If the lower Savage River is the star of Maryland's trout program in Allegany and Garrett counties, then the North Branch of the Potomac River and the Casselman River play the lead supporting roles.

The North Branch of the Potomac, from the town of Luke in Allegany County upstream to the dam at Jennings Randolph Lake, once was considered nearly dead because of pollutants produced by industries upriver.

Since 1987, West Virginia and Maryland aggressively have stocked the river with thousands of trout annually, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has regulated the flow and quality of water released from the Jennings Randolph dam.

The result has been a near-miraculous recovery of the river, which now is the largest trout stream in Maryland, with average widths of more than 100 feet.

In the Casselman River, the Maryland DNR instituted a delayed harvest program last year to stretch out the trout season. From Jan. 1 through May 31, the Casselman is managed as a catch-and-return stream limited to flies and artificial lures. From June 1 through Jan. 1, the Casselman is opened to bait fishing, and two trout per day are permitted to be taken.

Deep Creek Lake and Savage River Reservoir, of course, hold trout year around, as well as warm-water fish.

The smaller, stocked trout streams probably are thin in water and trout by this time of year, and are included in the accompanying list mainly as reference points for next spring when stocking resumes.

Rivers, streams, reservoirs, lakes and ponds

TROUT RIVERS AND STREAMS

Name .. .. .. .. .. .. .. County .. ..Location

Bear Creek .. .. .. .. .. Garrett .. .Intersection of Rts. 219 and 42

Buffalo Run .. .. .. .. ..Garrett .. .Crosses Wakefield Road NW of Sang Run

Casselman River .. .. .. .Garrett .. .Crosses old U.S. Rt. 40 at Grantsville

Evitts Creek .. .. .. .. .Allegany .. Crosses U.S. Rt. 40 near Cumberland

Fifteen Mile Creek .. .. .Allegany .. within Green Ridge State Forest

Flintstone Creek .. .. .. Allegany .. Crosses U.S. Rt. 40 at Flintstone

Jennings Run watershed .. Allegany .. tributary of Wills Creek

Laurel Run .. .. .. .. .. Allegany .. off Md. Rt. 36 near Moscow

Mill Run .. .. .. .. .. . Garrett .. .Near Niles Mill off Mill Run Road

Muddy Creek .. .. .. .. ..Garrett .. .Crosses Cranesville Road near Browning .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Mill

N. Branch of Potomac .. ..Garrett .. .From Luke to Jennings Reservoir

Sideling Hill Creek .. .. Allegany .. Crosses U.S. Rt. 40 near Belle Grove

Salt Block Run .. .. .. ..Garrett .. .Inters'ts Cranesville-White Rk. Rd. W of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Sang Run

Savage River .. .. .. .. .Garrett .. .Above, below Savage Res. Dam N of ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Bloomington

Wills Creek .. .. .. .. ..Allegany .. N of Cumberland

Youghiogheny River .. .. .Garrett .. .Near Friendsville, off Md. Rt. HTC RESERVOIRS, LAKES AND PONDS

Name .. .. .. .. .. .. ...County .. .. Acres .. Location

Accident Com. Pond .. .. .Garrett .. .. .. 1 .. On U.S. Rt. 218 in Accident

Battie Mixon Fish'g Hole .Allegany .. .. .33 .. On Md. Rt. 51 at Oldtown

Broadford Lake .. .. .. ..Garrett .. .. .230 .. On U.S. Rt. 219 at Oakland

Dan's Mountain Pond .. .. Allegany .. .. ..1 .. On Md. Rt. 36, 2 miles E of .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Lonaconing

Deep Creek Lake .. .. .. .Garrett .. ..3,900 .. On U.S. Rt. 219 in McHenry

Evitts Crk. Com. Pond .. .Allegany .. .. ..4 .. On U.S. Rt. 40,

4 miles east of Cumberland

Herrington Lake .. .. .. .Garrett .. .. ..44 .. On U.S. Rt. 219,

5 miles N of Oakland

New Germany Lake .. .. .. Garrett .. .. ..10 .. On U.S. Rt. 40,

6 miles S of Grantsville

Orchard Pond .. .. .. .. .Allegany .. .. ..1 .. on Md. Rt. 51 at Green Ridge State Forest

Piney Reservoir .. .. .. .Allegany .. .. .18 .. On Md. Rt. 546,

8 miles W of Frostburg

Pleasant Valley lake .. ..Garrett .. .. ..18 .. On Md. Rt. 495,

12 miles S of Grantsville

Rocky Gap Lake .. .. .. ..Allegany .. .. 250 .. On U.S. Rt. 40,

5 miles NW of Flintstone

Savage Reservoir .. .. .. Garrett .. .. .350 .. On Md. Rt. 135,

4 mi. NW of Bloomington

White Sulphur Com. P'd .. Allegany .. .. ..1 .. On U.S. Rt. 40,

12 mi. NE of Flintstone

Youghiogheny Res. .. .. ..Garrett .. .. .800 .. Md. Rt. 42,

2 miles north of Friendsville