This river was once a polluted disaster, but today offers great fishing.
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On The Fly Freshwater
Featured photo by Polly Dean.
October 2024
By Jimmy Jacobs
The Potomac River is a storied flow in the eastern United States, figuring large in the history, commerce and travel of the early nation. Today, it continues to be important to anglers in the mid-Atlantic region. That is especially true for fly casters when it comes to its North Branch, far upstream on the Maryland and West Virginia border.
All told, the North Branch runs for 103 miles through the Allegheny Mountains to join the South Branch, where the main course of the Potomac begins. For decades the North Branch held little interest for anglers, having been badly polluted by mining operations that left it an acidic flow.
Beginning in 1993 that started changing. Many of its tributaries and its main branch had lime dosers introduce. This added alkaline neutralized the acid and let the North Branch heal. Today along its course it hosts brook, brown and rainbow trout. In the same year smallmouth bass were reintroduced to the river downstream of Jennings Randolph Lake. By 1997 those fish had established a reproducing population.
Today the river above the reservoir has good trout fishing, supported by stocking, some of which take place in remote areas using a tank truck that runs on the rails of the CSX railroad line. The waters above Jennings Randloph are divided into a 7-mile delayed-harvest section in the Potomac State Forest. The other is 14 miles of put-and-take waters.
Wild brook trout are now found both above and below Jennings Randolph Lake. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Downstream of Jennings Randolph, an Army Corp of Engineers reservoir that was filled in 1982, another roughly 9 miles of tailwater down to the town of Westernport, Maryland provides a very good and popular trout fishery. The water here is in the 55- to 60-degree temperature range year-round thanks to the water released from the dam.
The old bridge abutment at the Barnum Fishing and Boating access. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Immediately below the reservoir dam, no fishing is allowed. At a point that is 345 yards downriver from the dam, a cable strung over the flow and a red post on the shore mark the beginning of legal angling water. For the next mile down to a similar red post that is 100 yards upstream of an old bridge abutment at the Barnum Fishing and Boating Access, catch-and-release, artificial-lure angling is mandated. This access is located on the West Virginia side of the river, but the river actually is in Maryland. Regardless both West Virginia and Maryland fishing licenses are honored on the flow.
Photo by Jimmy Jacobs
Below that red post the river is open under put-and-take regulations allowing a five trout per day harvest limit. The tailwater below Jennings Randolph is noted for holding wild, reproducing populations of both brook and brown trout. Additionally, down to the next access point at the Blue Hole at the Barnum Whitewater Access, the river was stocked with 3,000 rainbow and golden rainbow trout in 2024.
A golden rainbow trout. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.
Fly casting at the Barnum Fishing and Boating Access. Video by Jimmy Jacobs.
At Barnum Fishing Access, wading is possible out to within casting distance of the old bridge abutment. You also can access the upstream shoals in the catch-and-release area. To reach this site from State Route 46 at the village of Cross, West Virginia, go west on Barnum Road (46/2) to the river, just after passing the junction with Rivers Edge Lane.
The Barnum Fishing and Boating Access. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs, inset photo by Polly Dean.
Another good spot for accessing the fishing is at the Barnum Whitewater Access at the Blue Hole. To reach it turn north on Rivers Edge Lane and go 1.2 miles to the parking area. There is another of those red posts just below the Blue Hole marking the upstream end of an additional catch-and-release, artificial-lure fishing section. This one runs downstream to the mouth of Piney Swamp Run that enters the river from the West Virginia side, just upstream of Bloomington, Maryland on the opposite shore. Another of those red posts mark this end of the special regulation area.
The Blue Hole at the Barnum Whitewater Access. Photos by Jimmy Jacobs.
Downstream of the Blue Hole are a number of shoal areas where some wading is possible, though the climb down from the road and uneven, rocky bottom can be challenging.
Targeting the catch-and-release water downstream of the Blue Hole. Video by Jimmy Jacobs.
The portion of the river from the Blue Hole down to Westernport is remote, with a rocky and rugged flow. The best way to tackle the entire length is to hire a guide for a float in a rubber raft. The currents and rocks combine to be damaging for drift boats.
The final option for getting to the water on the upper tailwater on the North Branch is in downtown Westernport. The best access is from Main Street. This is another put-and-take fishery area, that was stocked with additional 3,000 rainbows and golden rainbows this year.
Though the bug life on the flow has recovered from the mining pollution, it still is considered sparse. The two most important fly patterns to have in your box for fishing the North Branch tailwater are midges and streamers. The midges hatch all year long on the tailwater. Having a variety of colors is the ticket.
Streamers that imitate sculpins, other small minnows or crawfish work well on high or murky water. Some hatches of Blue-winged Olives occur from September to June, though they likely won’t be very heavy. In May to July some American March Browns also hatch.
Since this is a tailwater fishery, knowing the water release schedules is imperative. Jennings Randolph Lake’s main functions are flood control and water supply. At present it does not have electric generation facilities, so its water releases are fairly dependable. There are four days of whitewater releases in the spring on weekends, as well as twice monthly non-whitewater releases. Those latter ones are not on weekends, unless unavoidable due to weather conditions. To see the complete schedule, visit the Corps of Engineers website.
