Brian Martalus

I used to do some epic smallie fishing in and around the gap. Walleye are also a possibility. There are some great wild trout streams as well that feed in there.

I have gotten some decent smallies wet wading just above and below Harpers ferry. This is my first year in the area and I had hopes of 50-100 fish days like I read about from 10 years ago. I keep hearing about floods that messed up spawning the last few years. Not sure how this years spawn was-there was some high water in may and June but not terrible. I keying in on some decent wet wading spots by various creek mouths-often the tribes have more fish than the main river.

Good to hear as numbers have been way down. Let’s hope for some good spawning years! Anyone now how the 2020 spring spawn went on the upper Potomac? There were some floods in may and june, but I don’t think as bad as previous years.

Here is a nice one from just above Harpers Ferry on the MD size. Got this one on a basic silver number 3 mepps spinner but most of my summer river bass have come from small 1.5-2 inch crank baits that look like baby bass or blue gills. Also have started to get smallies and LMB on the surface with a 75 whopper plopper

I moved to far NW DC on the MD border last fall and have traditionally been a fly guy for trout and smallies, being from NJ originally. After some early spring wild trout fishing In the Catoctin mountains, I have started to target smallies in a big way. I have heard of 50-100 fish days on the upper Potomac a decade ago, but it seems like the population is way down due to spring time floods, catfish etc. I have started to hone in some good spots and get have gotten some quality fish in the 14-16 class most times, but not big numbers. I am actually happy when I get the 6-10 inchers as it means there are some different year classes in the area. I usually wet wade with my daughter, but once went Alone to a perfect spot by Harpers ferry and got skunked fishing from dawn to to noon- that was frustrating. I like to fish around creek mouths so I can find fish in the main river and the trib to hedge my bets. I have even found quality smallmouth in DC in the rock creek and I never see anyone else fishing it. My biggest smallie of the year was a 3 plus pounder in May while fishing for shad by The chain bridge in DC followed by a 6 pound walleye on the next cast. Although not bass, the white perch and shad run was pretty nuts this year by the chain bridge! I do hope the smallies had a good spawn this year and rebound on the Potomac!

I moved to DC last year and love fishing for river/stream smallies. I have found some decent spots on the Potomac between the Chain Bridge and Harpers Ferry, but apparently the population is down to spring time flooding and other factors. While out for a jog in rock creek park, I noticed some really interesting trout stream like water with boulders, ruffles, and deep pools in a pleasantly wooded setting. I have read about some sewage problems and in all my research, there is almost no references to smallies in the rock creek. In any case, the only way to find out what’s in a river is to fish it. I have fisher likely water a few times this summer and Sure enough, each time has yielded several nice smallies between 12-15 inches. I have never seen anyone fishing it. Has anyone else ever fished the rock creek? Maybe the signs mentioning bacteria and the ambiguous fishing regulations dissuade most people.