1/8 North Branch of the Potomac, Garrett County Maryland

[ryansheehan]

Flow: 250 cfs
Water temperature: 41
Air temp: 22-39

Spent Saturday night at Deep Creek and got up early with a buddy to hit the north branch. It was pretty chilly early in the morning but got above freezing by 11 am. No bugs or rising fish but a successful day of nymphing. The water had a nice green tint to it which I normally see on the Savage in the fall.

 

[salmo]

Nice fish. Are the rainbows wild?

 

[ryansheehan]

Nice fish. Are the rainbows wild?

The north branch has a mix of wild, stocked and native fish. The third pic is for sure a stocker, the other two bows I'm guessing are wild but I can't tell them as well as browns.

 

[ryansheehan]

Also waiting for the first tippet joke!

 

[Streamhawk]

Sounds like a good day. I like fishing the stretch from the confluence of Savage.

 

[tomgamber]

like this?

 

[sarce]

The north branch has a mix of wild, stocked and native fish. The third pic is for sure a stocker, the other two bows I'm guessing are wild but I can't tell them as well as browns.

Based on dorsal fin damage all 3 bows are stocked (but agree there are wild rainbows there by all accounts). That brown is a really nice fish!

 

[kbobb]

Is this river considered Maryland or West VA or is either license good?

BTW real nice fish - have you ever caught a cutt throat there?

 

[ryansheehan]

Is this river considered Maryland or West VA or is either license good?

BTW real nice fish - have you ever caught a cutt throat there?

Either license works but it's Maryland water. Yes, but it's been a little while since I've seen one.

 

[Kyle]

nice fish! thanks for sharing with us.

 

[Highstickdrifter]

Hey Ryan, I always enjoy your posts/reports of NB. I enjoy fishing there when I can. What’s your general impression of the fishing/ trout numbers in the last 5 years, and since the mill closed?

 

[sixfootfenwick]

I find this solves a lot of problems.

 

[silverfox]

Finally bumped the river. I only got the boat on it twice this year before they dropped it back in June.

 

[ryansheehan]

Hey Ryan, I always enjoy your posts/reports of NB. I enjoy fishing there when I can. What’s your general impression of the fishing/ trout numbers in the last 5 years, and since the mill closed?

I think the closure has helped some but the game changer will be the removal of the dam under the blue bridge.

 

[Highstickdrifter]

Game changer in what direction, good or bad?

 

[Highstickdrifter]

Oh, and the reason I inquired about your impression of recent years fishing is because I’ve heard some grumbling from a couple of the guides who float the N. Branch, that Md. hasn’t kept up w/ fingerling stocking of late…

 

[silverfox]

Oh, and the reason I inquired about your impression of recent years fishing is because I’ve heard some grumbling from a couple of the guides who float the N. Branch, that Md. hasn’t kept up w/ fingerling stocking of late…

Their grumbling is unwarranted. In my opinion (and a few others), what's going on there is the fish bunch up in big pods a lot. So there are "dead" sections. If you're not in a boat, you will have a hard time. Then on top of that, for some reason, those fish really don't like being floated or fished over. A boat will put the fish down for hours.

There are plenty of fish. The upper river isn't like it was when they had the hatchery pens in the tailrace, but there are plenty of fish. They can be very, very picky, so it's not great for guides IMO. With 5+ guys running trips with everything I just said, it's a tough river.

 

[Highstickdrifter]

Silver fox, thanks for your input— I usually fish portions of the Westernport-to-Black Oak section and have noticed that one season, a set of riffles/runs seem to be full of fish, then other times devoid of them ( allowing for the phenomenon of just a day when the bite is off).I have floated a few times w/ a pontoon boat and yes, certain “trouty”looking sections seem “dead”. Of course, with any tailwater, you’re dealing with the vagaries of mercurial releases/temperature changes. When it’s hot it’s hot and… you know the rest.

 

[ryansheehan]

It would be a great thing for the dam to be removed. It would make a big difference for float trips. It would keep that lower section a little cooler in the summer months as well. Here is a couple of articles.

Article 1

Article 2

 

[silverfox]

It would be a great thing for the dam to be removed. It would make a big difference for float trips. It would keep that lower section a little cooler in the summer months as well. Here is a couple of articles.

Article 1

Article 2

Aside from the potential positive effect on the fishery, it would be nice to be able to float from the fairgrounds to the sports complex.