Multi Species Mixed Bag

Type: All
Region: Central
Location: Upper Gunpowder River at Little Falls

This past weekend I fished the Upper Gunpowder River at Little Falls with great success. I caught and released a lot of 6"-10" smallmouth bass and one largemouth. Interestingly, this is the first time in approximately 3-4 years I've caught this many smallmouth in this area of the river. At one point, all the smallmouth bass seemed to disappear from this stretch. I'm not sure if the bass population is rebounding due to the exceptional amount of rain this season, but I was pleasantly surprised. In addition, these two rainbow trout are proof that the Gunpowder River has a population that survives the "put and take" season. Despite the hot, humid 90 plus degree weather, these trout were feeding. There were a few more willing trout that were biting, but I was unable to land them.

The northern snakehead was caught in Dorchester county last week as well. I was in a small tributary of the Nanticoke, fishing in shallow, "skinny" water filled with snags. I did also catch and release a largemouth bass in the same area. The large schools of banded killifish were everywhere and would constantly swirl at the surface.

DNR Response: The department has not stocked any smallmouth bass in the Gunpowder watershed. There are naturally spawning populations of smallmouth bass in Little Falls and the adjacent portions of the Gunpowder Falls.