[abrickhead]

It's been many, many years since I've been to the Harpers Ferry area on the Potomac (I'm south of Baltimore, MD) I gather you can canoe and kayak fish The River, but, can you launch a bass boat at one of the campgrounds that are around there?? Is the river too rocky that far up for a bass boat?? Just thought you locals would have the answers to some questions me and my buddy have. Thanks in advance.

 

[BIG EYE]

Bass boat? Only if it has jet deive, and I don't think I would even risk that. Not much deep water there except the main, which is really small. Rocks and fast water, that is the deal, wade or yak and you should do well on smallmouths. find a spot just behind an obstruction that blocks the water and has a little depth. Pretty good fishin. If I could only take one bait, it would be a white 3 inch grub..

 

[Al B]

Definitely do a yak, canoe or wade. Along w/the grub, a #2 Mepps or Blue Fox/Vibrax is deadly. But, none will bead a helgramite or a mad tom... man I miss the Smallmouth!

 

[Glub]

There is a boat launch just upstream on the Potomac from Harpers Ferry on the MD side. People do boats there and fish the relatively still water there. It's not far upstream, because I like to park there and ride my bike down the trail to fish the Harpers Ferry area where the riffles and rapids are.

Maryland's Public Boat Ramp Query

 

[BLUEYZWAITN]

can you say Prop damage......do not take a bass boat there , I live 25 miuntes from there and its a waders dream starting in may but right now maybe a kayak if you could find deep water you might get lucky,, it may even be frozen there at the moment... May - oct is great for smallies but right now my friend I am Afaid you will just get cold..
Not many deep pockets but a few you might get lucky there ...

I live off the shenendoah and its frozen for themost part so I canguess the Harpers ferry may be the same... If I was'nt so busy today I would take a ride there for you but I got so much going on I can't get away...

be careful if your go the rocks in the Winter are way beyond slippery so watch out..

Jay

 

[PlaynHooky]

Jay, where do you live???? I have family just that side of Frederick.......

 

[BLUEYZWAITN]

I live in Shenendoah farms , its at rt50/17 and the river... I'm about 25 minutes from Harpers Ferry and Charlestown....I live in Va but the WV border is about a rock throw away...
I wade there in summer , You can catch a quanity of Smallies , not many are big but you can catch 50 a day sometimes, lots of REdears and occasionally a Walleye every now and then

 

[abrickhead]

Thanks Gents..... We are starting to plan an April camping/fishing extravaganza, so I think we'll leave his glitter boat at home and bring my canoe and kayaks.....they run on beef jerky and beans anyway.....so they are easier on the gas :yes:
Thanks again for the heads up.....thanks why I love this site!!!!!!!!! :thumbup:

 

[basshby]

10 to 15 years ago a friend and I used to fish the still water above Dam #4 area south of Hagerstown off Dam Number Four Road. Used bass boat with 115HP. Summer time a lot of water skiers. Use Exit 28 off I70 which is the Downsville Pike (state route 632) which turns into Dam Number Four Road. Just follow turns to parking area and boat ramp.. No place to camp around there that I know of.

 

[kwacn]

i fished harper's ferry last summer on a trip with the wife and another couple, had no idea about the river, as the wives shopped my buddy and i took to wading the shenadoah casting 4" pumpkinseed double tail yamamoto grubs as we do on the upper james. i was suprized at the sheer number of fish that we caught and the quality of the fish. river was low at the time. we had to compete with the rafters for the deeper areas which seemed to contain the most smallies. you will definately have fun. don't rule out the yamamoto grubs as a bait.

 

[jnashed]

I live in Winchester and get up there enough. I dont think you need a bass boat there. Wading or a kayak/canoe is perfect though. In the summer the smallie bite this past year was off the hook. 50-100+ days were common. Some bigger ones up to 20+ inches for sure. Best bait by far in the Berkeley 4in dark grey shads on a small weighted hook. Absolutely cheating... I like small Mepps (pumpkin sead color/pattern) spinners myself or fly fishing with wooly buggers or streamers. Lots of big bluegill/ sunfish this past year also. The rocks are real slick so felt shoes and a walking stick would help a lot.

Jim