Species:
Brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout
Season:
The Gunpowder River is a year-round trout fishery with the best times to fish being from April through November.
Region/Terrain:
Gunpowder State Park, Baltimore County, MD
The Gunpowder River starts its journey below Prettyboy Dam as a tailwater flowing through a deep gorge-like setting showcasing huge boulders which make the hike up the river challenging and beautiful. As the river continues farther downstream the river bed flattens out a but making hiking and wading a bit easier before the confluence with Little Falls, a tributary that adds more volume to the river as it continues towards Loch Raven Reservoir.
Typical Weather:
Spring: Mid-March thru Mid June. Begginning in March, the weather can be cold at times with some occasional precipitation. May brings warmer temps and some of these days can still have a bit of coolness in the air. As June approaches, temperatures warm. Temperatures typically range in the 50s to the upper 70s F.
Summer: Mid June thru early September. This time of the year, the early mornings and late afternoon/evenings will provide the most comfortable fishing conditions. With temperatures in the 70-90 degree range, wet wading is a popular approach to fishing during this time of year.
Fall: September thru late November. The days start to get shorter and much cooler making a full day on the river a comfortable outing. Temperatures range from the upper 70s in September to the mid to low 50s in November.
Winter: Late November thru early March. As water temperatures begin to drop, fish tend to move less and eat less, especially in January thru February. Fishing efforts will be concentrated on the warmest parts of the day. Temperatures range from the low 40s to the mid 50s.