Author Archives: Jason du Pont

Good Cold Weather Fishing On The Gunpowder River, Maryland

Ah…fishing in the snow. Other anglers must like fishing during a good snowfall, as much as I do, because I saw a few cars in a couple different lots along the river yesterday. When the temps finally hit thirty degrees I had to wet a line, and the falling snow was a bonus. I checked water temps at Falls Rd, 37 degrees, and the Monkton stretch was iced over at the Bridge. Most of the smaller creeks in the region are just thawing out after last weeks frigid temps, while the Gunpowder is ice free through the C & R water. In two hours I caught a couple of pretty fish, including this little rainbow.

Catching fish isn’t that hard, but it’s far from easy this time of year. Tandem nymph rigs under a small indicator using 6x or 7x is a good setup. We have been tying up some patterns in the shop that imitate the nymphs and midge larva the trout are seeing. Streamers have been working for many anglers, using a variety of retrieves, in all types of water. No matter how cold it gets, the fish still have to eat!

Fly Tying Supplies In Maryland

Fly tiers should be busy at the vise this time of year, and the shop walls were recently filled with new materials to accommodate the many requests. There are plenty of hooks in all sizes and styles on the wall for trout fishing to Tarpon. Beads for flies ranging from size 6 down to 24, are in stock in silver, nickel, gold, and tungsten; in black and nickel. Painted lead eyes, wire and vinyl rib and threads are in stock in more colors. Tiers looking to match Spring hatches can find Mayfly tails, three styles of dubbing are also available in specific Eastern hatch blends, and biots dyed to match March Browns to Tricos.

For streamer patterns tungsten cones go well with Psuedo Marabou, Rabbit strips, Squirrel strips, Rams wool or Arctic fox, all available in over eight colors. Our selection of Kyrstal Flash, Flashabou, Polar chenille, Ice dub, Hare-tron and Scud Dub will add the perfect sparkle to any pattern. If the river seems too cold for comfort, be sure to shop our walls or sign up for a tying class in a warm room with a professional guide.

Locally Tied Fly Patterns In Maryland

Gunpowder browns are known to eat a variety of fly patterns, but when a hatch gets going they tend to look at flies a little longer, before inhaling one. Backwater Angler always has a variety of local patterns tied throughout the year, and the stoneflies have arrived! The patterns that is…. although I did see a few before it got so cold this week.

New York Fly Tyer and Hunting Guide Mike Bachkowsky, has tied these quill wing and deer hair stoneflies the past six years for Backwater Angler. He lives on the banks of the Delaware River, so these flies are a spot on match, as shown in the pic in the previous post with the Gunpowder natural and fly on my rod grip. Gunpowder Guide Dave Smith tied both CDC and Z-lon winged stoneflies, and said they really produce with K-flash rib, oversized hackle and a little twitching action on the surface.

January Gunpowder River Report

The Gunpowder River has been a popular place around the holidays for many people to get out and fish. Visiting anglers from New Jersey, Colorado, Texas, Kansas, South Dakota and Alabama made a point to stop in the shop over the holiday, on the way to the river. Cold nights and the cold surface water spillover at Prettyboy Dam has kept river temps colder than normal, but the amount of spillover is dropping. While recent reports from many anglers have detailed tough fishing, emails of successful outings including pics of nice browns relay that the trout are feeding! Bigger nymphs have been found by both Alex McCrickard and myself, like this Giant stonefly Nymph pictured below.

I experienced a few tough days recently, but still managed a dozen fish most outings. My first day on the water in 2009 was spent fishing shallow riffles with midges and nymphs size 20-24. In two hours I landed 8 trout on tiny nymph patterns, with little or no action on anything else. I did see a lonely stonefly adult, but small midges have been the most abundant insects hatching on the river. A few anglers relayed some success on Prince Nymphs, Red Butts, Pheasant tails, and San Juan Worms. The fish will hit a bigger fly, but small nymph patterns and midges are consistently catching fish. The fish are holding on the bottom, so a good bit of weight, and thoroughly drifting the best lies helps.

Fly Tying Materials & Gear

Rain, sleet, snow and wind are just a few of the weather conditions anglers have dealt with on the Gunpowder the past few weeks. The great water levels brought many anglers by the shop to restock on flies, and to load up on materials for days when the weather gets real nasty. Recent orders have filled the walls with plenty of materials to keep tying interesting at the vise this Winter. Threads, beads, hooks, flashy synthetics, furs, dubbing and feathers in a variety of colors can help put together a pattern that will produce this week or next Spring. Stop in and see the expanding selection of totally new materials, as well as great gear from Filson, Simms, Patagonia, Chota, Fishpond, Cloudveil, and rods from Scott, St. Croix and Winston.

Chota Rock Loc Wading Boot

Chota’s newest wading boot, the Rock Loc boot, is the latest rubber soled model to hit the market. Since the rubber soles have become popular, I’ve tested a pair from about every major manufacturer that has arrived at the shop. Before I hit the river in these I wanted to ask Mark at Chota how they settled on this design.

Mark relayed to me a lengthly process of testing, over a year’s time, before they got the shoe just right. Guides and anglers from different parts of the country put in over 200 days each in these boots and the rubber compound/design changed numerous times based on performance. The final product is a high dirometer rubber (sticky) sole offering grip and the ability to be studded or unstudded. The leather portion of the boot is coated with a PVC finish for added durability and limits absorption.

I tested them in the Gunpowder’s 175 Cfs strong flows in an area with a lot of big rocks, uneven bottom and muddy banks. The Rock Loc boot’s sole has unique features like the raised rubber tread design where the studs screw in and the bumps and ridges on the outer edge of the sole. I wore them unstudded and had great traction on the river bottom, muddy banks and the wet rocks along the shoreline. All the different surface features on the sole made it possible to grip rocks of any shape. Using studs with the new raised sole design will also increase grip as the studs will stick out farther than soles where the stud sits flush to the sole.The boot is stiffer than the STL+, and, since the leather is coated, mud, leaves and dirt rinse off easily. The boots retail at $139.95 and are in stock at Backwater Angler .

Gloves and Warm Gear For Cold Winter Fly Fishing

Staying warm on the river is essential to enjoying time on the water during this time of year. The cold has kept few people off the water, as store traffic and the parking lots have shown the past few weeks. It’s nice to see so many people fishing on bitter cold days, and also to see people spreading out along seventeen miles of trout water.

The first extremity to feel the chill are fingers, which can make knot tying tough. For anglers used to changing flies frequently, and want dexterity in a fingertip-less glove, the Chota Windproof Stow-A-Way Flip Mitt is perfect. A full coverage windproof fleece mitten for the walk in and out, in an instant becomes a fingertip-less (including thumb) fleece glove. Some customers have expressed that they prefer to take gloves off to tie knots, and desire a glove that doesn’t get wet. Chota’s Thin Skin 3mm Neoprene Glove, which is sealed and fits like a driving glove, is easy to take off for knot tying. The dexterity afforded by this glove allows streamer, nymph or dry fly fishing, without hands being exposed to the cold and accumulation of water, or ice on the line. The shop also has layers to cover anglers from head to toe, including Patagonia’s Knit Beanie, R-1 and Cap-3 Fleece tops and Cap-3 Fleece bottoms, Heavyweight, Midweight and Liner socks. Cloudveil’s Flat Creek Jacket is a Wind Stopper Fleece, has five pockets and looks good for both fishing and wearing around town.

Steelheading on the Salmon River, NY

The recent cold spell we got in Baltimore County in mid November had me digging out the Winter layers; hat, gloves and baclava. The fishing has been great on the Gunpowder, and as always many calls and shop visitors are curious whether the fishing is worth braving the cold through Winter? If temps in the mid thirties and a light snowfall doesn’t seem too inviting, consider this video post from the Salmon River, NY shot in late February 08.

My friend Matt and I fished for a week in temps ranging from the high teens to the mid twenties at the daily high, which was IF the sun broke through the clouds. We had to deal with daily snowfalls, wind, frozen waders and the loss of feeling in toes and fingers for extended periods of time. Ice on the guides was a reason to take constant breaks and brew some coffee riverside to warm up. Extremities freezing wasn’t the only problem, as I hooked a good steelhead only to realize my reel was frozen solid. The fish wanted line, but the reel wouldn’t give, so I gave a heavy handed, hard tug on the line. Imagine my horror when the fly line snapped, and the fish was no longer attached to the reel, but to a mere foot of slack held in a mitten clad hand. We landed that fish on 4x tippet, and it fought hard, just minus the blistering runs. If you ask me, as long as the water is still flowing, it’s never too cold to fish.

Gunpowder River Spillover Raises Water Levels

After numerous rain storms and a good deal of waiting Prettyboy Reservoir is finally spilling over into the Gunpowder River. On Friday it began as a small trickle of water, but with storms through Friday night into Saturday the river rose over 40 Cfs and leveled out in the mid 70 Cfs range!

After helping a Backwater Angler guide get his clients out the door early on Saturday, I was itching to fish during the rise in flows and took the day off (thanks Theaux). I chose to fish the mid-lower section of the C & R area, which has been particularly challenging in recent low flows. The clarity was just off a little, which was perfect. The water level climbed with the added spillover, on and off rain, and resulting runoff from various creeks and bridge crossings. I tried two access points and saw only two other anglers on the river, and one was a BWA Guide. The fishing was exceptionally good and many of the browns, 9-12 inches, were holding in deeper pools, and runs. Browns were eating attractor nymphs as well as zebra midges, caddis larvae patterns and nymphs in the 16-22 range. Areas which seemed to lack good numbers of fish the past few months yielded up to 3-5 fish per pool or run. As long as the inflow to Prettyboy is greater than the outflow, we should see water continuing to spillover, although it may slow after some time.

Watch Your Step on the Gunpowder River

November can be a great time to find solitude and wild trout on the Gunpowder River, but watch your step out there! Anglers should be aware that the browns are beginning to make spawning beds, (Redds) and that wading and fishing should be done with caution.

November can be a great time to find solitude and wild trout on the Gunpowder River, but watch your step out there! Anglers should be aware that the browns are beginning to make spawning beds, (Redds) and that wading and fishing should be done with caution. In the picture above are two beds, which are clearly defined against the dark river bottom. Anglers must pay close attention while wading through riffles, so as not to disturb the areas the fish have cleared. Attempting to catch paired up wild trout off spawning beds can have adverse effects on each trout’s contribution toward the next year class of browns. Browns will often make a redd, hide some distance away for days or weeks waiting for a mate. Once the time is right the browns pair up and spawn, and even protect the eggs for some time after. Consider the future of the fishery by not targeting browns in shallow water over clearly defined orange-yellowish gravel beds.