Heading out to the Gunpowder River? Check out the most recent report of the stream from Mike Slepesky
If you want to put some of the skills I mention in this blog to the test, reach out to mike@tightliningmd.com to schedule a trip. Also, I have hats back on Pre-Order, just in time for a Christmas gift, and a NEW style coming soon. Thanks to all who supported! Tight lines and I hope you gain something from reading this.
Current Stream Temps- 51-57 degrees! Ideal temps for fishing.
Current Stream Levels- 58.2cfs; levels are good, not great.
Current Bugs- BWO, Midges, occasional Caddis
Use the advice below to help you net a few more fish the next time you step out on the water!
Tip #1 - WATCH OUT FOR REDDS!
You see the very clear/clean yellowish bottom of the riverbed in this image? We watched an 18" brown turning this over in real time during a recent streamer clinic! It was AWESOME to see nature at work. With that said, here is my annual advice for how to approach these:
1.) Never fish over a redd
2.) Never fish near a redd
3.) Do NOT walk on/near a redd
4.) Steer clear of these until mid spring! Fish eggs do not hatch for MONTHS! This is our future to protect
The lower you go in the river, the more common these are. However, even the upper reaches of the river is starting to see these pop up. If you are near a riffle/ankle deep water, keep an eye out. We are all counting on YOU to DO THE RIGHT THING!
Tip #2 - Find soft pockets
A pic of Andie, who netted her personal best brown on our second trip out this year! She did this on a Tasmanian Devil fishing in a slow seam, right near a rock, where this fish came out and SLAMMED the nymph. Great job!
On recent guide trips, my advice to guests have been these fish have been dealing with consistent flows and warm weather. Honestly, it has been an abnormal fall. The fish have not gone into fall mode as of yet. As a result, we are still fishing in shallow riffles, where no redds are present, and in water that is near the fastest moving water.
The analogy I give is this: "If you were on the recliner and someone presented a cheeseburger to you, would you pass that up?" Generally speaking, the answer is no. Our aim is to fish near fast water, but with a softer seam right near it. When our nymphs get a soft ride through the slower seams, we have been regularly producing fish.
Tip #3 - Shin to knee deep is your friend
Matt is pictured with one of the better fish taken on a guide trip. This 14" rainbow fell for a CDC France fly, right near the logs in the background. Our goal was to fish as tight to structure, but out of the fastest water, and get a fish. We ended with 3 landed, and 2 lost, in this hole alone! AWESOME work Matt!
The 58.2 cfs is not ideal, but given we have not had measurable rain in almost 40 days, these are great flows. When working water on personal, or guide trips, anything that has shin to knee deep depth, typically with either structure or a tint to the water, is yielding multiple fish. What is great about this type of water is:
1.) Easier for fish to camouflage
2.) Can find impressions/"buckets" to hide in
3.) Typically these are after a riffle and there is a buffet line pumping them food
4.) Can hold multiple fish
5.) Many spots in the river simply aren't deep enough, so fish are compressed a little
Tip #4 - What's working......
Here are the flies that are hot right now:
1.) CDC France Fly; consistently my #1 producer, especially on a tag/dropper rig
2.) Tasmanian Devil;(pictured above)this fly is a cheat code from now until spring. I promise!
3.) Walt's Worm; can you beat the most simple fly in almost all river systems?
4.) Eggs; we are a few weeks out from this being the primary food source. For now, it is a wonderful attractor to fish in tandem with any of the flies listed above!
Get your boots wet and chase down some fish!
I hope this report, with tips included, helps you the next time you head out to the Gunpowder River. Be sure to head over to my Youtube Channel and see the latest adventure, head over to the store for euro nymphs for your next outing, and consider booking a trip for the summer through the website.
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