fishing report

Winter weather has shifted to warm air temperatures, but the melting of snow and ice are keeping water temps down. Spillover from Prettyboy, which has ice on its surface, has water temps as much as 6-8 degrees below the normal low-mid 40’s of February. A rough mix of half bottom release, and half icy spillover from Prettyboy has reversed the normal “warmer release closer to the dam” theory. Here are a few things we thought we would share about some differences this year in regards to water temps from previous years.  The Gunpowder has hovered around 37-40 degrees F midday for the past few weeks, and the recent warm days did have an effect on water temps and …

Read more

Throughout the past two weeks, I have been exploring a creek located in southern Pennsylvania, just West of the small borough of Jefferson. The stream is called Codorus Creek, and it is only a twenty-minute drive from our Gunpowder River. Codorus is a small tailwater, about twenty to thirty feet wide, and flows year round from the cold depths of Lake Marburg. The stream has some interesting characteristics and features that are different from the Gunpowder. However, Codorus is similar in the fact that it is dominated by wild brown trout. Most of the stream winds its way through cornfield after cornfield. I have only …

Read more

   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 …

Read more

Conditions are, shall we say, invigorating along the Gunpowder river. Water temp is 39 F, flow is good-the gauge is icing, but the Gunpowder river is still flowing in the 70-80 CFs range. Streamers are continuing to account for a number of fish between Masemore and Big Falls Rds. Stonefly nymphs like Red Butts and Princes sized #16-18 behind brighter patterns are a better bet from Masemore though Falls Rd. We’ve seen very few stoneflies this week but they are just around the corner. Stay tuned… Thanks to Mike Smith for the following stream report and photo, Hi guys, Fished from York Road to about …

Read more

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 …

Read more