Jason du Pont - BACKWATER ANGLER

Low, Frigid Flows On The Gunpowder River

June 6, 2011June 4, 2011

The past two releases from Prettyboy Dam brought water temps down to safe levels for trout. The water temp was climbing into the upper sixties last week due to surface spillover. The flow went from a mix of spillover and release to a flow of 150 CFs. The river temps dropped down to the low fifties, and the reservoir levels dropped just below the lip of the Prettyboy Dam. Wednesday morning flows were cut back to 30 CFs with 46-48 degree water pulled from a lower gate. The threat of thunderstorms and water lapping only inches from spilling over was cause for an additional release. …

Cool Down On The Gunpowder River

May 31, 2011

A heatwave brought daily highs into the mid to high nineties in Northern Baltimore. The Gunpowder, which has leveled out at an ideal 150 Cfs between 50-53 degrees, is a perfect place to cool down on a hot day. The recent gate change last week has created more opportunities for anglers seeking hatching bugs and dry fly fishing throughout the day. Reports from guides, clients and anglers over the weekend detailed good morning and midday fishing on the surface. The evenings are still best, but fishing for a few hours at any time of day can be productive. Fishing nymph tandems under an indicator or …

Late May Fly Fishing On The Savage River

May 28, 2011

I’ve watched the USGS gauge fluctuate on the Savage River all Spring, and finally found a window to go fishing. I was on the water at noon on Tuesday, as the Savage dropped from the 250 CFs range. The higher water makes for some great fishing, especially throwing dries in the pockets. I arrived, rigged up a sixteen foot 5X leader, and tied on a size 12 snow shoe march brown. I started in a rough water area, fishing the small pockets behind boulders, and where the soft seams meet the fast water. The trout were looking up, and I rose quite a few, but …

Clouds Of Spinners On The Gunpowder River

May 19, 2011

Clouds of mayflies weren’t the only clouds hovering over the river this week. Heavy rain the past few days caused the Gunpowder to hit nearly 600 CFs, and steadily rising as a light rain falls in Monkton today. Current USGS reading at Falls Road today is 596 CFs, and climbing straight up. A good possibility of thunderstorms later today and tomorrow means anglers should check the gauge before the weekend. 100-300 CFs is wadeable, although anglers should be cautious on the higher end of that range. 300-400+ CFs has limited wading options, but fishing is still possible from the banks or shallows of wide flats. …

May Fly Fishing On The Gunpowder River

May 7, 2011

The Gunpowder has dropped from late April high flows and leveled out from 600 CFs down to 140 CFs. Flow from Prettyboy Dam is still a combination of spillover and bottom release, so water temps are fluctuating from the high fifties to low sixties. The warmer water has spurred on hatches of numerous mayflies and caddis. The caddis hatch is best in the morning to midday, and again just before dark. The trout will take dries, but swinging or nymphing pupa patterns has been extremely effective. Sulphurs are now hatching steady each afternoon and I hit three spinnerfalls this week. The emergence of the size …

Late April Fly Fishing On The Gunpowder

April 26, 2011

Heavy rain the past few weeks has kept the Gunpowder at higher flows, but fishable compared to other rivers in the Mid Atlantic. Last week anglers from Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, Virginia, West Virginia, and New Jersey journeyed to the Gunpowder, since many rivers in those states were blown out. In a “spillover Spring” the frequent rain storms will raise flows on the Gunpowder, but the river remains clear. The higher water last week was producing results for anglers using big streamers, but I could only get chases from a few bruisers I’ve been targeting. This week flows leveled out at 137 CFs, and water …