The Gunpowder River is flowing at 80 CFS is 48F and clear. The trails are in great shape and the wading is getting easier as water levels have been slowing dropping through the week. Tiny BWO’s, small cream midges, small caddis larva and streamers have resulted in a few fish this week. Capt. Jeff Lewatowski sent this nice shot of a wild fish Megan released above Falls Rd. The lower river below the confluence of Little Falls at Bluemount Rd is actually a bit warmer than the mainstem and a good bet for streamers. Wild Turkeys have been spotted along the river below Monkton and in a short drive mid-morning through the rolling countryside along the river I spotted a Bald Eagle, a Red tailed Hawk, a Coopers Hawk and a Kestrel. Wild fish have been holding along the edges and long leaders ending in 6x or 7x really help this time of year. Deep soft weight, shot and thingamabobbers have just arrived in the shop. When water temperatures drop, nymphing using a high stick method really pays off-remember to add enough weight to be able to “feel” the nymph rig and shot bouncing on the bottom before adding the strike indicator. Don’t make long casts. Often staying within a rod length or two of the area is more efficient and effective. Keep the line tight to the indicator, rod tip up and parallel to the water and do expect to get hung up on the bottom when using the right amount of shot-shoot for one or two out of ten casts as a good ratio.

Thanks to Jed for the stream report:

Theaux:
Fishing was good. It was slow to start. I fished the deep areas next to downed timber but had only one strike on the muddler. I fished it with the 7 foot sink tip and a single shot up near the fly. It was getting down at least in the shallower water, but I also got it hung up in deeper water. When I got to a long slower riffle section about mid way between Bunker Hill and York Road I caught 3 in a row within 5 minutes. They hit the streamer with a vengeance. One fish was a nice deep bodied 11 incher. Then no hits for awhile, and then another smaller brown before I got the streamer stuck in a place underwater where I couldn’t get it out. I switched to a brown wooly bugger with the same rigging and picked up one chub before I called it quits. I saw no other fishers on the river. Also, it was amazing what Sandy had done. Trees were down all over including across the trails. Also, debris was just piled up. Large groups of land shrubs were flattened from the water coming out of its banks. It must have been something to see at its height.

Thanks Theaux.
Jed

The shop will be open Veterans Day Weekend from:
10 till 6 Friday
10 till 4 Saturday, Sunday and Monday

The Gunpowder River is clear, flowing at 110 Cfs and is 54 F. Streamers have been the ticket this week as flows have moderated since spillover at Prettyboy during Hurricane Sandy resulted in widespread flooding of the upper river corridor. The gravel has shifted again and we’ve lost a few wash stations. Otherwise the river is fishing fine- with streamers being the most effective flies in the catch and release area. Tiny BWO’s are also worth a shot in the flat water between pools above Falls Rd. Small pheasant tails will also turn a few fish in the riffles. One thousand new, bright rainbows were stocked in the put and take-five fish a day section of the Gunpowder River. Accordingly, some of these fish have already moved up into the wild trout, two fish a day and catch and release, artificials only section of the Gunpowder River. Be sure to take advantage of the mild days ahead and get outside and fish a local wild trout stream.