So, you are scheduled to spend a week on Deep Creek Lake this year and you want to do some fishing? Maybe from your lakeside dock or even the pontoon boat you rented. You've heard that this highland reservoir harbors more species of fish than the Baltimore Aquarium.

"Easy", you say, "I'll be eating the delectable flesh from a mess of fresh caught walleye and maybe release a citation smallmouth bass before the week's over." "Won't those pink fillets of rainbow trout taste excellent on the outdoor barbie. And then, by Friday, your fish dreams have been deflated and your tackle is packed away in the vehicle for the drive back home.

This writer has seen the frustration on Deep Creek's vacationers after the week's end of fishing. Anglers walk away from the lake scratching their heads and swearing they'll never wet a line here again.

Old-timers called this lake the "Reluctant Dragon". " Dragon", because of the similarities of the lake's shape to those of a medieval mythical reptile and "Reluctant" because of the inability of the lake to give up her piscatorial bounty.

As a boy growing up, I was infatuated with Deep Creek Lake's fishing opportunities. Back in those days, my dad, brother and I, would load an old heavy wooden john boat on a utility trailer, then hitch this combo to the back of an old gray Desoto and up the mountain we'd go. Excitement ran high as we trolled Deep Creek's green waters with Shyster in-line spinners, Daredevel spoons and Rapalas. We were beginners and had no idea how to fish Deep Creek Lake.

Our Deep Creek trip always included a stop at Johnny's Bait House. The fish mounts on the wall and the tackle display made my pulse race. "Maybe this trip will be the magic one", I envisioned, as Johnny Marple (proprietor) explained to us what the fish were doing and what baits we should use. Through Johnny's pointers, trial and error and many hours spent fishing the lake; our success rate increased and fish filled our stringers.

Let's start with a few basic fundamentals for those of you planning to fish Deep Creek for the first time.

LURES & TACKLE

When selecting tackle, be prudent. Deep Creek is a clear water reservoir so fish are more sight oriented when they feed. Hooks tied to heavy high visibility lines and large bulky snap swivels tied to lures are inexcusable. Fish this lake with stealth. Go with low visibility green monofilament in the 8 to 10 pound class and tie the line directly to your lures.

Use smaller lures with natural finishes. Crankbaits in orange and browns, mimic crawfish, favorite forage for the fish on Deep Creek. Plastic baits such as worms, tubes, grubs and jigs should include natural colors such as pumpkin, rootbeer and watermelon.

A six-foot medium action spinning rod fits the bill when fishing Deep Creek Lake. Leave those antique buggy whips your grandfather willed you at home. You need backbone in your rod when setting the hook.

STRATEGIES & PRESENTATIONS

During the summer just after daylight, smallmouth bass will become active and feed on the surface of the lake. Fish main lake points with topwater lures such as Pop R's, floating Rapalas and buzzbaits. As the sun rises and warms the water, go to the docks. Always remember that these docks are private property and respect them as such. Dock owners get angry when they find lures and hooks embedded in ropes and decking.

With your spinning rod, skip and pitch plastic baits such as Cabin Creek tube baits, plastic worms and spider jigs in, around and under docks for largemouth and smallmouth bass. Don't be surprised if an occasional walleye picks up your offering. These plastics also imitate crawfish on Deep Creek Lake. All of these plastic baits can be purchased at Johnny's Bait House.

LIVE BAIT

Another tactic for catching walleye, pickerel, pike, bass and perch on Deep Creek is drift fishing live minnows over grass beds. Purchase a minnow bucket and have Johnny fill it up with live medium shiners. After arriving at your fishing location, tie the bucket to the side of your boat and allow fresh oxygen laden lake water to circulate through the bucket, keeping the shiners alive and energized.

Attach a number 2/0 straight shanked hook to your line and then crimp a split shot weigh approximately 10 inches above the hook. Hook the shiner through both lips and gently toss this rig up-wind of the boat. With the rod positioned at about 10 o'clock, allow the minnow to swim about 40 feet behind the boat and just above the submergent vegetation near the lake bottom. The boat will drift with the wind and your minnow presentation will look natural as it swims along. When a fish picks up your minnow, open the bail on the reel and allow the fish to swim off with the bait for a short distance before setting the hook.

Another live bait tactic that can be deadly on Deep Creek's panfish is the simple bobber and worm. Attach a small piece of night crawler to a small hook and fish it just over the bottom. This is a popular technique used when fishing off boat docks. Bluegills up to 12 inches are taken on Deep Creek every year, using this method.

As the summer strengthens and warm waters cover most of the up-lake region, look for brown and rainbow trout to take up residence down-lake near the dam. Usually the trout are suspended about 15 feet down in open water. Drop a small minnow or worm into the school and action will usually follow. At night, some anglers suspend submergent lights down into the lake, which in turn attracts minnows. Trout are drawn to the baitfish and then to your offerings.

Fishing on Deep Creek Lake doesn't have to be a hit or miss proposition. Hopefully, these tips will help you succeed in your Deep Creek Lake fishing endeavors. When in doubt, ask Johnny, he'll show you the way to make your fun filled Deep Creek vacation, a magic one.