looks like Triadelphia re-opens Spring 2020

Reservoir Runner · March 10, 2020, 09:00:46 PM

G Shappel- Try a combination of both. Generally, March at the reservoirs is hit or miss depending on how severe the winter is. When Jerry Sauter worked up at Bass Pro Shops, he gave a great seminar every year when they had their Spring Fever event on fishing the reservoirs. If you go north of the Greenbridge launch upstream from Brighton Dam, there used to be a huge flat that dropped into deep water, they would stage in the deep water there and move up on the flat to spawn and if a cold front blows in, they back off into the deep water. Across from the Greenbridge ramp there used to be some pretty good grass beds they would hide in, don't know if it's still there or not. There is also another flat just past the buoys marking the keep out of area that used to hold some bass, don't know if it still does. any place where you have either rock cliffs jutting into the water or rock piles, always worth a try- the sun hits them and warms the water up a bit. Also a good flat across from Greenbridge, I think it's called Nicholls Cove, there is a huge point there that drops into about 30 ft. of water if I remember correctly, usually a good spring spot. Also, any coves which have water runoff from spring rains may hold some fish- that water coming in usually warms the water temp up a couple degrees. Just fish very slow, their metabolism is still in the winter mode,, so they aren't gonna chase anything. I used to fish a lot of plastics such as lizards and Texas rigged Senkos and plastic worms. Red shad color in the worms always worked for me.

gshappell · March 10, 2020, 09:27:59 PM

Wow Thank you Reservoir Runner...

That is all great info and I (and am sure everyone) appreciates you sharing your knowledge. I had a tough April in Rocky Gorge last year and didnt start catching until May if I remember correctly. 3 or 4 straight outings of getting skunked. LOL. Went back to the local ponds to make sure i remembered how to catch fish and then went back in May and had some success.

Reservoir Runner · March 11, 2020, 10:05:59 AM

It depends on how rough the winter is. One of my best trips to Triadelphia was in April '78. Took my older brother fishing, he hooked a 4lb 15 oz. smallmouth, was trolling a deep diving Rebel minnow in the area of the pipeline that runs through the reservoir. Caught a real nice one on my last trip to Triadelphia in 2009 before I moved South. It was a week before Thanksgiving, the air temp was in the high 50's low 60's, thew bass were feeding up for winter, caught a 4 lb 8oz. smallmouth fishing a white chatterbait in about 10 ft of water along the shoreline. It takes a while to figure the fish out, my success comes from roughly fishing the reservoirs for 15 years that every year was a learning experience. There are the upper parts of Rocky Gorge, below the Browns Bridge ramp, that I have never fished because of either the ramp there was closed due to low water or the batteries wouldn't make it that far from Scott's Cove, only up to the 29 bridge and back. There is plenty of cover in Rocky Gorge from rock foundations to timber to fish. Triadelphia doesn't have much cover, only the rock bluffs. If you go to the visitor cabin to get a permit, get a map- the old fold up ones are great for marking spots where you might find an old river channel that connects or a rock formation below the water you can't see. Above all, have fun be grateful for the days you have good days fishing and the days you don't, chalk it up to experience.

Reservoir Runner · March 12, 2020, 07:28:29 PM

To anyone fishing the reservoirs on opening day- Due to Covaid virus, the visitors center at Brighton Dam will be closed until 12 April. You should be able to get your permits on line at the WSSC website www.wsscwater.com Hopefully this won't screw up opening day.

DWbass · March 15, 2020, 01:52:29 PM

Drove out to the Greenbridge ramp this morning to take a look, water is still pretty low but saw about 5-7 people on the water with boats or kayaks... looking forward to start fishing there again.

Reservoir Runner · March 15, 2020, 06:46:11 PM

Were you able to see the new jetty they put in and the launch are for the kayaks and canoes? Supposedly they have extended the ramp also for use in low water.

DWbass · March 16, 2020, 06:21:45 PM

Yes the new jetty is to the left of the ramp it looks like it is made out of some preformed concrete slabs, I think they're used to be a bench there before but the jetty extends another 40-50ft further out in the water. The new canoe/kayak launch ramp is to the right side before you start going down to ramp almost even with the parking area. The ramp definitely looked long but I had never seen it before the water level got so low, I usually launch from a different ramp. I'll take some pics next time I go back down there.

Reservoir Runner · March 16, 2020, 08:59:48 PM

Thanks!

gshappell · March 16, 2020, 09:11:40 PM

Don't know if you all saw these already but wanted to share. Cool pic from a plane and a link to a post of a guy that was involved in the work on the ramp it looks like.

View this post on Instagram

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Reservoir Runner · March 17, 2020, 10:13:12 PM

Cool!

Reservoir Runner · March 19, 2020, 09:36:40 PM

For those that fish the reservoirs- as of today, WSSC has waived the requirement for a WSSC Watershed Permit to fish. Makes me wish I still lived up that way!

gshappell · March 19, 2020, 09:37:29 PM

Yeah and I just paid for my permit the other day...lol!

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DWbass · March 20, 2020, 08:38:04 PM

went fishing there today after work... 2 guys were leaving when I pulled in they had 2 nice size strippers 1 was 30+ inches... I caught a huge largemouth

Reservoir Runner · March 20, 2020, 08:42:12 PM

Nice. What did you get him on?

DWbass · March 20, 2020, 08:43:24 PM

also tried to get a better picture of the new pier/jetty from the water

DWbass · March 20, 2020, 08:48:07 PM

I was using a 3" green pumpkin swimbait

Reservoir Runner · March 21, 2020, 12:57:09 PM

Thanks for the pics! The reservoir is still about 20' down, I can see where they extended the boat ramp and the jetty looks like it's gonna be nice once the water comes back up!

Reservoir Runner · March 23, 2020, 04:04:30 PM

Got an email from WSSC today- they are closing the reservoirs at sundown today until further notice. No idea of when they will reopen.

gshappell · March 23, 2020, 04:10:27 PM

Well that's a bummer. Didn't even get to wet the kayak. Looks like I'll be hunting for one of the few snakeheads in the magothy all spring

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Reservoir Runner · March 23, 2020, 10:44:52 PM

You might give Liberty Reservoir a try- I think they are open, there is plenty of shoreline access to fish it.

Reservoir Runner · March 23, 2020, 10:53:39 PM

Disregard that- I see Baltimore has put the kibosh on fishing liberty, Loch Raven, and Prettyboy due to Coronavirus. This is almost like Sept 11th all over again when they closed the reservoirs.

edwonbass · March 24, 2020, 04:12:43 PM

Just read this today. I'm real bummed out. What better way is there to get away from folks than to go out in the middle of a lake by yourself? I hope I will at least be able to get on the water somewhere. Gunpowder River, Middle River, Patapsco? Does anyone know if any of that has been closed? There is only so much yard work a guy can do.

Reservoir Runner · March 24, 2020, 08:21:15 PM

I am not sure, you might check the DNR website to see if those rivers are still open to fishing.

gshappell · March 24, 2020, 09:00:15 PM

Not sure... Going to try and research what other ramps are closed the next few days. I know the Baltimore reservoirs are closed but not sure about anything on the Eastern shore. I'm still working on my trailer so not sure when I'll be getting out. . hopefully by next weekend-if anything is still open.

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edwonbass · March 25, 2020, 07:33:35 AM

Quote from: gshappell on March 24, 2020, 09:00:15 PM
Not sure... Going to try and research what other ramps are closed the next few days. I know the Baltimore reservoirs are closed but not sure about anything on the Eastern shore. I'm still working on my trailer so not sure when I'll be getting out. . hopefully by next weekend-if anything is still open.

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Good luck with the trailer and I hope you get out on the water soon!