fishing report

for river related condition reports

Jakes First Impression of the Savage River

My first trip to the Savage River several weeks ago presented different challenges than the Gunpowder. I had been told of the difficult wading  and after my first day I would agree. Didymo covers the large boulders that lay in the water which causes very slick conditions. With much more rocks in the water, the currents were more intricate than those of the Gunpowder. For this reason, i found maneuvering through the river and positioning was key to getting a good drift. It may be helpful to bring a wading staff for crossing the river because of the slick rocks and strong current. It was …

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Terrestrial Fishing on the Gunpowder

The Gunpowder remains at 101cfs and 55 degrees. Doesn’t get much nicer for dry fly fishing than that. Whilst sulphurs are (still!) coming off resulting in bursts of feeding activity, caddis are coming off through the day and midges constantly swarm there is no shortage of food available for the Gunpowder’s trout. Now the hot weather is kicking in & the vegetation is lush fish are beginning switching their attention to terrestrial insects. The fish above was David’s first trout on a fly rod, caught on a dry fly during a guided trip, call or email to book a trip to tune up your game …

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Mid-June Gunpowder River Fishing Report

The Gunpowder River is clear, flowing at 115 Cfs and 57 degrees F. Sulphurs in the #16-18 range abound. Spinners are good bet after 7PM. Caddis are a good bet especially emergers-stop in we have a few great ones to choose from. Ants are also a good bet nd it’s never to early to start fishing terrestrials for opportunistic wild fish. New to the shop this week are Echo Trout rods in the 4wt to 6wt range. At $350 with lifetime warranty that are one of the best value-oriented travel fly rods on the market. https://www.backwaterangler.com/product/echo-trout-fly-rod\ This week we have new reels from Ross including …

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Smallmouth Fly Fishing on the Susquehanna

The Susquehanna River offers some amazing water to target smallmouth bass. After fishing the river for years with spinning gear, I recently transitioned to fly fishing for smallmouth. My thoughts in presentation are still the same although I’m using a different setup. I have been using the new Patagonia Swiftcurrent packable waders the last few times I’ve fished there. Studs in your boots are almost necessary if you decide to wade. Big boulders and slippery mud make wading a challenge, so be careful. I used a basic 7 weight combo that I’ve had for years with a floating line. Flies were thrown on a 2x …

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Memorial Day Hours & River Report

We will be open 10-4 Memorial Day Monday. The river is flowing nicely at 106cfs with water temperatures in the low 50’s. Sulphurs remain much of what the fish are looking for through the afternoon along with tan caddis. Caddis are hatching well into the evening. Sulphurs are most consistent in the afternoon but you never quite know when you’ll encounter a burst of them coming off. It’s a good idea to have a variety of different imitations of sulphur duns and emergers at hand to show the fish if they wise up to one pattern, switch out and try another for an often instant …

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Backwater Angler Reopens May 22, 2020

Based on the County Executive’s order, Backwater Angler will our reopen our doors for retail business tomorrow, May 22 at 10AM. Big Changes you need to be aware of for our reopening: Mask requirements are in effect-if you’re not wearing a mask we won’t welcome you in. Period. We will limit the total # customers to Three(3) in the door at a time. Our restroom will remain closed to the public. If you’re sick, stay at home. We can always “talk fishing” remotely. Extended Hours on the Weekends: Because we’ve missed a good part of our busy season and because we want to follow social …

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