Orvis Fishing Report Potomac River

Blue quills, quill gordons, stones, and caddis were on the menu yesterday. We fished a wild trout stream and caught browns, brooks, and bows. The fishing is just going to get better in the weeks to come on Western Maryland trout streams. If you were not one of the groups we floated the last 10 days of April, you missed the big grannom hatch on the lower sections of the North Branch Potomac. There were very heavy caddis hatches and great fishing for hard trout every afternoon. Make plans on catching this hatch next spring. (savageriverangler.com)

 Wolly buggers, sculpins, and other streamer patterns fished down in the water column can create fish.   Fish these patterns different ways other than the conventional retrieve upstream.   These patterns may be fished dead drift, downstream, across current, and upstream.   attempt fishing these in pools just below a riffle or deep in the pools.     There are lots of smaller trout in the river caused by the great spawns we have had the last 2 years also as the bigger fish. (savageriveroutfitters.com)

People are tell them the range of fishing opportunities available in this area, Snowhite said. There is so much around here to fish for. We have the mountains an hour west, the bay an hour east. Temperate water is all around us and there are some number of alternatives for local temperate water discharge fishing in the winter. The most I have driven to guide in the past year is 22 miles. A 9 5wt rod will cover just about everything around here. And some patterns will cover every species on the above mentioned list. (flyfishing.about.com)

All of our favorite state stocked streams are back to good visibility and levels. There are some thunderstorms in the forecast so generally keep an eye on the USGS realtime streamflow gauges before you head out. VDGIF is updating their fish stocking page daily. Attractor streamers and nymphs will take these stocked fish through the spring season. Be prepared to fish split shot or sink tip lines afterward this week as water levels are a bit high. Do not overlook some of our lake fisheries. Elkhorn for example was producing fish over 5 pounds on streamer patterns fished deep! though some of these lakes can be stained from recent rains, once they clear up they should fish well into the summer months! Enjoy the next month of our State managed waters people! It was a great spring season so far. (mossycreekflyfishing.com)

The North Fork of the South Branch Potomac River say that ten times fast goes through West Virginia and sooner or later passes between Virginia and Maryland before it empties into the Chesapeake Bay. Although many anglers float the Potomac in Maryland and Virginia for smallmouth bass, there’s excellent access for wading trout anglers off path 28/55 in West Virginia. Here you ll find a healthy mix of brown and rainbow trout, with the sporadic brood stock brook trout. West Virginia s own golden rainbow trout elsewhere called a palomino rainbow also populate stretches of the river. The state record 9. (flyfisherman.com)

With Spring dragging its feet and the air temps making wild swings, the Hendricksons have been slow to show themselves and hot/cold based on the day. Luckily there are some stoneflies humming around the Big Gunpowder Falls to keep anglers out of trouble. Grey comparaduns think #12 & 14 have been working on increasing fish feeding on emerges. A pocket full of midges can save an evening. Last night was no exemption to that rule, there have been some sulfurs popping out of the water here and there. Get you snow-shoe patterns and your Frog s Fanny prepared. (kneedeepff.com)

After lots of botched hooksets on a pod of steadily increasing rainbows which for some reason seemed intention on taking sulphur patterns that were at least 2-3 sizes bigger than the naturals on the water, the river started to cloud and rise perceptibly. Inside a couple hours, as the day’s light ran out, the river was running thickly brown and had escaped its banks. The following morning, although the rain had subsided found the river higher still. Brisk riffles of the day before were now churning rapids. As the trip was an impromptu one, each day needed time to let for work to be done via the cabin’s WiFi signal, so the fishing began late, with the hope that the river could fall and clear as the day worn on. (hatchmag.com)

In the tidal Potomac Andy Andrzejewski of the Reel Bass Adventures said the water temperatures are ranging from 49 degrees in the major river to 55 in the shallow backs of the creeks. He said they’re finding bass over 15 inches on rocky major river points and rocky points at the mouths of the creeks. Rat-L-Trap baits also as shallow running crankbaits, shad color Glamour Shad Spinnerbaits, Manns Stingray Grubs, and red plastic worms catch fish for them. Look for points with new grass in three to four feet of water. Ledges above the Woodrow Wilson Bridge continue to produce good numbers of good size bass. (dto.com)

Suggests that in the early spawning season you may want to pause for up to ten seconds after each strip to let the bass to completely examine the fly. The strikes aren’t subtle and frequently come on the rear end of such a long pause. Both of my fish paled compared to Jared’s toad monster, however they were caught in the shallows around a submerged log. I think with the water temperatures being above 53, and the fact that I caught some largemouth in the shallows on surface bugs signals the beginning of the largemouth spawn. Check another sign of spring off our ever rising list. 1st daffodils, crocuses, and cherry blossoms, now keen, mad, hungry bass lurking in the shallows. (boryanaj.wordpress.com)

Once I settled in a calm pool-like area in the river, I was instructed to watch for fish action on the surface of the water typically ripples and on occasion jumping so I could know where to cast my fly. I was successful with the may fly, catching 6 rainbow trout before lunch. If you cast the fly upstream, let the current naturally carry it with the light leader down stream, you’ll have to mend the heavier fly line by softly flipping it back in a rolling action behind the fly so it will not drag the ‘food’ unnaturally. By using this rule I caught a fish every time. These fish are surprisingly smart because when the line wasn’t mended properly the fish didn’t bite. (thedamselflyproject.com)