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Thanks to Ron Klauda, Director of the Monitoring and Non-tidal Assessment Division in Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources and Co-Chairman of DNR’s Invasive Species Matrix Team for visiting the shop on Oct 27 and giving a very insightful invasive species talk. The talk was well attended and included overviews of invasives ranging from Snakeheads to Virile Crayfish. Ron also pointed out other less conspicuous invasives like the introduced Blue and Flathead Catfish that are equally challenging to manage. He also reported on Didymo and the steps MD/DNR and Backwater Angler have taken to contain it within the Gunpowder. Because of the hard work undertaken by …

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My two recent trips out West to Colorado and Montana provided some good fishing opportunities on new water. The trips also enlightened me on the current range of Didymo in the West. On my second day nymphing on the Frying Pan, I was frequently catching the green stringy algae, typical in most rivers. Yet, on a few occasions I pulled in some rather large, snotty fibrous growths. I immediately recognized that white, gelatinous, dripping mass that enveloped my fly. No one in the parking lot or fly shops could confirm if its presence was documented, and many had never heard of Didymo. I did see …

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Last week Backwater Angler hosted a crew from Emmy award winning MPT, (Maryland Public Television) in the shop and on-stream for an upcoming Outdoors Maryland video segment. Pictured from left are: Jeff Lewatowski, Christy Neale, (who, as an associate producer brought home an Emmy in the Chesapeake Heritage category for Eatin’ Crab Cakes: The Best I Ever Had) Brandon Huse, Theaux Le Gardeur, Mark Burlet and Goldy. The water level had just dropped that morning leading up the the annual DNR shocking survey so conditions were a little tough. We managed to fool a few fish in front of the cameras using small caddis, blue …

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By now most anglers in the Old Line State have hopefully heard of Didymo. Based on a few local fishing reports, now even snakeheads may be considered passe. Global warming advocates have a lot more to talk about since a Red Oscar was caught in Pretty Boy Reservoir and a Peacock Bass was caught in the Monacacy. These catches may well signal the tip of the melting iceberg. Could we be that far away from stepping lightly over alligators?

This just in from Mark Staley at Fisheries: We will be electrofishing the Dam/falls station upstream of Falls Rd on the Gunpowder tailwater on Friday Oct. 8th. We will meet at 9:30 am at the upper parking lot on Falls Rd.. Mark Staley Central Region Manager MD DNR Inland Fisheries 410-442-2080 Related posts: Sign Up for the Gunpowder River Shocking Survey Gunpowder Trout by the Bucketful