Huck Finn Day was a success. The 400 baby trout released last Sunday by the Maryland Chapter of Trout Unlimited made it into the water, and most evaded the fishing poles of excited kids on the banks of Stony Run stream in Roland Park. Trout Unlimited provided fly fishing and fly tying demonstrations to “kids of all ages ” — including some wearing serious-looking waders.
But there’s still a few hundred Kamloops rainbow trout hanging out in the deeper pools along Stony Run, and it’s worth a trip to see them – or if you’re under 15, catch them. (No fishing license required for children under 15.) According to Tom Gamper of Trout Unlimited, the Huck Finn Day event was designed to spotlight the restoration of Stony Run. “They’ve spent a lot of money to restore the stream up there, and they’ve done a nice job. We wanted to celebrate its comeback.”
Kamloops trout are named after the town in British Columbia near where they were first found. They’re a good choice for Stony Run because “they don’t move much, and they’re disease resistant.” That said, chances are they won’t complete their life cycle. “We stock them in the fall, because they can make it through the winter and early spring. But when it starts to get hot, we lose them.” Not if we catch ‘em first.
