Maryland

[Fascist Killer]

Has anyone ever been out to the North branch of the Potomac? I'd love to organize a TPO trip for this winter. Anyone have any interest in heading out there?

Also, has anyone ever fished the Gunpowder? I hear the fish are on the smaller side, but its pretty easy to get to from here so I was thinking about giving it a go. Any TPO advice would be appreciated.

[alanb_ct]

I am actually there now, but not fishing. There is an excellent book about trout fishing in MD I have seen at Bass Pro Shops. There was also a recent article about the Savage River in one of the big magazine pubs.

[Fascist Killer]

I'll have to look into that. The savage will go on the list as well.

[AaronJasper]

.... put the Little Red River in November on that "to fish" list!

[Fascist Killer]

From those pictures Aaron it just went to the top of the list. Are you hitting the White River at all? I'll have to go for my birthday some time. I can visit my family in St. Louis afterward.

[alanb_ct]

Last week, I bought the book "Guide to Maryland Trout Fishing: The Catch and Release Streams," bu Gelso and Coburn. Anyone planning to trout fish in MD will benefit from this book. They cover 14 streams in central and western MD, including maps and lots of tips about fishing. They also include a chapter on flies, including a simplified midge system that reminds me of what I have read about the Little Lehigh in PA, with a fly similar to Al's Rat. This leads me to believe that some of the MD fishing mimics that in PA.

What most surprised me about the book, is the availability of tailwater fishing for wild browns in that state. MD conservationists have done a great job addressing many of the pollution problems and so on, from acid mining runoff and the like. It seems to me the Savage River is probably most like the style of fishing I am used to on the Farmington, with many diverse hatches. Here's another tidbit of interest: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources does not stock many of these streams anymore, as they are able to support natural reproduction. Finally, if you fish there in certain streams, you get a chance to catch a large cutthroat-what a bonus!

We all have great affection for Lefty Kreh, and this book also contains a great photo of Lefty from 1949 on Beaver Creek, with a hefty brown trout, and that made me smile.

[AaronJasper]

The North Branch of the Potomac just went to the top of the list of places that I NEED to go to. It seems that there are tons of fish in there and some HUGE ones as well. I was looking at a site that speaks about 30" browns. Even leaving room for exaggeration they could be 27". I have to go. Check out these record fish for the river! I am less than 5 hours from it!
Brook Trout 6 lbs 1.75 oz
Brown Trout 18 lbs 3 oz
Cutthroat Trout 7 lbs 9 oz

[alanb_ct]

Since the Jennings-Randolph Dam was built in 1982, it sounds like the N. Branch Potomac is quickly becoming a high-quality tailwater. Only fingerlings are stocked in the catch-and-release areas, and they are stocked in 4 species, including cutthroat! I was reading the western Maryland guide Keith Albright's best day on this river was 5 fish over 20in and all the state record trout came from here.

[Nymphmeister]

They do actually dump some breeders in there too actually. The 18#+ brown was the real deal though.

[AaronJasper]

I think we might hit it up this weekend. I was looking up info on it for a while last night and I think a trip over there is in definite order. Lots if fish with a chance at getting a really big one is what I like to hear about a trout fishery.