looks like Triadelphia re-opens Spring 2020

huh? · December 25, 2019, 08:45:29 PM

WSSC indicates work to continue to Jan 2020 and Azalea Garden Open in Spring 2020. Friend rode his Harley over Brighton Dam and told me the heavy machinery was gone.

gshappell · December 25, 2019, 08:48:11 PM

Can't wait. Went there the last month before closing and caught pb lm and sm.

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huh? · December 25, 2019, 11:10:49 PM

two PBs! WTG! that is almost too good to be true! You'd be hard pressed to find any other angler on this board that caught a PB LMB and SMB in the same day!!! What a day that was, eh?

What made it such a great fishing day? Your lure choice? Water temp? Barometric pressure? Please sprinkle a little double-PB mojo down yonder. Its lure ordering season yah know.

gshappell · December 26, 2019, 05:27:45 AM

Actually not on the same day, but within the same week if i remember correctly. Keep in mind I was only about a year back into bass fishing at the time so only had about a year of 'bests' under my belt. Nothing to write home about LM was 5 on the dot and the SM was only 2lb 6oz. Still havent broken either though - lol.

Think that whole last week was getting good because the water levels were dropping and they were getting 'concentrated' if you will.

Reservoir Runner · December 26, 2019, 10:17:09 AM

From what i have seen on some of the photos and the info from WSSC on their website, they were working on the taintor gates, I think all the concrete work on the dam itself has been completed. They did get behind with all the rain you guys had last year, but it looks like they are progressing nicely. Hopefully I can get back up there in spring for a couple weeks and spend a few days fishing there. I have a friend who works for WSSC, I usually ask him about the construction, if I hear anything from him, I'll post it here to keep you guys updated.

gshappell · December 26, 2019, 10:21:22 AM

Awesome reservoir runner. Have been looking to taking a kayak out there for a while now. Just hope that I will be able to launch with all of the increased traffic I'm assuming that will be there.

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Reservoir Runner · December 27, 2019, 03:58:20 PM

You can put in at Big Branch which puts you a bit upstream from the Greenbridge ramp and from what i remember it was never really crowded. Also the ramp at Triadelphia Lake Road which is the very upper end of Triadelphia is not a bad spot to put in but it usually gets crowded with picknickers and folks who fish off the pier there. I hope to get up to Maryland this spring to fish both reservoirs.

gshappell · December 27, 2019, 04:01:47 PM

Thanks Reservoir Runner, ill check those other spots out. Appreciate the advice, hope you get a chance to check it out this year.

edwonbass · December 31, 2019, 08:31:22 PM

How will the fishing be once it opens again? Will it need time to rebound? It will be nice to be able to fish both lakes since we have been paying the same money for the permits.

Reservoir Runner · December 31, 2019, 09:11:12 PM

Not sure. I am sure the fish ate well during the 2 years it has been closed. I know they consulted with the DNR about drawing down the level so as not to harm the fish. There have been 2 spawning years in which the fish were not disturbed, so that I think would be a help.

edwonbass · January 01, 2020, 10:18:15 AM

Wasn't sure how they handled the drawdown especially since we had below average rainfall in 2019. I hope the fish did well and I look forward to getting back on Triadelphia.

gshappell · January 01, 2020, 11:19:12 AM

I've seen social media posts that look suspiciously like Triadelphia (although Rocky can look similar depending on water levels and area) and even some guys tag their location as Triadelphia so I think some people have still been fishing it with success.

Reservoir Runner · January 01, 2020, 08:03:36 PM

I don't think there is anywhere on Triadelphia that is accessible . They have gates up and in most of the places on Triadelphia it is tough to access if those gates are closed. They have had above average rainfall this year and that caused some delay in the renovation. Where are you seeing the social media posts? I still enjoy reading of other fisherman's success on the lakes even though I onbly get up to Maryland a couple times a year and try to get a couple days fishing in there while I am up.

gshappell · January 01, 2020, 08:38:47 PM

I want to say I saw some on the fishbrain app. Also I think one guy reported fishing there with a friend that lives next to it. I found it funny that they were fishing for bluegill knowing how good the bass fishing should be with the lack of pressure. I know of some guys who think it's cool to break in and fish and then run from dnr. Keep waiting for them to get caught.

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Reservoir Runner · January 02, 2020, 08:22:41 PM

There are a few homes that their lots would allow access near Brighton Dam, the rest I have seen are dry right now. The big challenge to getting caught would be getting caught by WSSC Police. In all the years I fished both reservoirs, never saw a DNR officer once. They would have to have a canoe or kayak to get in there, cause the gates will not allow vehicle access when they are closed

hocoterp · January 21, 2020, 07:49:18 AM

My house is one lot away from Triadelphia WSSC property and I walk down there frequently. I have seen people fishing the shoreline in Montgomery County a few times. I've never seen anyone on the water in the past 2+ years since it's been closed. People fishing while it's closed, while not allowed, is probably low on their list of things to look out for. You have people illegally riding dirt bikes and 4 wheelers, kids drinking down there, illegal swimming, etc. going on all the time.

As for the fishing, I'm not sure what to expect. I talked to MD DNR about the closure of the reservoir and what will happen to the fish populations. They said they were planning on monitoring the closure. The water is currently down 30 or so feet. North of Pigtail, the reservoir looks like a river. There is not much habitat there for the fish and they are all condensed into the lower end of the reservoir by the dam. I went down there on Thanksgiving morning and it was the lowest it's been during the draw down closure. It's come back up a bit since then, but not much.

There are literally tens of thousands of small 3-7 foot trees that have sprouted up on all the shorelines... mainly sycamore and poplar trees. This will increase the structure for small baitfish, but I feel like this will cause the large fish to be spread out once the area is flooded.

Personally, I think you'll see larger fish caught after it reopens, but not as many fish as people expect in numbers.

Reservoir Runner · January 21, 2020, 08:57:48 PM

Thanks for the update. I haven't been there in about 3 years, so I'm not sure what it looks like now. If you get a chance to take a few pictures and post them, it would be nice. The kids swimming and drinking down there has gone on for longer than I can remember, I don't think the WSSC Police really enforce it. They end up drowning and they still don't keep an eye out for kids swimming. I saw it all the time when I fished both lakes, called the Cabin so they could notify the police and they had no interest in it. I do know they were supposed to coordinate with DNR about how far to drop the level so it didn't hurt the fish so I guess it happened. When they do open it back up to the public, they will catch some nice fish but I don't think it will be a bonanza either.

Reservoir Runner · February 11, 2020, 01:26:16 PM

According to the WSSC website, water levels permitting, Triadelphia should be opened in March when the reservoir opens back up for public use again. May end up throwing the kayak up on the car and making the trip up there in mid-April.

gshappell · February 11, 2020, 07:36:21 PM

Awesome... where do you think is the best place to launch? Greenbridge looks steeeeep unless you have a trailer or truckbed. I just googled Triadelphia and it looks like my picture of when it was low is one of the main ones that come up first... crazy that was going on 3 years ago almost... https://www.google.com/maps/uv?hl=en&pb=!1s0x89b7d762fd728f67%3A0xde78c508784e9629!3m1!7e115!4shttps%3A%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO7HwD_JXsilznohieABGAjyM415HAEYq-_mOWO%3Dw260-h175-n-k-no!5striadelphia%20reservoir%20launch%20-%20Google%20Search!15sCAQ&imagekey=!1e10!2sAF1QipO7HwD_JXsilznohieABGAjyM415HAEYq-_mOWO#

Reservoir Runner · February 12, 2020, 10:55:47 AM

Greenbridge, just up from the dam should be pretty easy to put in. The other two sites which are basically feeder creeks, may still be low from winter drawdown. If they are, they will have the ramps closed. At the upper end, Triadelphia Lake Road off of 97, if it isn't too low that is a good spot to put in- the ramp isn't steep and it gives you access to where the Patuxent flows into Triadelphia and Cattail creek, a feeder creek and as you go south of the ramp, there are a couple of coves worth giving a shot at. Just make sure you wear your PFD in case you go into the water, hypothermia in 40 degree water will render your arms and legs useless after about 2 minutes in it.

gshappell · February 15, 2020, 10:16:58 AM

Awesome thanks for the tips and info!

hocoterp · February 19, 2020, 10:07:39 AM

WSSC is currently doing some dredging in Pigtail and Big Branch coves. Literally taking 100's of dump truck loads of dirt out of there. It looks like they've taken out several feet of sediment on one side of each cove. Big Branch had 3 dump trucks and a two excavators working 6 days a week removing dirt.

Reservoir Runner · February 22, 2020, 07:45:24 PM

From all the construction they are doing in the area of those coves. Don't know how many farms are still close to those coves that may contribute as well.

Reservoir Runner · March 10, 2020, 05:50:35 PM

It looks like the Greenbridge Ramp just up from the dam will be opening on the 15th of March. The water level in the upper reservoir is still low and they are redoing some of the boat ramps at Triadelphia Lake Road, and Pigtail launch, so those area's are still closed.
Rocky Gorge ramps at Scott's Cove, Supplee Lane, and Browns Bridge will be open. They have improved the ramp at Browns Bridge, at the Greenbridge facility they extended the ramp for low water conditions, expanded the boat storage area and put in a kayak/canoe launch along with a fishing jetty. If anyone puts out there, get some photo's if you can of the improvements. Good luck to anyone fishing there, might be slow the first couple weeks but it starts picking up in April.

gshappell · March 10, 2020, 07:06:19 PM

That awesome to hear Reservoir Runner, thanks for the update. I will take pics if I can make it out there.... Do you think the deeper spots or the shallower spots will be better early on?

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