Protected by Seneca Creek State Park during its 14-mile journey between Clopper Lake and the Potomac River, Seneca Creek provides a great medium-sized creek fly fishing experience right in Montgomery County. Spring stocking of rainbow trout starts three seasons of fly fishing opportunities at this Trail site, followed by summer and fall fishing for smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish. Parking lots set up for accessing the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail also provide convenient access to Seneca Creek where you can fish from shore or wade into the creek. At the same time, the miles of fishable creek ensures you can spend an entire day enjoying this Trail site all to yourself.

Site Location

Seneca Creek is located in northwest Montgomery County, several miles west of Gaithersburg, Maryland, extending from Clopper Lake in Seneca Creek State Park down to the Potomac River.

Address

Seneca Creek State Park/Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Route 28 Parking Lot-Route 28/Darnestown Road

Seneca Ridge Trail at Black Rock Mill 16510 Black Rock Rd Darnestown, Maryland

Seneca Creek Greenway Trail 16898 Riffle Ford Rd Darnestown, Maryland

How to Get There

Take MD-28 from Interstate 270 just north of Rockville, Maryland, and continue north about 2 ½ miles past Darnestown to where the road crosses Seneca Creek at the Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Route 28 Parking Lot.

Parking

Parking at Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Route 28 Parking and Seneca Ridge Trail at Black Rock Mill is on paved lots and on a dirt lot at Seneca Creek Greenway Trail Riffle Ford Road.

Where to Fish

You can fly fish from the bank or by wading in the creek up and down stream at all three access points. Focus on casting your flies into riffles and deeper pools.

What to Catch

Spring: Rainbow trout (stocked)

Summer and fall: Smallmouth bass and redbreast sunfish

What to Fish & How

Recommend bringing 4-5 weight fly rods with floating fly lines with 9' leaders with 3x tippets. For smallmouth bass and panfish, recommend poppers, wooly buggers and insect patterns with rubber legs. For rainbow trout, recommend minnow imitations, nymphs and wooly buggers.

Fly Fishing Organizations

Connect with local fly fishing organizations to learn about mentoring opportunities and to connect with others interested in fly fishing.