Upper Potomac from Dam 4 to Shepardstown Recommendations?

[Michael Matheke-Fischer]

Hi all, 

First time poster and new to the group (and fly fishing) but have enjoyed all the updates and reports so far!

I was thinking of doing a float down the Upper Potomac on Sunday from Dam 4 to Shepardstown. I have a few questions I hope some people can answer:

1) How long does the float down the river take approximately?

2) How is the fishing? 

3) What are the best fly patterns this time of year? I've had success with bass poppers down near Harpers Ferry.

4) Any other recommendations?

Thanks!

Michael

[Richard Farino]

Michael,

In regards to your Dam 4 to Shepherdstown.  Should be a good time.

1. It depends on what you’re floating in, and river levels.  Right now the river is fine and the gauge is 1.37 feet.  Check this gauge - http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?01638500   When it goes up after rains, it gets a little dirty and the flows move you faster.  Will you be in a canoe?  Driftboats?  Pontoon?  Inner tire?  It can be a long day all the way to Shepherdstown.  This is an ALL DAY trip if your start early and you fish it properly.  
2. The fishing can be good.  Lots of smallmouth, panfish, carp, and the occasional musky (which you might see early in the morning).  
3. Poppers are good, but there isn’t a ton of pocket water like you’re used to at Harpers.  You’ll have long slow pools in between some angled drop-offs and edges to fish.  Mix it up between poppers, crayfish patterns, and big baitfish patterns cast to the banks and fished back to you.  Tie or buy Gamechangers.
4. Couple of ideas:
1. Consider a shorter trip if this is your first time.  For a 4 hour trip get out at Taylor’s Landing.  For a 6 hour trip, take out at Snyder’s Landing.
2. Bring lots of water.  It’s hot and there’s nowhere to really get out and replenish empty water jugs.
3. Bring spinning gear with you.  You’ll see folks coming upstream in jet boats with heavy bottom bouncing gear for smallmouth that sit about 20 feet down in the ledges between Taylor’s & Snyder’s landing.  Those smallies are not small at all.

Regards,

R

Richard Farino

District Angling | Washington, DC

(917)400-5375 | ric...@districtangling.com

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[Michael Matheke-Fischer]

Thanks Richard!

We ended up doing the float to Snyder's Landing in a canoe, with a small trolling motor attached and an anchor. Total time with stops at likely holes and deep spots was about 8 hours. 

All in all, pretty good day! I pulled in a bunch of smallies and bluegill with both poppers and clouser minnow streamers, my poor father got skunked on his spinning tackle. Great stretch of river, but in my opinion the best fishing was right near Snyder's landing where the river was not so deep, had a lot of success dropping poppers onto holes in the weeds and watching smallmouths rise right up to them, or strike hard. Upriver near the dam was either too deep for floating line (all I had) or moving pretty fast with few pools or obvious places to cast too. This whole stretch of river was lousy with HUGE carp, and we saw one musky cruising in one of the flat stretches. 

Great trip!

Thanks, 

Michael

 

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