New Patagonia Forra Wading Boots

The perfect wading boot for the active angler has arrived in store and online.

Patagonia Forra Wading Boots

The new Patagonia Forra is an incredibly light weight and durable boot that is perfect for anyone that likes to hike or cover tough terrain while fishing.

Specs and Features from Patagonia:

Specs & Features

  • Durable Construction

    Abrasion-resistant Cordura® nylon mesh upper for quick-drying, durable, lightweight support

  • Design Details

    High collar design provides a more stiff upper for ankle protection and stability; reinforced toe caps for technical wading

  • Sole Details

    Vibram® Mars sole provides a large contact area for superior grip; outsole features HexaBase lugs for maximum traction and stability; compatible with Patagonia® Forra Wading Boots – Grip Studs® Traction Kit

  • Drainage Details

    Boots are engineered to clear water quickly; upper boot is free from unnecessary foams and backers for faster dry times

  • Lacing Details

    Adjustable webbing lacing system provides in-stream security; hardware is noncorrosive and abrasion-resistant

  • Engineered to Weigh Less

    Engineered for light weight and comfort during overland approaches and for reliability in all types of wading

  • Country of Origin

    Made in Italy.

Gunpowder River Stream Report

The Gunpowder river is currently moving at 56 CFS with an average temperature of 53 degrees Fahrenheit. Water height is steady at 1.72ft. Be mindful of where you wade and try not to disturb any redds. Recently, even on warmer days, I have chosen to stay away from dry flies. From my experience and the ever so useful chatter amongst fisherman in the shop, it seems the fish are choosing almost entirely wet flies. Zebra midges, orange hot spot nymphs, pheasant tail nymphs, and stone flies have been extra productive this week. I absolutely recommend having at least one of these flies in your box before heading to the Gunpowder. Tight lining has been lucrative, and the results are proof. I caught the fish shown above on a stone fly pattern yesterday and managed to get two other fish to the net as well in less than 1 hour. I happened to run into a fellow angler on the water who was happy to share that he netted three fish on a similar rig. It should be noted that the river is particularly beautiful this time of year. The image bellow shows that the trees are almost all in peak color change with a few exceptions. Vibrant reds, oranges, yellows, and greens line the bank of the river. Get out there soon if you wish to see the leaves change because it won’t last for too long. A cold front has subsequently moved in today and conditions will soon change.

Stop by the shop to stock up on flies/gear this Sunday and get a free drake magazine and BWA hat with any purchase of $100 or more.

 

 

Backwater Angler is now open on Sundays!

We are excited to announce that starting this weekend we will be open on Sundays during our usual hours! Come see us this Sunday and receive a FREE Backwater Angler hat with any purchase of $100 or more. Plenty of gear, clothing, and flies in stock. Stop by on your way to fish!

All in-stock, discontinued Patagonia waders are currently 20% off!

Patagonia Men’s Swiftcurrent Expedition Zipfront Waders

Brand new product available for purchase through our website and in-store are the Patagonia Forra Wading Boots.

Patagonia Forra Wading Boots

Gunpowder River Stream Report

 Cold weather is slowly rolling in with the occasional warm day mixing things up. Fall fishing can be as tricky as it is good because of this variability. The river is moving at an average of 56 CFS with a steady temperature of around 52 degrees Fahrenheit. Furthermore, river height is averaging 1.72 ft. It is important to keep in mind that the height gauge does not factor in deep pools so the water will be much deeper in certain sections. I have found that the warmer days bring with them good conditions for dry fly fishing. We have switched almost entirely from elk hair caddis to October caddis in favor of their bright orange coloration true to the caddis we see this time of year. In addition, tricos are still proving to be very effective on these days as well. On colder days I have been throwing almost entirely wet flies. Don’t count out the dry dropper rig though. Nymphs, midges, and streamers have all produced fish on these days. Pheasant tail nymphs and wooly buggers are the stars of the show. Black colored buggers have been very productive in deep pools where the water is not as clear. This coloration stands out well in dark / murky water allowing fish to spot the fly with ease. If you fish at dawn or dusk, you will want some bright colored streamers as well for a similar reason. When light levels are low the fish have trouble seeing flies. Thus, bright colors give you a better chance of catching the attention of a trout. Come visit the shop to grab some flies or book a guided trip. Good luck out there!

 

Gunpowder River Stream Report (Recent Update)

As of about 7:00am this morning flows on the Gunpowder have changed greatly and most importantly, for the better. The City of Baltimore has increased discharge out of the Pretty Boy Dam and the water is now moving at 58.2 CFS. In addition, water levels have increased from 1.50ft to 1.75ft and temperature is staying consistent around 55 degrees. We expect fishing to be very good in the coming weeks. Fly recommendations are consistent with our last stream report with a new emphasis on Tricos. These tiny little mayflies have been out in numbers on the Gunpowder, and we highly recommend adding a few to your fly box for your next trip to the river. Streamers, caddis & mayfly emergers, as well as nymphs will certainly prove useful in these conditions. As always, stop by the shop to stock up on flies or give us a call to book a guided trip.

Gunpowder River Stream Report

Low flows have been the name of the game as of late. The river is currently moving at 27.4 cfs with a high temperature of 57 degrees (Mid-day) and a low of 50 degrees (Morning and evening). Water height is variable depending on what spot you are planning to fish but overall levels are very low. This makes for some incredibly clear water and picky fish. The trout will be able to clearly see your fly so make sure that floats are good and flies stay dry. Powdered or gel floatant can absolutely make the difference. Maxwell and I went out on Saturday evening and observed plenty of fish sipping bugs off the top. We recommend classic elk hair caddis in a tan/brown coloration, sulphur’s in yellow, and tiny little trico flies when all else fails. One of our guides, Brian Donoway, also reported success with dry dropper setups over the weekend. He recommended caddis in the same aforementioned color patterns with small nymphs trailing beneath. Streamer fishing has been notably slow. We are hoping for some rain later in the week to boost water levels and decrease clarity. Make sure to stop by the shop to stock up on flies or give us a call to book a guided trip.

New Patagonia Shirts!

 

Snap shirts on the left and river ramblers on the right.

The new shipment of Fall Patagonia gear has arrived! Outerwear, shirts, and waders have all been restocked. Snap Jackets designed for colder days, traditional sun shirts for hot ones, and river rambler hybrid button down shirts with detachable sun hoods for everything in between.

Tropic Comfort Hoody

 

Patagonia Tropic Comfort Hoodie

Patagonia Early Rise Snap Shirt

Patagonia River Rambler Shirt

 

Gunpowder River Fishing Report

High flows are here in the Gunpowder. The river is currently flowing at 86 cfs and the temperature is 53 degrees. With more water coming into the river and water temps on the rise streamer fishing has been great. Fishing anything from a big yellow streamer right down to a super small natural colored fly has been working great. stripping or swinging flies has been a great way to entice these fish. Our best advice is to keep moving and cover a lot of water. Taking four or five casts in a spot them taking a couple of steps up or downstream is a great way to cover lots of water and find some fish. If streamer fishing isn’t for you then fishing a double nymph indicator rig has been working great. Throwing a big caddis imitation with a tiny mayfly as the dropper has been a really effective method. 

The Perfect Saltwater Setups!

As summer begins to wrap up you may be looking to do some fall Striped Bass fishing or even a trip down south for some of the famous tropical fish. This post is to highlight some the best set ups for whatever you plan on doing in the salt.

The first and most versatile setup showcases the G. Loomis NRX + S in an 8-weight paired with either the Abel Rove or SDS. The NRX + S gives you the backbone to fight both the wind and the large fish you will be targeting while providing enough touch to gently place flies for those picky tropical trophies. Both the SDS and Rove have enough line capacity, drag, and protection from salt to preform even against the big ones.

G. Loomis NRX+ Saltwater | BACKWATER ANGLER

The second setup I’d to showcase would be the Scott Sector in a 9-weight paired with either the Abel Rove, SDS, or even the Ross R salt. The sector still provides a good amount of backbone to fight the wind and cast large flies, however it is more keen to delicate casting needed for bonefish, permit, and redfish. With that said, a 9-weight is still versatile enough to target large fish with bigger flies like Stripers, Albacore or Bluefish.

Scott Sector | BACKWATER ANGLER

It is important when fishing in salt water to get a reel rated for saltwater. The SDS and R Salt are both sealed drag reels. These are relatively maintenance free and protect from sand and other debris from getting into the drag system. The Rove on the other hand has a cork drag system which may be subject to more maintenance but still provide the protecting needed from the salt. I have fished my 7/9 Rove along the East-Coast of Florida for the past year landing tarpon, Snook, Bonefish, and Redfish with next to no problems. The main thing with either choice is to always thoroughly rinse your rods and reels with freshwater after your trips if you want your gear to last.

Abel Rove Black | BACKWATER ANGLER

Ross Evolution R Salt | BACKWATER ANGLER

Abel SDS 9/10 in Blue III with Aluminum Handle | BACKWATER ANGLER

The Abel Rove (left), Abel SDS (center), and Ross Evolution R Salt (right).

New and Used Duffle Bags From Filson, Simms, and More

Here at Backwater Angler, we have a 4 new and used bags we wanted to highlight in this post. These duffle bags will be available for pick up during our store hours or shipped for a flat rate of $20. If interested, please contact the shop at 410-357-9557 or at Backwaterangler@gmail.com.

The first bag we would like to show is the Filson Small Duffle in blue. This bag is new and still has the tag on it, however there are some small marks left on the material from sitting over the years. The dimensions of the bag are 18″ x 13″ x 6″ and retailed at $350. We are asking $250 for it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The second bag is another Filson bag. This is a slightly smaller duffle in a tan color. It includes two belt-style straps to secure the bag and a strap to carry it. This bag has some wear in tear along the leather straps but is in good condition overall. This bag has the dimensions 14″ x 7″ x 9″ and will be listed at $200.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Third Bag is the largest of the four. This is a Simms waterproof wader bag in their iconic orange. This bag has no tag however it also has no wear and tear on it. The dimensions are 32″ x 14″ x 13.5″ and has multiple handles, sling, and fasteners to keep everything secure. This bag retails at $300 and we are asking $150 for the bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The fourth bag is another large duffel bag from Wright and McGill in a grey color. This bag has two large pouches on either side of the bag and lots of space to hold larger items in the main compartment, along with a name tag. There is no wear and tear on this bag. The dimensions are 22″ x 15″ x 14″ and we are asking $60 for the bag.