news

The Gunpowder flow is increasing as spillover crests Prettyboy Dam and raises river levels with an additional ten to twenty Cfs. Watch for rainfall to increase flows even more, and allow warmer spillover to jump start hatches by raising water temperatures. The fishing is productive right now using a variety of patterns, and also fishing at different times of day. A number of tricos are still hatching in the mornings, and blue wing olives on cloudy, overcast days. Caddis and midges are hatching in bigger numbers mid to late afternoon, and trout are rising toward dark each day. A small caddis or olive mayfly pattern …

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In other news, this Hardy Perfect spool netted by Andy Becker during the Annual shocking survey of the Gunpowder river was a great find. If this keeps up, we might see more metal detectors than fly rods along the banks. One never knows what one might find along the Gunpowder…

Fly Fisherman Magazine paid the shop a visit this Summer after the magazine accepted an article that Backwater Angler intern Alex McCrickard submitted on the Gunpowder river. The article should appear in the publication in 2010. Stay tuned! Way to go Alex-all of that time on the water paid off! Alex McCrickard explains the writing process: Theaux It started during the 3rd quarter of my senior year when my English teacher allowed us to compose our own syllabuses. I suggested that I write one essay a week on a topic of my choice within the art of fly fishing. My plan was to also submit …

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A change in the seasons is ushering in a shift along the river, as Fall has finally arrived. Both air and water temps have dropped, favoring anglers in waders versus Summer temps drawing tubers, swimmers and boaters to the river. Fishing midweek will offer the most solitude along miles of water with fewer vehicles in the parking lots. Weekends are even quiet at times on the Gunpowder, especially in the afternoons when the football fans have long left for home. After the shop closed on Sunday, I wet a line after a week of “taking it easy” and saw four hikers, but no anglers. The …

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It is starting to feel like Fall in Northern Baltimore County. Crisp air temps in the mornings and evenings combined with ice cold water temps feel like October came early this year on the Gunpowder. A few trees have even begun to turn and drop a few of their leaves. The change in temps and seasons always gets the wild browns feeding, and in recent weeks some quality wild trout were caught in the Baltimore area. Small streams in Maryland can even produce some quality fish, like the fish pictured below which fell for an olive bugger stripped across a submerged log. Blue wing olives …

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