Gunpowder River Report: 10/15/25

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. I have TWO available guide trip dates left, 10/25 and 11/15! Also, I have a few hats left over, on a discount/flash sale. Thanks to all who supported! Tight lines and I hope you gain something from reading this.

A cookie cutter, but beautiful, wild brown trout from a recent outing. They are active, just have to get a good drift!

Current Stream Temps- 59-61 degrees. PERFECT temps!

Current Stream Levels- 138-148 CFS; levels are PERFECT, to say the least. In spite of the lack of rain, the Gunpowder is at ideal flows and fish are happily spread out throughout the river!

Current Bugs- BWO, Midges, occasional Caddis, Terrestrials, PLENTY of baitfish!

Use the advice below to help you net a few more fish the next time you step out on the water!

Tip #1 - Don't let the water being up get you down!

Drought conditions, sure. High water, didn't expect that! However, it is just okay with me though. I would much rather 130 CFS than 30 CFS, which we often have in October. As a result, I am fishing a lot of two fly rigs. Some examples of what I have been using:

Tandem Nymph rigs with.....

-Sz 14 CDC France and Sz 14 Mustard Walts

-Sz 14 Sexy Walts and Sz 14 Tasmanian Devils

-Sz 14 Mop Flies and Sz 16 Standard Walts

Pictured above is Gus, one of the counselors from our successful summer camp. Gus learned a ton over the summer and is very proficient nymph angler now. He understand the importance of 1v2 flies and weight. Congrats on the AWESOME fish! This fish fell for a Mustard Walt's Worm, you just can't go wrong with a Walt's!

The difference between a good angler and a great one is one split shot, according to Joe Humphreys. My interpretation, in flows like we current have, your day can be made or broken by just getting the weight of your flies right. Some days, it is going up or down just one size, on your fly/bead, or fishing two flies instead of one. That has been the difference in a couple fish on trips, as compared to dozens.

Tip #2 - Streamer Season is upon us

One of the most unique experiences I had one fall morning, on a guided trip, was we were double nymphing and hooked into a small 5-6" fallfish. As we were bringing it in, the baitfish was "T-Boned" by a 20" plus wild brown trout. It was a jaw dropping and eye opening experience. What did we learn? It was time to switch to streamers!

My biggest Gunpowder brown is 18.5", no small feat for that river. I have landed many others in the 14-17" class. Moreover, I have hooked around a dozen 20" plus fish in that river. What is the common denominator? ALL but one was fooled by a streamer! I would highly encourage you invest in some of your own for the personal fly box and practice. These are a very forgiving to present to a fish and there is arguably no wrong way to fish them (kind of).

Here are the ones I use and trust:

Sculp Snack

CDC Bugger

Jiggy Bugger

Mini Meat Market (for the bigger guys!)

Here is my personal best Gunpowder brown. The dozen or so I have lost still haunt me, but this one made for a great, but cold, day!

Tip #3 - Hunt for bite windows!

We are approaching the time of year where the fishing will be the best is certain scenarios. For example:

Bite Window #1- Late morning; the water is heating up and fish are seeing more bug activity and keying into emerging hatches. For example, I recently had a successful morning fishing from 7:30-9:30 AM. I caught around 12 fish and overall felt I had a good trip. I was later texted by multiple other anglers that said "Around 11 AM a hatch came off the the river came to life, you just missed it! It was like every cast it was a fish or a bite". Moral of the story, find a mid day bite when the sun is warming up the river for you.

Bite Window #2- Dawn and Dusk; big fish fishing is often done early and late. These apex predators are on the hunt in low light. Therefore, take a streamer, or bigger nymph and hunt for them very early or very late in the date. This summer I was fishing around 5:30 AM, before the sun was fully up. I made a dew drifts through a large run on the river and I set the hook to hear the "zzzzzzzzz" peeling of drag. I was hooked into a 18-20" fish that was keying in on feeding actively BEFORE the sun and anglers hit the water. As they say "the early bird gets the (Walt's) worm".

Above is a picture of Dana, who got a nice Gunpowder Brown during the second bite window described, the early AM. We were double nymphing and picking off fish in high volume for the first few hours of the morning. It was great to see a solid angler put all the pieces together!

Tip #4 - Act now before it is too late!

Most spawning in freestone streams is now or in roughly a week or two. The Gunpowder browns will start their annual mating rituals in 3-4 weeks. In my experience, usually the first week (ish) of November. As a result, I like to fish for them right now. Think about it, they need to bulk up for the strenuous process, right? Therefore, fish have their "feed bags" on to get ready. Once they are on the redds this is a "no fly zone" and you should not be fishing to actively spawning trout. My advice, fish A LOT over the next two weeks and you may just stumble into your best fish of the year, seriously!

Also, in late November is another good time to hit the river. The water temp will drop into almost optimal temps of 50-55 degrees. Fish are biologically engineered to prepare for the winter and bulk up, before they start to slow down their feeding habits for the next few months. Does anyone remember how cold last winter got? I didn't see a fish on that river from January through early March, seriously. We all get cabin fever and it is nice just to get out. However, if you are looking to capitalize on the best time of year to catch a bigger trout, go now and again at the end of November. Just remember......

"Don't tread on the Redds"

Be a conscientious angler, don't walk through or fish near cleared gravel bed. Do the right thing, walk away from the fish, or the area, and hunt the deeper holes and areas where active spawning isn't taking place. "Thank you", from the fish!

New Product Alert! We now have Euro Nymphing Rods and the perfect net!

Looking to get your first Euro Rod, or upgrade the starter? Why not get the same one I started my career on with the P2 Pipeline, by Syndicate. This rod is squarely in the middle tier of fly rods and will give you the necessary advantages to become a more than competent Euro Nymphing angler. I still have mine 10 years later and it comes with a LIFETIME warranty!

Already have a Euro Rod and need an upgrade to one of the best in the game? Try the Syndicate Reaver. This rod is one of the most sensitive rods on the market. It was designed with the advanced angler in mind. Lighter rod, quick tip recovery, lower first guide, 3-D printed handle (no cork!), for enhanced sensitivity and overall experience. This rod is cheaper than a Sage ESN, or Thomas and Thomas, but works just as well, and still is cheaper!

Lastly, if you have a net that you don't love than look no further. I have owned a RockSpring net for the last 3 years. I can say with certainty it is the best net on the market and LOCALLY made in Maryland. Some key features:

-Lighter than a Fishpond

-Floats

-Rubber net that has smaller openings to keep fish IN the net

-Easy to Grip/Ergonomic Handle

-DURABLE

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.