Taking smallmouth bass with popping bugs is some of the most exciting fishing available. The strike is explosive and there is the added benefit that poppers take some of the largest bass.  The Potomac River in Washington County provides exactly these types of prime smallmouth bass fly fishing opportunities given its wide, shallow nature with lots of rock ledges running across the river leading to riffles and long pools. Walking the footpath alongside the C&O Canal, gives ready access to the long river stretch between Dam 4 (a few miles below Downsville) down to Harpers Ferry. This section of the Potomac River also has eight boat launch ramps and soft access sites, providing plenty of ways to access the river via a variety of watercraft and cover a lot more prolific smallmouth bass habitats as well as opportunities to cast for walleye, channel catfish, sunfish and muskie.

Site Location

Located in Washington County, this section of the Potomac River extends from Dam 4 on the river (located north of Shepherdstown, West Virginia) all the way down the Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia where the Shenandoah River flows into the Potomac River.

How to Get There

From Interstate Route 70, take the exit south onto  to Downsville Pike/Route 632. Continue on Downsville Pike until the road turns into Dam Number 4 Road at the town of Downsville. Continue for several more miles until Dam Number 4 Road takes a sharp right turn just at the Potomac River at which point you can access the C&O Canal footpath by making a left turn over the bridge and the access point will be on your left. To access this section of the Potomac River from the south, take Route 340 towards Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, exiting before the bridge over the Potomac River, on side roads which provide you access to the C&O Canal footpath.

Parking & Launching

Along the Potomac River from Dam 4 downstream to Harpers Ferry, there are paved parking lots available at each of the boat launch ramps. You can also park along the river, but please be respectful of the adjacent property owners. You access the Potomac River by walking along the C&O Canal or parking at one of the many boat launch ramps and then either fishing from the shoreline or wading into the river. You can launch boats at the following ramps: Dam #4 soft access via a dirt launch at Dam #4 Road,  Sharpsburg, MD 21782; Taylors Landing via concrete launch ramps at Taylors Landing Road, Sharpsburg, MD 21782; Snyders Landing boat ramp at 17019 Snyders Landing Rd Sharpsburg, Maryland; Lock 38 via concrete launch ramp at Canal Road, Sharpsburg, MD 21782; Antietam Creek Aqueduct via dirt launch ramp at Canal Road, Sharpsburg, MD 21782; Lime Kiln via dirt launch ramp at Limekiln Road, Sharpsburg, MD 21782; Dargan Bend via concrete launch ramp at Back Road, Knoxville, MD 21758; and Lock 34 via dirt launch ramp at Harpers Ferry Road, Knoxville, MD 21758. Boat launch access at the Snyders Landing requires crossing a narrow bridge (10'). This makes it suitable for small boats only. The site is located at Towpath mile marker 76.6.

Boat Rentals

Canoe rentals are available at Tom's Run Outfitters located at 16210 Fairview Road Hagerstown, MD 21740.

Where to Fish

Casting poppers onto the flat water behind rock ledges protruding above the river’s surface can be very productive. Also working the eddies below riffles along the river bank consistently yields smallmouth. Keep your line tight to the fly, make twitches, and popping bugs with soft hackles and rubber legs are especially effective. Red, yellow, green, blue and white are all colors that seem to work well.

What to Catch

Smallmouth bass, muskie, bluegill and sunfish

What to Fish & How

A 9-foot 5 weight fly rod with a floating line and 9-foot leader is appropriate fly fishing gear. Recommend bringing 5-7 weight fly rods with floating, intermediate and sinking fly lines with 9' leaders with 2x tippets for fishing for smallmouth bass, bluegills and sunfish. For smallmouth bass and panfish, recommend poppers, wooly buggers, insect patterns with rubber legs.

Fly Fishing Organizations

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