Northeast
North Branch Potomac River
Live Conditions
North Branch Potomac River — North Branch Potomac River at Steyer, MD
7-Day Flow
↓ Falling
24-Hr Pressure
28.66 inHg · → High/stable
Local Weather
Tough conditions — fish deep
Today
☁️Overcast
69° / 47°
Tomorrow
☀️Clear sky
73° / 50°
Wed
☁️Overcast
73° / 51°
0.12"
Thu
🌧️Rain showers
69° / 54°
0.1"
Cold front incoming — go deep with nymphs, surface activity likely slow.
Weather by Open-Meteo · No API key · Updated every 30 min
What should I fish today?
⚡ AIAI-powered recommendation using today's live flow, temperature, and hatch data.
6
Time of Day
Using: 58.1 CFS · Midges and BWOs. Brown trout spawning continues — RESPECT REDDS.
What should I pack?
Rod, flies, tippet, and safety gear specific to today's North Branch Potomac River conditions.
🪰 Hatch Calendar
North Branch Potomac River · November · Late Fall
Showing typical dates — water temperature data unavailable for live hatch predictions.
Select month
Midges and BWOs. Brown trout spawning continues — RESPECT REDDS.
River Map
About North Branch Potomac River
The North Branch Potomac tailwater below Jennings Randolph Lake at Bloomington is a major cold-water fishery on the Maryland/West Virginia border offering miles of exceptional trout water through a dramatic Allegheny mountain canyon. Cold bottom releases from the deep Army Corps reservoir maintain year-round trout habitat through long flat pools, boulder runs, and pocket water. Big wild brown trout and healthy rainbow populations make this one of the Mid-Atlantic's most compelling destination tailwaters.
Regulations
Special management sections below Jennings Randolph Dam: catch-and-release only, artificial flies and lures only, barbless hooks required. This is a border water also subject to West Virginia regulations — verify current boundary markers with Maryland DNR before fishing. CFS alone does not indicate fishability — check dam release schedules.
Learn More
Guides to help you fish North Branch Potomac River with more confidence.
Maryland Fishing Regulations for Fly Anglers
Maryland nontidal fishing license, the separate Trout Stamp required statewide, the last Saturday in March opener, the Gunpowder Falls 7.2-mile…
Trout Species of Maryland
MD's wild brown trout fishery — the famously selective Gunpowder Falls below Prettyboy, the Trophy Trout Savage tailwater, the North Branch Potomac…
How Barometric Pressure Affects Fishing (And How to Use It)
That gorgeous bluebird day after a cold front? Worst fishing of the year. Here's the data behind why pressure changes matter more than the weather…