The recent changes in flow on the Gunpowder River either concentrate the fish in low flows or spread them out in higher water. Each extreme has its advantages and disadvantages, but the fishing remains productive. Many fish are holding on the bottom, so nymphing is a good way to cover water in the high flows, or dredge the deeper slots in low water. The water is very cold, in the low 50s in the C & R, and in the upper 50 to low 60s in the 2 fish a day regulated water. Last week, friend and “Glimpses” co-star, Matt Devlin made the trip from South Carolina to the Gunpowder and we dropped the raft into the river in a steady rain. The combination of overcast skies, rain and low water made for a great day on the river. The sixty degree water was clear, and some bigger browns were active on nymphs and streamers. Matt and I got into fish quickly with a pair of thick browns in the first riffle we fished. Each spot we tried held hungry wild browns, and most strikes came on the first few drifts. Streamers also got a lot of chases, hits and produced one brown over twelve inches for me from the boat. Matt worked one riffle with nymphs, and got two fish on consecutive casts; One thick, thirteen inch brown and one heavy, fifteen inch brown.
My net, the Oconto by Wolf Moon, features a lightweight rubber bag and a fifteen inch handle for easy measuring. By the time we reached the takeout we caught all the usual wild fish ranging from 6-11 inches, but also a number of quality twelve to fifteen inch wild browns. Matt lost a decent fourteen to fifteen inch brown at the net, and I had my biggest brown of the day inhale a sculpin pattern under an overhanging tree, but I couldn’t set the hook quickly enough. We caught fish, hooked fish, lost fish and made the most of less-than-favorable weather and cold, low flows.
