Youghiogheny River Maryland Fly Fishing Report & Options for Selecting Flies: Email us at (sales@perfectflystore.com) with the dates you will be fishing and we will send you a list of our fly recommendations. We can get flies and gear to you within two to three business days from the time you place your order via Priority Mail. If you provide a budget for flies, we will select them to match the budget and get them to you on time for your trip. Your can also call us at 800-594-4726 and we will help you decide what flies and gear to use. All orders are shipped free in the U.S. If under a $100 order requiring Priority mail is a charge of only $8.10. Orders over a $100 are shipped free via Priority Mail.
We have custom Perfect Fly selections in 3 different price ranges for this stream that come with or without fly boxes that make excellent gifts. Click Here To Order or Call us at 800 594 4726 or email us at sales@perfectflystore.com.
Type of Stream
Freestone with Deep Creek Tailwater
Influence
Species
Brown Trout (stocked with holdovers)
Rainbow Trout (stocked)
Brook Trout (wild)
Size
Medium
Location
Northwestern Maryland
Nearest Towns
Oakland
Season
Year-round
Access:
Ranges Easy to Difficult
Non-Resident License
State of Maryland
Weather
National Weather Service Link
Seasons:
The fishing season is open year-round and due to the constant temperature of the water, fly fishing the Savage River tailwater is good the entire year.
Spring:
This tailwater has numerous hatches of aquatic insects and Springtime is a great time to fish.
Summer:
The water stays cool throughout the tailwater even on the hottest days of summer and provides good fishing.
Fall:
The brown and brook trout spawn in the fall and the fishing is excellent.
Winter:
You can catch trout on midges throughout the winter months.
Recommended Tackle & Gear
Fly Line:
4, 5 or 6 weight
Leaders:
Dry fly: 9 to 12 ft., 5 or 6X Nymphing:
71/2 ft., 3 or 4X, Streamers 0-2X
Tippets:
Dry fly: 5 or 6X, Nymphing: 3 or 4X,
Streamer 0-2X
Best Fly Rods:
Perfect Fly Supreme Four, Superb Five
or Ultimate Six
Fly Reels:
For 4/5/6 fly line
Fly Floatants and Misc Items:
Floatants, KISS Strike Indicators
Tools & Accessories:
Nippers, forceps, retractors, etc.
Copyright 2013 James Marsh
Fly Fishing the Youghiogheny River In Maryland
The Youghiogheny River, called the Yough for short, is a 134 mile-long tributary of the Monongahela River. It flows through parts of West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The Yough starts on the west side of the Allegheny Mountains in West Virginia near Kingwood, and flows from there into the state of Maryland. From Maryland, it flows into the Youghiogheny River Reservoir on the Pennsylvania and Maryland state line. Fly fishing the Youghiogheny River in Maryland can provide some excellent catches of good size brown and rainbow trout.
The Youghiogheny River is the first river in Maryland to receive the Wild River designation under the Scenic and Wild River Act. The 21 mile long Wild River corridor is managed by the Maryland Park Service.
In the state of Maryland, the river changes it appearance depending on where you are. Near Oakland, the river flows back and forth through pastures and farmland interspersed with woods.
The river narrows down and picks up speed as it flows through a forest into the Swallow Falls State Park. At Hoyes Run, the Yough slows down some and fits a more typical pattern of pool, run and riffles.
Above Gap Falls, the river speeds up again creates a long section of Class V Whitewater. Further downstream, the river flows into Youghiogheny Reservoir.
It’s the cold water the Youghiogheny River receives from Deep Creek, a tributary stream tailwater below Deep Creek Lake, that makes it possible for the Yough’s large number of brown and rainbow trout to not only survive but to do very well. The hydroelectric station is location only about eight miles from the Yough.
From a fly fishing standpoint, the most important thing is the Maryland Department of Natural Resources only stocks fingerling rainbow and brown trout. They do not stock any grown trout.
Another big plus for the stream is its excellent population of aquatic insects. There are plenty of both mayflies and caddisflies including the popular, large Eastern Green Drake. In addition, there are plenty of sculpin and baitfish for the trout to grow big on.
The majority of the river flows through private property. Public access is available at Swallow Falls State Park, in the Sang Run area off of Sang Run Road, from Friendsville south along the Kendall Trail, and the Hoyes Run area which is the fairly new “catch and release” fly fishing section. Many of the Youghiogheny River’s access points require long hikes over rugged terrain. The uppermost sections of the Yough and its tributaries have good populations of wild brook trout. Fly fishing the Yough is possible in several different locations in both Maryland and Pennsylvania.