Advice for Western MD fishing spot

[J.A. Veil]

I am considering driving to Morgantown, WV on May 16 to attend a business meeting the following day. I could leave early on May 16, and stop somewhere in Western MD to fish, either from the shoreline or in my kayak. Other than the lake in Ft Frederick park, where I tried ice fishing once, I don’t have any idea where to fish for 3-4 hrs. I welcome any suggestions.

[archeryrob]

You can fish Big Pool in Ft Frederick. It's not my favorite, but it something and it relaxing and great view on the water. The locals work it over harder and the bass population is not a good as it could be. but it's a nice place.

Williamsport River Bottom park is a short drive from the highway and a better bet is the water drifts a little higher by then.

[Capt Brady Bounds]

Try This Place, Personal Friend

http://www.theanglersinn.com/

I've used this guide and stayed at the B & B.

[dDreadnaught]

Here is a nice launch area on the Potomac River in Little Orleans, MD. I used to camp in the Little Orleans Campground or primitive camp in the Green Ridge State Park. Used to do tub floats with the family down the river and take out in Little Orleans. Not sure if this is near your travels, but could be an option for a few hours of smallmouth fishing. Below is a link to Google Map and Picture of the park/launch area. I added an image at the end of this reply to show the launch location on the map.

Google Map - Little Orleans, MD

Google - Picture of Launch Area (notice there are multiple pictures to view at this link)

Google - Picture of Bill's Place (Grocery and Bait) - pass this store to get to launch area

Google - Picture of road to launch site - must go through the tunnel under the old railroad tracks




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[HJS]

There is also Little Pool on the C&O Canal located about 6 miles farther west of Big Pool (Ft. Washington) on I-70. From the Little Pool Parking lot its about a 100 yard carry to the Lake. I've carried my canoe in to it a couple of times recent, and I was in my early 60s at the time. Not an easy carry but not hard either. Lake has lmbass, pickerel, bluegill, redear, crappie. It's also extremely scenic. Shore fishing is fairly accessible from the tow path. Knee-high or hipboots would be a huge advantage. Lots of downed brush and small trees. Let me know if you need more information. First pic was taken at the put-in and pretty much shows the entire lake. Second pic is the far upper end from the put-in.

[J.A. Veil]

Thanks very much for the excellent recommendations from posters here and from some private messages. I wish I had more than a few hours to spend -- given that time frame, I will be limited to 1 or 2 spots that day. Of course weather conditions could make some places poor choices to fish that day too.

Of all the fishing boards I visit, the groups of guys on this board are the most open, friendly, and helpful. I hope we are able to maintain those positive features as the membership continues to grow. Thanks again.

[Memory Maker]

Rocky Gap ............ they have some of the biggest trout and nice bass. Fish up by the dam. Shiners on slip bobbers or colored maggots on tiny hooks on slip bobbers by the bottom. The dam has the deepest water and the coldest. You can catch shiners there with a cast net. Love to fish that place. Has some big bass, big cats and big crappies.

[AnimalPA]

I did a little scouting for you, and me

I live just west of Hagerstown and was off today so I drove to Little Pool and New Orleans. Here's what I got.

Little Pool:
Unlike Big Pool/Ft Frederick State Park and WMRT (Western Maryland Rail to Trail) Little Pool is not marked off of I70 and if you miss it, it will cost you 15 miles or more as you will have to go to Hancock to turn around and then way past it again to turn around and so forth. From I70 west bound take Exit 5 (State 615) from there follow signs to Little Pool Use Area. At bottom of exit you will take a left onto 615 and then down the road take a left to go under I70 and the parking lot will be on your right.

I don't know what kind of yak you have but for Little Pool you will have to carry your yak about 200 ft down a decline and back up; 100 ft gravel path, 100 ft stone steps with some having 16"+ step hight. You will not be able to use a cart on the steps which prevented me from accessing this area with my Hobie Pro Angler. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED and for that reason had planned on getting another smaller Hobie yak at some point. Little Pool is a great little pond and the guy at Dick's Sporting Goods in Hagerstown showed me a pic of a real nice LM Bass he caught there from his yak. I would love to yak Little Pool and for your trip this would be my choice if I could access it with my yak. It is about a mile long.

Upper Potomac/New Orleans:
You may not be able to rely on your vehicle's GPS to get you all the way there; mine led me wrong just before Bill's Place. Unlike Little Pool it is a ways off I70 but not too bad. From I70 when your coming down Orleans Rd SE and you get to the bottom of the valley, make sure you turn left onto High Germany Rd and past Bill's Place. Do Not go straight and cross over Fifteen Mile Creek like I did and end up on some dirt road! Once you pass Bill's Place and go through the short tunnel turn right and enter the C&O Canal/Fifteen Mile Creek Park, go straight over the one lane bridge and stay straight down into the launch area.

There is a hard and soft launch. You can only go about 1/8 mile up Fifteen Mile Creek. On the Potomac down river from the launch, it is swift current and rock ledges about 1/4 mile down on either side so I don't know how much current you can/want to paddle. It would not be passable in my Pro Angler by pedaling and you can't paddle or at least I can't paddle a Pro Angler in that current.

From the launch up river it is a moderate to slow current for about a mile before you will have a rock ledge on your left and swift current again. I fished this one mile section and only caught two catfish. It has been my experience on the Upper Potomac that you can have some really good days and catch some 2,3+ lb Smallmouth Bass but there will be a lot of catfish only days and more of them than good sm bass days.

[J.A. Veil]

Thanks for the excellent reconnaissance report. I'm sorry you did not have a more productive catching day. I will head west next Wed and try to hit 2 or 3 spots. I do not want to deal with long or steep carries, so I will probably bypass Little Pool and try Big Pool instead. I know how to get there and have fished it once before (through the ice).

Based on the suggestions I received from this site and from private emails, I will choose 1 or 2 river spots, if the flow conditions seem appropriate.

[AnimalPA]

Forgot

I forgot to mention that I did see a 36-40" Musky at the mouth of Fifteen mile creek today. It slowly swam right by me in the crystle clear creek.

The last time I saw one was in the Four Locks area in early 2010 and it was a monster at 48"+. I had a sm at boatside that was splashing around and when I reached down to pick it up I saw the musky stalking it. That one was right at the surface and it slowly circled the boat before swimming off. The next spring a 12 yr old caught a state record 31.75 lb one in that same area.

[archeryrob]

Hey Animal, give me a shout some time. I live in Fairplay and have two local kayak fishing buddies. One in Clear Spring and one just below 70 at Rt 65.

[dDreadnaught]

Don't want to sound nit picky, but what Animal refers to as New Orleans is actually "Little Orleans". Animal made a good point about missing the turn for High Germany Rd. If you miss the turn you cross Fifteen Mile Creek at the lower end of the Little Orleans Campground. We have enjoyed many of summer days with the kids in Fifteen Mile Creek. Lots of red eyes, trout and bluegill.

NOTE: Every August there is a motorcycle rally on Apple Mountain and the area is swamped with bikers. http://www.eastcoaststurgis.com/



.

[Striper_MIKE]

Rocky Gap ............ they have some of the biggest trout and nice bass. Fish up by the dam. Shiners on slip bobbers or colored maggots on tiny hooks on slip bobbers by the bottom. The dam has the deepest water and the coldest. You can catch shiners there with a cast net. Love to fish that place. Has some big bass, big cats and big crappies.

Do you know if they let you launch from the area where they rent their kayaks? Oh, and where would you throw the cast net from? Any nice spot(s) in particular? I'll be there this Saturday morning and looking to have some fun with it!

[Memory Maker]

Been a few years ago but I think they rent their Yaks by the camping swim beach which is where te boat launch is too .......... we would watch for the schools of shiners and seine for them around the boat ramp ........ don't take too many though because they are natural to the lake and not that many .......... a couple of dozen should do ya fine ...........