Gunpowder (Md) 10/26

[BelAirSteve]

A couple of you have commented on the Gunpowder, and since that is my home water, I have the opportunity to post frequent reports. I assume you all are interested, right?

I mentioned this in my "match the hatch" post in the General Forum, but never posted a formal report. At Big Falls Road, the flow was probably up around 180 when it averages 40 this time of year. Even when I fish other stretches, I almost always fish Big Falls Road since I have to drive by it to get home anyway.

Nothing much on the water that I could see, and no visible rises. The water was ripping pretty good, which made it tough to get a BHPT down deep. I walked the trail for about a half mile or more but ended up back at the same pool I have had success at in the past. I noticed some midges and very small mayfiles...maybe BWOs, but the one I caught looked like a rusty spinner. I tied on a size 20 beatis emerger parachute, but had trouble seeing it in the low light, and as far as I could tell, they were not interested. I switched over to a size 18 parachute adams, mostly because I knew I would be able to see it, and brought two small Gunpowder wild browns to hand in about 10 minutes. They were on the small side, 6 and 7 inches, but man do I love to look at wild browns!

When it got to be too dark, I came off the stream and ran into another guy that had hiked a good ways upstream. He was deep nymphing and said he got into about a dozen fish, one or two upwards of 12 inches. As some of you know, that's a nice fish for the Gunpowder. If I have landed 20 fish on the Gunpowder this year, half were in the 6 to 7 inch range and half were in the 9 to 10 inch range.

By the way, if anyone ever wants to join me on the Gunpowder, I usually fish early on Saturday mornings. I pretty much have the place to myself between 7:30 and 9:30. Shoot me a message.

Likewise, if anyone needs company in York County or Lancaster County, let me know. I would love to check out some streams I have not fished yet.

Steve
BelAir, MD

 

[jayL]

I love the gunpowder. Never made it this year, unfortunately.

I fished the trico hatch when it was running over 200 a few years ago. They were doing some crazy whitewater release. It still gave up a few of those wild browns.

 

[BelAirSteve]

jayL wrote:
I love the gunpowder. Never made it this year, unfortunately.

It's not too late! Never say never.

 

[jayL]

BelAirSteve wrote:

jayL wrote:
I love the gunpowder. Never made it this year, unfortunately.

It's not too late! Never say never.

I just dropped 70 beans on an annual NY license (they go from Oct through Sept), so all of my trips are up there. Gotta get my money's worth.

How much is the NR maryland license running these days? I am planning on getting an annual next year and making a bunch of trips.

 

[BelAirSteve]

Non-res this year is $30.50, plus $5 trout stamp.

 

[jayL]

BelAirSteve wrote:
Non-res this year is $30.50, plus $5 trout stamp.

Not bad. I'll most likely get one in january and try some winter fishing. Thanks.

 

[Raven456]

jayL wrote:

BelAirSteve wrote:

jayL wrote:
I love the gunpowder. Never made it this year, unfortunately.

It's not too late! Never say never.

I just dropped 70 beans on an annual NY license (they go from Oct through Sept), so all of my trips are up there. Gotta get my money's worth.

How much is the NR maryland license running these days? I am planning on getting an annual next year and making a bunch of trips.

NY State almost doubled the cost for a NR license this year!

 

[DGC]

Up about 300 yds from Big Falls Rd that area of the Gunpowder is great for watching spawning browns--lousy with redds in relatively shallow, gin clear water. They should be starting any time if they haven't already.

MD has a reciprocal fee policy so that after the 30 dollar minimum, they charge whatever the state you are from charges nonresidents. I bought one a few years ago and with stamp and other fees it was about 60 bucks + or -

 

[VTPAangler]

DGC is correct. For an annual MD license you'll pay $60 plus as a PA resident. I'm pretty sure a one day license would run you $20 or more. Pretty steep imo unless you know you'll use it a fair amount. If you hit the Gunpowder a couple of times and do a weekend trip to the Savage River, you probably get your monies worth.

The fact that the Gunpowder is two hours away from Philly is a plus. I think it's the best stream within a two hour drive of Philly (some might argue the Letort).

 

[BelAirSteve]

Sorry, I missed the reciprocal agreement on the DNR website. Personally, I don't mind paying the extra money for out of state licenses. This year, I got Delaware (for Saltwater) PA with trout stamp and VA.

In VA, if you are fishing the wild brookie streams in SNP, you are not required to purchase a trout stamp. You only need a trout stamp if fishing in stocked waters. I don't know if MD and PA distinguish between the two like that.

 

[BelAirSteve]

DGC wrote:
Up about 300 yds from Big Falls Rd that area of the Gunpowder is great for watching spawning browns--lousy with redds in relatively shallow, gin clear water. They should be starting any time if they haven't already.

I have not seen any redds yet. Do you think the big blowout we had last week will do anything to postpone the spawning?

 

[sundrunk]

Gun browns tend to spawn later in Nov..I like the Gun some where between 50-120cfs. Check levels before you make drive, unless you intend or throwing streamers.

Didymo hasn't had a terrible effect on the Gunpowder thus far. I use a deticated pair of (didymo) boots when fishing the Gunpowder. Niether felt, spikes, rivets nor cleates are necessary for wading the Gun, IMO.

I paid $59. for a PA non-resident + a $5 trout stamp.
One would think States would want to encourage tourist dollars. Pa's got the mountains, MD has the ocean and the Bay. $65 buck is a bit high for a C&R trout stamp.

I like how VA and other states stamp charge only the stocker water, this makes sense to me...

 

[bjkaledas]

I have never fished the Gunpowder. Doesn't it start in York county PA? If so, is the fishing in PA's portion good?

 

[sundrunk]

Most of the water shed lies in MD..There may be a trib, way up, that begins in PA, but we're talking maybe a foot wide. The Gunpowder that every one knows, and is writting about begins below Prettyboy Dam, which is well below the state line...

 

[BelAirSteve]

sundrunk wrote:
Most of the water shed lies in MD..There may be a trib, way up, that begins in PA, but we're talking maybe a foot wide. The Gunpowder that every one knows, and is writting about begins below Prettyboy Dam, which is well below the state line...

Correct. It is known as a tailwater for that reason. Google maps did find a "Gunpowder Falls" in PA, with lots of tribs, and they eventually end up in Pretty Boy Reservoir, but I have never heard of anyone fishing it.

 

[Stevie-B]

Rummor has it that some of the tributaries to Pretty Boy hold brookies, but unconfirm as of yet.

 

[BelAirSteve]

sundrunk wrote:
Gun browns tend to spawn later in Nov..I like the Gun some where between 50-120cfs. Check levels before you make drive, unless you intend or throwing streamers.

Didymo hasn't had a terrible effect on the Gunpowder thus far. I use a deticated pair of (didymo) boots when fishing the Gunpowder. Niether felt, spikes, rivets nor cleates are necessary for wading the Gun, IMO.

I paid $59. for a PA non-resident + a $5 trout stamp.
One would think States would want to encourage tourist dollars. Pa's got the mountains, MD has the ocean and the Bay. $65 buck is a bit high for a C&R trout stamp.

I like how VA and other states stamp charge only the stocker water, this makes sense to me...

The only time the didymo makes for tough fishing is hanging up in it while trying to nymph in winter, when the water is in the high 30's. Didymo thrives in the really cold water. I agree about wading the gun. I use Cloudveil 8X Vibram rubber soles and have never had a problem.

 

[DGC]

BelAirSteve,

re delaying the spawn from recent high water--on that particular tailwater I'm not sure it makes that much difference unless temperatures get bumped up for an extended time.

Only reason I bring up spawning is that, since you fish it weekly, and since the catch of the day tends to be fish on the small side, witnessing the spawn will reveal the nicer trout in there. We all know about the surveys, but it's nice to see them with your own eyes in the areas you fish, even if they travel in and out to do it (pun accidental). It's also a marvel to watch in its own right.

And yes, by all means keep posting reports from there as you see fit.

Stevie-B, the tribs, above and below the dam, do have brooks and browns, though access is spotty as are the populations.

 

[jayL]

For the most part, I find it easy to wade.

When I went that time that it was pumping at a white water release, the stretch immediately below the dam was a nightmare. How is that area during a more normal release?

 

[DGC]

I don't know how close you can go since 9/11 but with normal releases all the way to the dam was easy to wade.