fishing report

for river related condition reports

Early Mayflies and Late Evening Spinnerfalls On The Gunpowder River

The unique conditions with high volumes of spillover on the Gunpowder means we are seeing many insects very early compared to previous years. Water temperatures are in the high fifties to low sixties, and held steady for the past three weeks with many mayflies hatching weeks ahead of schedule. The hendricksons are very early, showing up three weeks ago. The spinnerfall action after 7 pm means waiting out the bugs until dark. The quill gordons and march browns are still hatching, but their numbers are sparse compared to the hendricksons. On a few evenings this past week I fished until dark each night, and was …

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Hendricksons, Caddis and Even a Few Sulphurs along the Gunpowder

The Gunpowder river is flowing at 115 Cfs, is 61 F and clear. Lots of good reports of Hendrickson spinner falls in the evening this week have pulled folks away from most TV outlets-hockey excluded. Only a mid-May Sulphur spinner fall may distract some SEC employees from what they’ve been watching. We’re also seeing Bwo’s and small caddis in the morning followed by a few Sulphurs. Swinging soft hackles and unweighted pheasant tails sized #14-16 has been very productive in the afternoon. We have more shade along the river now that the trees have leafed out and the dry fly fishing is picking up. A …

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Hatching Mayfly Nymphs On The Gunpowder River

The mayfly nymphs living under the rocks in the Gunpowder river are beginning to hatch in good numbers. Many anglers are experiencing good dry fly fishing during the hendrickson emergence and spinnerfall. The trout are really eating nymph patterns under the surface, especially at the end of the swing. The real mayflies are drifting down river to hatch in mass it seems, as the fish can be seen flashing and chasing bugs up to the surface. Just turn over a few rocks in a swift riffle area and you will quickly see the river is full of life. While fishing in the evening I spotted …

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Hendricksons and Perfect Flows On The Gunpowder River

The month of April is prime time for dry fly anglers since the fish begin to respond to hatching mayflies and larger fly patterns. The midge fishing on the Gunpowder has been good early and late in the day, but reports of trout caught on hendrickson patterns increased this weekend. Some anglers witnessed emerging hendricksons midday and fish taking naturals and dries, while other anglers fished the dries blind in riffles. Swinging wets and soft hackles has been really effective any time of day, but especially in the evenings. When I got a call from my buddy Matt that he would be in town, we …

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Quill Gordons, Hendricksons and Midges along the Gunpowder

The Gunpowder river is 60 F, clear and is flowing at 121 CFs. Small midges and the Hendricksons are upon us. Soft hackles and emergers are proving to be tough to fish especially with some of the didymo “letting go” with warmer stream temps. Bright sun filtered by trees that just leafing out made conditions tough last week, but after a few days when air temps approached 90 F, the river is shaping up. Hendrickson emergers, duns, and spinners. are worth a shot-especially in the riffles. Next time you’re up at the shop, be sure to pick out a few snowshoe rabbit midges that are …

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Sixty Degree Water Along the Gunpowder River

A week of unusually hot weather has changed water temps dramatically along the Gunpowder River. The air temps hovered in the 80s in Nothern Baltimore county all week, and the river is much warmer than two weeks ago. The cold spillover that slowed the fish’s metabolism all winter, is now warmer than the bottom release, which may jumpstart our hatches early. The past two weeks kept us busy guiding on the river, which allowed us to fish a variety of access points. On a number of trips we encountered brief periods of rising trout, and the clients enjoyed a break from the nymphing and streamer …

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