Gunpowder River Report: 5/20/25

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. Also, I have a few hats left over, on a discount/flash sale. Head over to the store to check them out! Thanks to all who supported! Tight lines and I hope you gain something from reading this.

Current Stream Temps- 48-53 degrees! Creeping up to PERFECT temps!

Current Stream Levels- 47-155 cfs; levels are inconsistent, to say the least. There has been a lot of necessary back and forth with the levels of the Gunpowder, to mitigate the drought we are still in.

Current Bugs- BWO, Midges, Sulphur's, and Caddis. The last two have been semi infrequent throughout the day, but the hatches are picking up and best at dusk.

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

Tip #1 - Too much of a good thing is a bad thing

Recent rains have been a gift an a curse. If you have followed the news, major flooding has occurred, especially in Western Maryland. As much as we need rain, especially in the Baltimore area, too much of a good thing can be bad. However, when dealing with rivers at flood stage, or blown out, this provides small stream opportunities that may not be present otherwise.

Pictured above I caught a Golden Rainbow trout, as well as a Native Brook Trout, Wild Brown, and Stocked Rainbow, all in the same stream. That is what we call the "Grand Slam" of Fly Fishing! A very cool experience that was made possible because most of the local streams were blown out. For many anglers, that would have been a day to tie flies, or stay inside. However, I took advantage of the conditions and found some lesser known and fished water, and boy was I rewarded for it. Moral of the story, take advantage of ANY fishing opportunity presented to yourself. You never know, you might just do something magical and hit a grand slam!

Tip #2 - Set more often!

While fishing, especially nymphing, it is important to set the hook more often. If you are looking to quantify it, I would say roughly 50%, or more, of your drifts. Some may argue every cast, where you extend you drift and set on the swing/end of drift. However, I see far too many good anglers missing fish simply because they are noncommittal.

I would suggest being more aggressive and paying more attention. For example, some anglers get in the habit of doing what I call a "check set". This is where they think something is happening and they simply elevate the rod tip some, to see if they feel anything. The problem with this technique/method is by the time you lift the rod tip, to see if something was there, you have done the following:

1.) Wasted valuable time

2.) Diminished the value of your sighter; it acted different for a reason

3.) Alerted the fish you are there

4.) Lost important space to be able to hook set with force; given you have already lifted the rod tip up some, there is simply less room to keep going

When talking with a great local guide, he mentioned the importance of always paying attention and truly believing every cast you could catch a fish. This mindset helps anglers stay focused and hone in on the next opportunity. Read his quote below:

"Every rock is a fish" – Rich Dennison (local MD fly guide)

Tip #3 - Transition Water

The pic of above is of Mitch, who landed a trout on his FIRST CAST ever Euro Nymphing. By the time he was done, he caught his biggest and most fish in a session. He picked apart the transition water, near the runs on the river, and made the most of his day!

A river is broken down into three types of water, generally speaking:

Riffles

Runs

Pools

Right now, the best place to find fish, in my humble opinion, are in the runs. Specifically, if you target fish along the softest seams in this water. We have had great success finding eager and willing trout, who are putting on the feed bags after a frigid winter. Almost every fish we caught, we commented how fat and full they looked. It is truly remarkable how much the fish gorge themselves in ideal settings. Thankfully, there have been a few great days recently on the water. Make sure the next time you go to the river, you read the water effectively and build a story of where in the river the trout are, and in what water column they want the flies to be in.

Tip #4 - What's working

Here are the top 5 producing patterns on recent trips and guided trips:

1.) Walt's Worm- Mustard/Standard in Sz 14-18

2.) Blow Torch- Sz 14-16

3.) CDC France Fly- Sz 14-16

4.) Sulphur(ish) PT- Sz 14-16

5.) Frenchie/Thread Frenchie- Sz 14-18

The key to success has been the weight management. If you can dial in your weight and get your fly into the strike zone, just off the bottom, fish are ready to be had.

Tip #5 - Dry Dropper Season

Sulphur's and Caddis are hatching! The best of their emergence is typically in the evening. However, fish are occasionally looking up during the day. As a result, fishing a dry dropper rig can be very effective. You are giving the trout the option to eat a heartier meal on the surface, as well as an easy meal subsurface. Typically, I love to trail a small Walt's Worm or Midge behind a dry that is buoyant enough to hold up the weight. Dry fly opportunities will only increase with time.

If you are looking to brush up on your dry selection/presentation, I am offering a Dry Dropper Clinic this summer, on July 13th and July 20th, to specifically target fish on the Mono Rig, using dries and nymphs. This is a small group course, restricted to only four participants. Currently, each day has anywhere from 1-2 participants already. This class comes with 6 hours of instruction, on AND off the water, as well as a leader to keep and 6 flies! Don't miss out on this exclusive opportunity to have the exhilaration of a fish SMACKING a dry fly, while still using a nymph and doing it all on a Euro Nymph set up!

A pic of a 15" brown taken on an ant pattern, on the Gunpowder, while fishing a dry dropper rig. This wild brown snuck out from his hiding spot to take advantage of a well placed cast!

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.