Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick
River flow & level · USGS gauge 01643000 · Maryland · drains 817 sq mi
Latest reading Oct 26, 6:30 PM · streamflow
The Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick is running 160 cfs, 71% of the median flow for October 26 (225 cfs, 97 years). Gage height is 1.68 ft, 13.3 ft below flood stage (15.0 ft). Flow is down 3% from 24 hours ago.
Streamflow
cubic feet per secondReadingNormal range for the date (25th–75th pct.)Median for the date
Gage height & flood stages
ft above gauge datumAction (13.0 ft) is 11.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMinor (15.0 ft) is 13.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartModerate (17.0 ft) is 15.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chartMajor (20.0 ft) is 18.3 ft above the latest reading, off this chart
Reading
Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick fishing report & conditions
updated Oct 26, 6:49 PM ETWater 57°F, flow 71% of normal, flow steady, calm wind — good fall fishing day (7/10), best window 7:37 AM–8:37 AM (moonset near sunrise).
Water 57°F, flow 71% of normal, flow steady, calm wind — good fall fishing day (6/10), best window 6:27 PM–7:27 PM (moonrise near sunset).
- Water temp57°Fmeasured Oct 26, 5:45 PM · Monocacy River Near Dickerson, Md, 10 mi away
- Air temphigh 67°F / low 45°FSunny
- WindCalm1–5 mph 6 AM–6 PM, gusts to 9
- Flow71% of normalFlow steady (-3% in 24 h)
Official Maryland fishing report: Maryland DNR — Maryland fishing report (weekly)
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
7/10
Full moon · 99% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:31 AM · Sunset 6:14 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon underfoot12:16 PM–2:16 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset7:37 AM–8:37 AMSunrise
- Moonrise5:46 PM–6:46 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 26 | 7/10Good | Major 12:16 PM–2:16 PM Minor 7:37 AM–8:37 AM · 5:46 PM–6:46 PM Calm wind 1–5 mph |
|---|---|---|
| TueOct 27 | 4/10Fair | Major 12:44 AM–2:44 AM · 1:14 PM–3:14 PM Minor 8:54 AM–9:54 AM · 6:27 PM–7:27 PM Calm wind 2–5 mph |
| WedOct 28 | 2/10Poor | Major 1:45 AM–3:45 AM · 2:16 PM–4:16 PM Minor 10:11 AM–11:11 AM · 7:19 PM–8:19 PM Calm wind 1–4 mph |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 2:49 AM–4:49 AM · 3:21 PM–5:21 PM Minor 11:21 AM–12:21 PM · 8:21 PM–9:21 PM Calm wind 0–5 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 3:53 AM–5:53 AM · 4:25 PM–6:25 PM Minor 12:21 PM–1:21 PM · 9:32 PM–10:32 PM Calm wind 0–4 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 4/10Fair | Major 4:55 AM–6:55 AM · 5:25 PM–7:25 PM Minor 1:09 PM–2:09 PM · 10:47 PM–11:47 PM Calm wind 1–2 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 4/10Fair | Major 4:53 AM–6:53 AM · 5:20 PM–7:20 PM Minor 12:47 PM–1:47 PM · 11:01 PM–12:01 AM Calm wind 0–4 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonset × sunrise +1; Moonrise × sunset +1) | 2 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 0.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 2 |
| Today | 7, rounded | 7/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured by USGS at Monocacy River Near Dickerson, Md, 10 mi away. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 39.40, -77.37 (moon times from astronomical equations, Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick local time).
Best fishing times today
Today is a good fishing day (solunar + local conditions)
6/10
Waning gibbous · 97% lit · New moon Mon, Nov 9 · Sunrise 7:32 AM · Sunset 6:13 PM
Major fishing times
- Moon overhead12:44 AM–2:44 AM
- Moon underfoot1:14 PM–3:14 PM
Minor fishing times
- Moonset8:54 AM–9:54 AM
- Moonrise6:27 PM–7:27 PMSunset
Fishing times for the next 7 days
| TodayOct 27 | 6/10Good | Major 12:44 AM–2:44 AM · 1:14 PM–3:14 PM Minor 8:54 AM–9:54 AM · 6:27 PM–7:27 PM Calm wind 2–5 mph |
|---|---|---|
| WedOct 28 | 2/10Poor | Major 1:45 AM–3:45 AM · 2:16 PM–4:16 PM Minor 10:11 AM–11:11 AM · 7:19 PM–8:19 PM Calm wind 1–4 mph |
| ThuOct 29 | 4/10Fair | Major 2:49 AM–4:49 AM · 3:21 PM–5:21 PM Minor 11:21 AM–12:21 PM · 8:21 PM–9:21 PM Calm wind 0–5 mph |
| FriOct 30 | 3/10Poor | Major 3:53 AM–5:53 AM · 4:25 PM–6:25 PM Minor 12:21 PM–1:21 PM · 9:32 PM–10:32 PM Calm wind 0–4 mph |
| SatOct 31 | 4/10Fair | Major 4:55 AM–6:55 AM · 5:25 PM–7:25 PM Minor 1:09 PM–2:09 PM · 10:47 PM–11:47 PM Calm wind 1–2 mph |
| SunNov 1 | 4/10Fair | Major 4:53 AM–6:53 AM · 5:20 PM–7:20 PM Minor 12:47 PM–1:47 PM · 11:01 PM–12:01 AM Calm wind 0–4 mph |
| MonNov 2 | 3/10Poor | Major 5:46 AM–7:46 AM · 6:11 PM–8:11 PM Minor 1:19 PM–2:19 PM Calm wind 2–5 mph |
How this rating works
Solunar theory says fish feed more when the moon is overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 hours) and around moonrise and moonset (minor periods, about 1 hour). On a lake or river there is no tide, so instead of tide changes we score the local conditions anglers watch: the barometric pressure trend, the wind, whether the river is steady, and the water temperature where it is measured.
| Base | every day starts at 1 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise / sunset | a period overlaps sunrise or sunset ±1 h: major +2, minor +1 (max 3) (Moonrise × sunset +1) | 1 |
| Moon phase | within 2 days of a new or full moon +2, within 4 days +1 (today: 1.5 days) | 2 |
| Local conditions | pressure 6 AM→6 PM: falling +2, steady or slowly rising +1, rising fast 0 · daytime wind 4–15 mph +1, over 20 mph (or gusts over 30) −1 · flow within ±15% in 24 h +1, rising over 25% −1 · water 55–75°F +1, below 45°F or above 85°F −1 (0 to 4 in total)
| 2 |
| Today | 6, rounded | 6/10 |
1–3 poor · 4–5 fair · 6–7 good · 8–10 excellent. Pressure and wind are the NOAA National Weather Service hourly forecast for this spot; the level/flow trend is the latest 24 hours of readings on this page; water temperature measured by USGS at Monocacy River Near Dickerson, Md, 10 mi away. Days 2–7 score sun, moon, forecast pressure and forecast wind only (level and water temperature aren’t forecast). Solunar times are a rule of thumb, not a guarantee.
Solunar periods calculated for 39.40, -77.37 (moon times from astronomical equations, Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick local time).
Weather & wind at Monocacy River at Jug Bridge near Frederick
air temperature, not water3-day forecast
- Tonight45°Mostly ClearWind W 3 mphRain 1%
- Tuesday67° / 46°SunnyWind NE 5 mphRain 2%
- Wednesday67° / 48°Partly SunnyWind SE 3 mphRain 1%
NOAA National Weather Service forecast for 39.403, -77.366 (grid LWX), issued Oct 26, 4:52 PM local time. High / low are air temperatures; water temperature is in the fishing section above. The “Air temp & weather” tile at the top refreshes live.
Flood stages
NOAA NWS gauge FDKM2- Action stage13 ft+11.3 ft from now
- Minor stage15 ft+13.3 ft from now
- Moderate stage17 ft+15.3 ft from now
- Major stage20 ft+18.3 ft from now
- Record crest35.9 ft1972
October 26 in history
97 years of flow records- Today160 cfs
- Same date last year117 cfs2025
- Median225 cfs
- Normal range145 cfs – 461 cfs25th–75th percentile
- Highest since 19307,840 cfs1972
- Lowest since 193049.0 cfs1931
Last 10 days
| Date | Mean flow (cfs) | Change |
|---|---|---|
| Mon Oct 26 (today) | 158 | -4% |
| Sun Oct 25 | 165 | -5% |
| Sat Oct 24 | 174 | -5% |
| Fri Oct 23 | 183 | -7% |
| Thu Oct 22 | 196 | -8% |
| Wed Oct 21 | 214 | -10% |
| Tue Oct 20 | 239 | -9% |
| Mon Oct 19 | 262 | -18% |
| Sun Oct 18 | 321 | -16% |
| Sat Oct 17 | 380 | +2% |
Daily mean of all readings that day; today is the average so far.
Nearby lakes & rivers
- Monocacy River at Monocacy Blvd at Frederick3 mi · River106 cfs46% of normal
- Monocacy River near Dickerson10 mi · River207 cfsstage 1.35 ft
- Potomac River at Point of Rocks13 mi · River2,300 cfs100% of normal
- Potomac River at Burkittsville Rd at Brunswick16 mi · River2.68 ftstage 2.68 ft
- Potomac River at Harpers Ferry20 mi · River1.19 ftstage 1.19 ft
- Potomac River at Edwards Ferry near Poolesville,md22 mi · River3.60 ftstage 3.60 ft
About this data
- Gauge
- USGS 01643000 — Monocacy River At Jug Bridge Near Frederick, Md
- Location
- 39.4028, -77.3661 · Maryland
- Drainage area
- 817 sq mi
- Measures
- Streamflow (discharge), cubic feet per second
- Daily statistics
- 1930–2026 (approved daily values)
- Latest reading
- Oct 26, 6:30 PM local time (provisional)
- Page built
- Oct 26, 2026 6:49 PM ET
- Flood stages
- NWS gauge FDKM2 — National Water Prediction Service
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Water Data for the Nation (USGS monitoring location page). Readings every 15–60 minutes; the newest values are provisional. Percentiles compare today’s reading with every past year’s daily mean for the same calendar date. Weather: NOAA National Weather Service.