Jason du Pont - BACKWATER ANGLER

Savage River and North Branch of the Potomac Fishing Report Update

July 9, 2007July 8, 2007

Western Maryland in June was tough fishing with low water. When I had a few days free this past week I called some friends and decided to give it another try. The Savage River was fishing hot despite returning to 55 Cfs from 800 on Sunday July 1st. Sulphurs, Yellow and Lime Sallies, Olives, Caddis and even March Browns were still hatching. Fish were looking up in a big way, which was a change from last month. X-Caddis and Olives in a size 14 brought many fish up from the deep holes. In the tailouts and flat water fish were selectively rising to size 20-24 …

Flyfishing near Baltimore, Maryland? It’s time for a Gunpowder River Recap

July 5, 2007

Time for a recap on the Gunpowder fishing the past few weeks. The low water has made some access points very difficult to fish. Options include targeting boulder pools, rougher water versus shallow riffles, and heading south below the catch and release sections. 12-15 foot leaders and staying nearly out of the water are required for fishing the catch and release sections. Anglers fishing the lower river should know that water temperatures which allow comfortable wet wading may be getting a bit warm for trout fishing. Bring a thermometer and look for a temp less than seventy degrees. Be sure to reach deep into the …

Summertime Lows and Questionable Water Management in Western Maryland on the Savage River and the North Branch of the Potomac

July 1, 2007July 1, 2007

The update on the Western Maryland scene is, despite comparably low precipitation levels and low flows on the Gunpowder, the Savage River received an 800 Cfs White Water release from 9-1 p.m. today, July 1st. The ACOE, (Army Corp of Engineers) is complying with whitewater groups requests to release a volume of water over five hours, that will send more water downriver than in the past two weeks, (at 50 Cfs a day). Data is showing that the Savage reservoir is at a 12 year June low, yet the ACOE assures that the levels would allow a 800 Cfs for five hours of recreation, which …

The Savage River and the North Branch of the Potomac Fly Fishing Report

June 19, 2007June 14, 2007

The Savage River: The river was fishing slow this week in Western Maryland. Levels were down between 50-75 CFS and warming to 56-59 degrees midday at the uppermost bridge access. Hatches were coming off great, but the fish were only rising to midges size #22-26 in the flat pools. Pounding the pocket water was surprisingly ineffective despite an abundance of size twelve March Browns, Sulphurs and Cahills in the early afternoon. Caddis, Blue Wing Olives, Craneflies and smaller mayflies were hatching midday in small numbers. Gypsy Moth Caterpillars were everywhere on the river, and two trout rose to ones I saw fall into the water. …