Monocacy River - Smallmouth Bass Fishing

[KLC]

Are there any good fishing locations on the Monocacy river where one can launch a bass tracker bass boat or is the river to shallow and rocky for a motor boat?

[a1712]

Most places I know on it would be rough in a Tunnel Hull Jet. I've only fished the area off 15 though, I've never scored to many bigger Bass through that section, but there's def quantity there. Brian.

[John Diamond]

Old thread I know, but just wanted to put some info here about boating on this river and some of the ramps.

 

I would never use a motor with a prop, jet boat only.  Also, you'll need at least 600cfs on the gauge at Jug Bridge for venturing very far.  800 would be preferable.  Above 1200 and you're dealing with some pretty strong current right at the ramps.

 

I've launched at 4 of the ramps and fished the areas.  

 

Starting at the most downriver:

 

Mouth Of Monocacy Boat Ramp - This is a good ramp and a really good fishing area.  You can go up the river about two miles or so the the Rt 28 bridge where there's an impassible rapid.  Below that rapid is a very good 1/2 mile stretch of water for bass.  You can also go out into the Potomac if the Monocacy is too low or muddy.

 

Park Mills Boat Ramp - Another good ramp, but it's a little narrower.  Here you can go down the river to the Rt 28 bridge rapid.  Wouldn't recommend going down the rapid because you're not getting back up at most levels.  There are two cobblestone rapids at lower levels, but over 800 you'll have no trouble getting up and down them.  At 600 you might have to drag your boat up one of them(not fun by yourself).  Lots of great fishing through here.  You can go up river to the Greenfield section, but that is a mess of rapids and boulders.  Park you boat and get out and wade!  When it's high enough to pass, the current is horrendously powerful, and you will wind up sucking gravel into your grate and clog the drive. 

 

Riverside Park Boat Ramp - Nice, big ramp, but often choked with mud deposits.  You can go up the river pretty far, at say 800cfs, maybe up to Biggs Ford.  I've only gone up to Rt 26.  Lot of good fishing.  I have not gone down river for fear of not getting back up.  There are some deep holes in this area above the ramp.

 

Creagerstown Boat Ramp - This ramp is very narrow.  You can go up the river, but there is an island not too far up that causes issues.  The channel on the right is passable, but it's narrow, and has a LOT of current even at low levels.  Once past that, you can go up along a very long, deep pool.  Haven't seen how far I can go beyond that.  Here I think you need at least 800cfs, and I'd be leary of getting back up unless you've got a buddy to help, as there is a cobblestone rapid about a half mile down.  I haven't gone past that by boat, but wet waded several times, good fishing below the rapid, and then the river gets really deep about another mile down.  

 

I have not tried out Pinecliff Park Boat Ramp.

[Brian Martalus]

Thanks for info- is above the 28 bridge accessible for shore/wade fishing? It looks to be public land but not sure how the water is. I am tired of the low density of fish on the Potomac so would be happy to get some quantity versus quality on a slightly smaller river!

[John Diamond]

On 8/31/2020 at 6:53 PM, Brian Martalus said:

Thanks for info- is above the 28 bridge accessible for shore/wade fishing? It looks to be public land but not sure how the water is. I am tired of the low density of fish on the Potomac so would be happy to get some quantity versus quality on a slightly smaller river!

 

Oh sorry, just saw this post.  

 

Yeah, that's public land there(and very unpopulated), and there is a parking lot with some paths that go to both above and below the bridge.  I think the lot is blocked off though at the moment, or at least limited because of the bridge construction going on.  

 

Wading up I've had some success there.  The river is fairly deep in spots, I remember being up to my chest much of the time, and being a little wary of stepping into something deeper, at least on the eastern shoreline.  There's some good rockpiles on that shore and tree falls at times.  There's also that rocky beach right above the bridge but I think that gets a lot of fishing pressure.  If you keep wading up river, there are some excellent boulder piles with deeper holes that I've caught many bass in.