Smallies returning to the upper Potomac River

[Wendy Capps]

I was wondering if others are noticing that 10"-14" Smallies are coming back. It seemed to me that those floods in 2016 & the Flathead & Musky populations had almost completely wiped them out up here around Dam #4, Dam #5 & Williamsport areas in Washington County. 

[Spankey]

I’m very glad for you. I’m going through the same thing up here in Pennsy.  Seeing a bit of a ray of sunshine here also. I’m back on the river some myself. In my case I’m a river rat ? and really is the only place I want to be. The river is my comfort zone. Good luck. Be safe. 

[Steveo-1969]

Welcome to BR!! I am a shore bound or wading angler that fishes smallmouth in the Upper Potomac from Dam #5 down to Shepherdstown. I mainly fish around Williamsport. Yes, I’ve caught more young smallmouth this year than I have in the past couple years for sure. Unfortunately there’s no recent info on the MD DNR website to back it up. The last update I could find was from August 2020. But it seems the supplemental stocking and better spawns the past couple years are making a difference in smallmouth numbers!!

[padon]

susquehanna is improving, floods of 2016 did a number on it and its not where it was but alot of young fish being caught.

[NavyToad]

Glad to hear it. My brother lived on the river at Falling Waters and even prior to 2016 the smallies had thinned out alot. Used to be grass beds all the way across and it was a bonanza. Grass beds were long gone by 2016.