Flows on the Gunpowder have climbed with melt off from the snow and steady rains, so it’s no surprise levels rose over 300 CFs today. Once flows hit 400 CFs the wading and fishing opportunities begin to dwindle, but the upper sections usually remain clear enough to cast streamers from the bank. The past week conditions improved on the Gunpowder as warmer weather increased water temps and more insects began hatching along the river. Water temperatures in the upper miles of river are now over 40 degrees, and sections farther downstream are closer to 45 degrees. I fished on Wednesday seeing midges and blackflies hatching in decent numbers, but no risers. Stoneflies were hatching after the ideal extended warm weather we experienced early in the week. I watched over a dozen fluttering adults float downriver before a good sized trout decided to rise up and inhale one off the surface. I walked the river for a few hours nymphing the better runs and keeping an eye out for more risers in the flats. Even with a brief flurry of activity from the insects, the majority of trout weren’t active enough to take the bugs off the surface. In the coming weeks the increasingly warmer weather will get these bugs hatching and the trout feeding on dries. I used the down time on the river to test out a new purchase I made recently. The new array of video cameras on the market is staggering, and with all the new features and smaller sizes, I decided to upgrade. My latest purchase shoots in full 1080 full HD quality, features a 25 power zoom lens and can hold 16 GB of footage, yet is smaller than a 12 oz can of soda. In the latest video I seined up some insects, tested out the macro lens and filmed some stonefly adults, and two nice browns.
Archive for the 'fishing report' Category
The Gunpowder river is flowing at 187 CFs, and water temps have increased a few degrees after a week of warmer air temperatures. The access has improved as far as parking, and most of the catch and release lots are plowed. Access along the trails is also improving as some spots are melted, others packed snow, yet some areas not getting sun are still knee deep. Yesterday water temps in the Falls Road section reached 41 degrees midday, which is up from the previous week’s temps in the 37-39 degree range. The slight increase helped start a sparse midge hatch, which has been long overdue, but I didn’t see any fish rising. Stronger hatches and rising trout may not be far off, if the weather continues to improve. Nymphing midge patterns paired with small nymphs is a good bet, although anglers bottom bouncing may notice the presence of Didymo again in the upper miles below Prettyboy Dam. Sections downriver with a siltier, gravel substrate don’t have as much algae visible as the areas further up river. The best way to minimize “fouling” your flies frequently is to use less weight, rig the indicator closer to the flies and make shorter drifts. Streamer fishing has yielded the best results, and is easier to keep the fly close to, but just off the algae on the river bottom. The past two days on the water I noticed the fish much more aggressive, chasing streamers and landed a couple browns. A few anglers sent in these reports relaying similar success on the Gunpowder.
Guys,
Went out at York Rd. Had only 1 bite (a chub I think) that I long-distance released, and caught one 10-12″ brownie. Caught him on a black articulated bugger, drifted downstream just at dusk between the interstate overpasses and the York Road bridge. Didn’t even see any others! The water was very cold, but not particularly deep, so there didn’t seem to be too much runoff.Other than the cold, the weather was beautiful and it was great to get out! If the snow stays much longer, I’m contemplating carrying snowshoes on a day pack!
Bryan
and another from a 12 year veteran of the Gunpowder,
Hey guys, just to let you know that I’ve noticed since fall that the fish in gunpowder are getting bigger. Before I was catching fish in the 6 to 10 inch range and since fall they’re in the 8 to 14 inch range. I do most of my fishing off the NCR trail near Monkton. Water is high and cold, but the brownies still need to eat. A 14.5 inch brown was caught off a size 16 beadhead pheasant tail dropper off a size 12 of the same. Thanks for the time and effort on your web site and happy fishing.
Jason miller
Taylor Brown sent in this recent report where he divided his time between breaking ice off the guides in New York, and wading tropical flats in the Bahamas.
“Theaux, Hope all is well. With the blizzard coming a few weeks ago I was able to get a week and a half off school. I took advantage of the opportunity. I made it up to Pulaski for some steelhead and to the bahamas for a few small bones. I even managed a very very late season COHO. The fishing was on FIRE north and south! Here are a few pics. Enjoy.”
Taylor
Willy Palmer sent us this picture and short report after returning from a recent trip to Argentina.
I see you mentioned Argentina in your recent web update. Thanks for all the help with tackle in preparation for the trip. I’ll fill in details later, but the fishing was great, the people delightful, and too much wine and food. As you can see, they know how to grow big ones in the lakes. I had several bigger, but was under strict rules not to come home with too many hero shots.
Regards,
Willy
What I would give to see a blade of grass. The plug the CAT C 12 gingerly placed across the front of my drive is now cleared. The impending snow shovel shortage awaits! I have one snow shovel left, the other expired in the early dawn hours Wednesday on the warm side of the house where the heat from the big wood stove full of red oak turned the powdery light stuff on the walk into an ice crystal slurry mess. “Split handle?” “Cracked blade?” “See it all the time,” may be part of the new fly shop vernacular. I’m certain that by the weekend, there will be run on salt, those fancy reflective driveway markers my neighbor uses to prompt the snow plow man to “do the right thing” and mailboxes. At the shop the half round gutter over the side porch could use a bit of a lift, otherwise the lot is plowed and we’ve seen a few fisherman today-some getting ready for trips to the Bahamas, Tierra del Fuego, and Argentina and even one fishing locally. The 23.2 inches in December now pales in comparison to the 79.9″ reported this season in, The Stats are In, by Frank Roylance. At this time we’d like to remind everyone that if you’re planning on fishing next week, as of today the river is clear, the lots are not and the trails are treacherous. Be sure to bring a shovel to clear a space along the river if you dare–the fish are waiting…Stoneflies are on the way.
Thanks to Max for the stream report and photos from a recent fly fishing trip to Chile. Testament that Backwater Angler interns know how to spend a few weeks in January down South.
Hi Theaux!
Just wanted to tell you a bit about our trip to Chile this past month. We fished in the Torres del Paine National Park near Punta Arenas for a few days, catching big browns in the 22 inch range. We were fishing with a few guys who are opening a guide service next year, and they were really helpful in showing us where the fish were. We fished small rivers that feed into the third largest lake in Chile ( Lago Toro). Our favorite stream was a secret spring creek. Alex caught and landed a huge brown that measured 24 inches and must have weighed about six pounds. Between us we didn’t catch a single fish under 18 inches at the Torres del Paine. We didn’t catch huge numbers, but the ones we did catch sure were large!
After Torres del Paine, we flew north to Puerto Montt where we met up with a friend of mine Carlos Klein (who is a guide in the region). Our destination was the Rio Puelo, a huge river that is home to an extremely large population of big rainbow trout. We stayed in a very comfortable cabin that belonged to Turismo Rio Puelo, a guide service owned by one of Carlos’ good friends. We spent the first evening tying flies and eating asado de cordero (Chilean lamb roast) with ten other guides from the area, trading fishing stories and fly patterns, and talking about what we would be doing the next day.
The myth on the Puelo river is that one can only catch fish on big streamers and sinking lines, but we heeded Carlos’ advice and fished big hoppers with nymph droppers. Alex and I immediately started catching big rainbows in the skinny riffles, water that most fisherman would ignore. On the first day, we caught most of the fish on dries, but Andrés (another member of our group, and former Rio Baker guide) managed to land a large bow on an orange and black white legged bugger he had tied the night before.
The biggest fish of the trip came on the last day at the Puelo, and Alex was the lucky fisherman. He tied on a birds-nest nymph, told me it never failed him, made a long upstream cast, and hooked a 25-inch 10 pound rainbow. At first he thought he was hooked on bottom, but when I walked up next to him, i could clearly see that the line was slowly moving towards the fast current mid-stream. I told him to keep the pressure, and just as he began lifting his rod, the fish decided to run. I have never heard a reel scream so loud, or seen such a huge fish racing upstream in 5 inches of crystal clear water. Alex and i chased the fish for over 20 minutes before the beast was in the net. We took some pictures and then quickly released him. Alex and I decided to end the fishing with that catch, so we returned to the boat with a nap in mind, but instead ended up watching another fisherman haul in a 35 pound Chinook salmon… We intend to return to the Puelo with spey rods and heavier equipment…My 7 weight Sage Z-Axis performed wonderfully against big fish and the heavy Austral wind, but it would have been no match for a monster Chilean Chinook.
If you are interested in fishing in Chile, send me an email and I can give you some tips as to good places to go, and good people to contact down there.
-Max Meneveau
The Gunpowder river is flowing at 142 CFs, is gin clear and 38 F. Small #16-18 stonefly nymphs, san juan worms and large wooly buggers and sculpin patterns have been accounting for a few wild fish. Cabin fever is upon us! Fishing conditions are, well, tough out there, especially with headlines looming like, Snow Appetizer to the Main Event, but some lucky folks are at least managing to get their lines wet. As illustrated by the following stream reports, when it comes down to it, fly fishing is necessary and important to some no matter what the weather. However, if your feet, shins or knees are wet you could probably use some new waders or at the very least, a patch kit from MCNETT. Winter is no time for leaky waders! We’ve had a few anglers in the shop this week headed for the warmer climes of Argentina, Chile, and Tierra del Fuego where the only snow around this time of year is on the mountains. Thanks to Mick for the photo and the pithy stream report.
Theaux,
Got 1 today. Downstream from Bluemount. Note the fly! Released healthy.
Mick
And thanks to Joe for another succinct stream report:
Theaux,
Good catching up - slow fishing below the Dam this morning and plenty of ice on the guides, but could have been much….much worse, I could have not been fishing.Cheers,
Joe
