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Low Water Labor Day Weekend

The Gunpowder is flowing at 29 CFs is clear and warming up. Water temps have risen in the past week from a high each day of 52 F to temps approaching 58 F. Fish have been looking up after 11 AM and are taking tricos, small caddis and terrestrials. Flying ants and small beetles are also worth a shot. Wet wading is certainly possible as the river has plenty of exposed gravel bars at these flows. Small dries in the #18-22 range fished with a long (10-12ft) and fine (6-7x) leader have been accounting for lots of wild fish in the flatwater. As Josh’s recent …

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Gunpowder River Wild Fish Won’t Wait!

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 …

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Jerry Kustich and Sweetgrass Rods at Backwater Angler Saturday, August 24th from 11:00 AM till 2:00 PM

I met Jerry K. in 1997 when I started working at the R. L. Winston Rod Co. as the Eastern Sales Rep. At the time I had a gas card, a small pickup with a topper and a U.S. map with a line roughly drawn down the middle from Minnesota to Louisiana that included all points east from Maine to the Keys. Traveling 28 states back then was always an adventure and the dealers always took great care of me. Visiting with Jerry, Glenn, and Jeff in the old airplane hangar that served as the boo shop was always a treat. One afternoon Jerry invited …

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Tricos, Caddis and Fish Missiles

The Gunpowder River is flowing at 110 Cfs, is 55 degrees and clear. Bwo’s, Tricos and Caddis are all part of the mix now that the water has reached the mid 50’s. As the following report indicates, insect and fish activity is closely linked to water temperature.Thanks to Gary for the stream report from August 10 Theaux, Fished the upper section of the river on Saturday 8/10 and had some ‘maddening’ fun with the tricos. It still amazes me how the fish can see those things but I took a lot of hits and landed quite a few fish using a reverse hackle pattern. At …

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Patagonia Ultralight Sticky Wading Boot Review

We have a full size run of these Patagonia Ultralight Wading Boots in stock at Backwater Angler. We’ve waited most of the Spring Season for these but did not want to bring them in until Josh, Jennie and Jeff put them through the paces on the upper and lower stretches of the Gunpowder River. This week, after reading Josh’s review I even picked up a pair of the new sticky shoes. So far I’ve been in mine for an evening fish, during two fly fishing schools and a guide trip in the canyon stretch of the Gunpowder in just the past week and have been …

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Wild Fish and Cold Water all Summer Long…

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 …

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