch to celebrate the christening of the Phillipson DPS


The food was so so .. but the ambiance is off the charts

Drove back up the mountain to meet up with Bill MacFie from Maryland Flyfishers to fish Crabtree Creek and Big Run
Bill had never caught a Brookie on the fly so he was putting in the casts on AngryViking’s favorite stretch of Crabtree Creek

Hit up .. but no hook up ..
We scooted over to Big Run trying to fish some micro hatches that seem to last about a minute..


Put Bill in a nice hole and went up a campsite the Freetatate guys reserved but they never showed .. weather forecast was crap..
Came back and fished the Community pool where Bill caught his very first brookie on the fly

Had a blast fishin the hole together and cracking jokes about each other catching tree trout ..


Drove back to my place narrowly missing a Turkey that no doubt was spooked by Matt & Tony
We celebrated Bill’s first Brookie on the Fly with a top notch Steak Dinner complete with roasted reds and Cesar salad

Fished off dinner with some great sippin Bourbon that Bill brought up for the trip .
Topics of Dinner conversation
Furled leaders , Budget Vs Boutique rods, home water honey holes and some strategy for Saturday morning
Cheers…


Someone reply and I’ll post up more adventures from the weekend.

Tight Lines in 23
Scotto


Last edited by ottobahn on 01 May 2023, 20:59, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 01 May 2023, 18:14 • #16 
Guide
Joined: 03/21/22
Posts: 172
Location: US-PA
Wow looks like a great time! Really bummed I missed out but I had to attend a class that weekend to answer a higher calling.

Scotto…where was the steak last two times I was down?! I had gourmet microwave meals and that was all!

Would love to see more from the trip, next time I’m going to make sure I can make it. I love me some brook trout.


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Post 01 May 2023, 20:24 • #17 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
Man that looks like a blast! Plus the upper didn’t look like a class IV rapids of chocolate milk when I was there
On opening day …. Well done lads.


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Post 01 May 2023, 20:46 • #18 
New Member
Joined: 01/17/21
Posts: 12
I moved to California from Maryland 25 years ago, but remember fishing the Savage and other blue lines. The greenery in these photos is beautiful. Thanks for posting!


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Post 05 May 2023, 13:15 • #19 
Guide
Joined: 01/10/16
Posts: 186
Location: Parkersburg, WV
Great photos! I wish I had seen this earlier, I would have tried to make it over.

I will be on the Savage May 13 for the Yough TU stream clean-up, then I'll hit one or two of the blue lines.

I will keep an eye out for a repeat of this event next year.

Chris


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Post 09 May 2023, 20:32 • #20 
Guide
Joined: 04/18/20
Posts: 169
Location: Far Western 'burbs of Chicago
Wonderful first class looking outing there Scotto! Would love to see and hear more when you have the time to post.


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Post 15 May 2023, 00:24 • #21 
Master Guide
Joined: 01/04/18
Posts: 397
Location: Belair Maryland/Swanton Maryland
Thanks for the replys . Been a crazy week ..
Russ your old green master 6.6ft was a favorite in Thursday nights casting contest.
Matt really took a shining to it :P

So back to the story ..
Saturday was a big change from the previous 2days
20 degree temp drop with lite rain was gonna make it an adventure for sure
Not as bad as Cyguy had on opening day weekend .. heard it was rough

Decided to take shelter in the forest over at cascade falls to start things off


I put Bill in the lower hole to fish
His view downstream ..

I started scouting upstream in the upper falls region

Found some promising water to explore in depth
Managed to move a nice fish in this run

I doubled back to fish the lower pool with Bill
He got the skunk off our back with this jewel in the net

The rain stopped so I took Bill up to North Prong

Hiked in to the “Dream Hole” cuz once you fish it .. it will be in your dreams :)

Bill managed to score a Dream Hole Double

Look at the stoke on this grown man’s face :P

A double at the Dream Hole will do that to an angler
We stopped at one more spot on our way back for lunch.

The Phillipson DPS was not to be denied and managed a double in this beautiful lil pool

This fella had a real pastel iridescence ..

Camera doesn’t do it justice.. what a gem!
We trekked back to my place to have some lunch and get a change of clothes/boots

AngryViking , no more micro-wave meals ..
Come on down and I’ll grill you up some Garlic Bologna with some locally sourced artisan bread served with spicy brown mustard of course ..
After that delicious lunch it was time to hit a few spots close to the house

where I managed a lil lunker of a brookie in the tiny stream on our way back for dinner


Was nice to have a hearty meal after a day of being wet and cold ..
Tonight’s menu ..
Mesquite Chicken roasted on the grill, mashed baby reds, stuffing all smoothered with my signature bourbon mushroom gravy . Bill steamed some Broccoli in his mini pot pressure cooker

Maybe I did take a sip ..
Don’t worry I was a trained professional :lol

That bourbon is soo smooth …

After a dinner like that your “Out like Trout “
Another epic day is in the books ..
Bet Bill is sleepwalking to the “Dream Hole”

As for me .. I was plotting our next move for Sundays finale :P

Someone reply and I’ll post the finale ..
You’ll definitely want to see that ;)
Scotto


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Post 15 May 2023, 13:07 • #22 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/21/21
Posts: 447
Location: Florida
Let’s see it!


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Post 24 May 2023, 15:43 • #23 
Guide
Joined: 04/18/20
Posts: 169
Location: Far Western 'burbs of Chicago
I'll second that notion, we need to see how it all wrapped up.


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Post 27 May 2023, 19:39 • #24 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/26/12
Posts: 1188
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Can we get that signature bourbon mushroom gravy recipe please :)

Pecos


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