So over the last few weeks, I've been making fewer trips to the Gunpowder, which is about 35 miles from my house in Catonsville (SW Baltimore Co). Gas prices ARE affecting my fishing, unfortunately. As a post-doctoral cancer researcher getting married in a month (Oct 1), we can barely justify my fishing as it is!!!

Anyhow, fishing at the plunge pool (Prettyboy Dam) and the waters within several hundred yards of the dam has been great. Mostly browns ranging anywhere from 8 to 14" and a few smaller rainbows (6 to 9"), but it's been great on both dries (read: caddis in the riffles) and nymphs (anything small, bead-headed and olive-bodied). I have had luck with small pink scuds, which the rainbows will cross a run for, and san juans especially during the light rain we had Saturday AM. I had a rather nice rainbow (upwards of 15") break off my tippet on a scud, jumping several times thinking it was still attached to my line. What a hoot!

Anyone interested in getting out there for the first time should stop in at Backwater Angler on Monkton Rd. Theaux is always helpful and makes ya feel welcome if you're a bum like me or a "better" (i.e. richer) customer!

I think this makes 25 trips to the Gunpowder this year since the end of June. And just when I think I'm getting better, my damn blood knots break and it's back here to relearn some knots.

Tight lines and if anyone in the area is interested, I'd be happy to show you the stretch I like to fish the most.

Marty
MFTG 2K5