fishing report

The Gunpowder River is flowing at 70 Cfs is 54.5 F and clear. Fish are looking up and taking small caddis, Bwo’s and Tricos. Bright days are tough on the water so find some shade in the sycamore groves or hemlock stand along the catch and release area. Longer leaders in the 9ft to 12ft range ending in 6x and 7x will help deliver the small flies accurately and drag free. Think short cast-long drift. Thanks to Josh Reider for the great photos and Stream Report from August 19: After fishing this morning I hooked into plenty of fish in the catch-and-release section of the …

Read more

The Gunpowder River is clear and flowing at 43 CFs and is 50 degrees F. With lower flows forecast for this week, if the sun ever breaks through the clouds the river will warm up much quicker. Monday it reached 55 degrees and by noon there were a few size #16 caddis coming off in the upper catch and release section. BWO’s, sized #18-20 were drifting through the Beaver Dam flat just downstream of the High Trail by 3 PM. Small Hare’s Ears with a little Deep Soft Weight ahead of them accounted for a few fish in the runs and deeper riffles between the …

Read more

The Gunpowder River is flowing at 90 CFs and is 51F. The river is clear above Bluemount but a little off-color below Little Falls and downstream through the two-fish a day section. Streamers such as light bright Zonkers and olive Wooly Buggers have accounted for larger fish in the boulder pools this week-one taping out at 17 inches that was released by a new Gunpowder regular. Guide trips have produced fish consistently on terrestrials including ants and beetles but the nymphing has been difficult. A good bet is a beetle or hopper trailing a #18 olive bodied Caddis or tiny BWO’s or midge emerger. Tricos …

Read more

Thanks to Backwater Angler staffer Josh Reider for the Stream Report and great shot of a beautiful wild Gunpowder brown: Fly fishing the Gunpowder River the past week has been very productive. Fishing small terrestrials (hoppers, ants, & beetles), midges, and even caddis (tan #16-18) on the river has been the ticket to get fish rising. If the fish seem to not be looking up, nymphing caddis pupa and zebra midges has been very productive. I caught a number of fish downstream of Bunker Hill one evening last week nymphing a combination of these and pheasant tails. The sulfurs have just about ended and we …

Read more

The Gunpowder River is clear and flowing at 92CFS and is 51 F. Backwater Angler staffers Mike, Max and Josh have been getting in some great flyfishing this week. Need a little advice as to how they work this fish magic? We just received some slow water caddis from Mike Bachkosky and have plenty of foam and natural beetles, ants and hoppers in the muffin tins. Nymphing has been consistent in the mornings with a small Hare’s Ear and Zebra midge patterns on 6x above Bunkerhill Rd. The water is cold, clear and brisk in the boulder pools. The fish are waiting. Seek out shade …

Read more