{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Washington County Musky

I haven't tested this theory myself but if I were confined to wading, I'd focus almost exclusively on tributary mouths. If you can get a situation where the Potomac is high and muddy but the river or creek feeding it is just slightly high and wadeable and bringing in relatively clear water compared to the main river...I'd expect them to prowl that transition area.  I have never caught one but I did have one follow at the mouth of the Cacapon and that particular spot is wadeable in typical fall flows.  Currently though...forget it, way too high.  I don't know of any pools on the main river that you could wade fish for them. A lot of the creek mouths have big gravel bars/gentle banks on the downstream side though.

On Tuesday, November 6, 2018 at 12:41:32 PM UTC-5, Sean Beck wrote:

Hi all,

I'd like to try my hand at fishing the Potomac for musky (smallies are fun too!) and have read that the Washington County area is ideal. Some spots I've found mentioned online are Dams 4/5, Taylor's Landing, Antietam Creek (at the mouth), and Harper's Ferry (near the bridge). While I do have a kayak, I would prefer to wade fish. What are ideal/safe flow rates and gauge heights for these areas? Would I be able to wade fish for these predators in those areas? I've only been out once for these fish and it was at Rocky Gorge in Laurel. The water was quite stained and I didn't see a single fish (not just musky/pike) in 4.5 hours there.

My setup is a 9' 9wt rod with both floating line and 350 grain sinking line. I have pre-made wire leaders. For flies, I have a variety. Most are made with bucktail. Baitfish head double deceivers, bucktail deceivers (both high-and-tight and bulkhead), and some standard game changers in white (standard being 10mm/15mm/20mm/25mm + hook with the body wrap). I also have some 1/0 gurglers, but those are more for bass. I'd like to add some 12" flies to the arsenal but haven't figured out which shanks to use yet to achieve that length with good motion. I tied a 9" brown trout imitation for big trout or bass this morning with craft fur but am not yet confident in how it will look in the water (layout is: 10mm - 10mm - #6 B10S - 15mm - 20mm - 20mm - 25mm - #1 TP610).

Any pointers you have would be great. I'd rather not make the drive then get washed away!

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