Posted on September 01 2025
Had to go back to August first to find the last time I answered questions -my apologies to those who who have waited for answers.
Terry V. wanted to know what they are eating when they are rising but won't look at your fly. Easy - flies without hooks in them. If the rises are boils the fish are feeding on nymphs in the water column, if the rises are sips they could very well be eating the dreaded Delaware River midges.
Several Ed's had questions - The most dependable olive hatches usually happen as the sulfur hatch wanes. A cold water surge, cold nights, cloudy, (smokey), overcast days with a drizzle are the best bets. The up river area from Stilesville to the Deposit bridge is the coldest part of the stream and when the sun is off the water it's generally too cold for bugs to hatch.
Harry L. - You can get a copy of Paul Weamer's book about fly hatches and flies of New York, (the little orange book), at the Troutfitter's. It tells you when and where hatches occur. If there are flies on the water pick them up and compare them to the photos in Weamer's book.
Steve - All quiet on the rattlesnake front. With the cold nights they will be heading back to the southern hills.
Ed J.- The DEC has conducted an extensive shocking program on the WB for the last several years, targeting numerous places about 4 times a year. This is the info I previously suggested you might help us out by obtaining using the freedom of information law.
Jack - I fish with flora carbon all the time, use both straight and down eyed hooks and I often see my leader sticking up in the air right by the fly or floating on the surface film no matter what I do.
John - Some big flies, especially spinners, (no pun intended), will spin while you are false casting, I find it easier to change flies than tippets.
Either John or Jack asked, (two times), why everyone crowds into the red barn pool. Some like the comradery, for some it's easy access. Almost every year the pool has more fish in it than any other pool on the river. Why? During the course of the year the water being released from the reservoir usually has a period where the oxygen is depleted, and the may fly and caddis nymphs are killed. Above Cold Springs Brook it is rare to find anything but midges and alewives. The oxygenated water from Cold Springs Brook supports fly life, and rising trout can be found along the far bank of the river down to the Red Barn where the riff completes the oxygenation process. The pool is a bug factory and the fish know it.
As the season winds down both the number of fishermen and the number of people commenting on the reports decline. I was surprised to find a dozen comments on Friday's page. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and is free to express them here. Ed, as an experienced fly-fisherman you certainly know the importance of a good presentation, yours need work. To those responding to Ed's comments, please try to make your points with factual information rather than by personally attacking someone making a comment.
I agree with the basic premise of Ed’s comments from the 29th August. The upper Delaware system is over fished and over exploited. The attitude of both boat and wading anglers have changed considerably as well. This last couple of years, I caught more fish with previous hook mark on them than ever before. Every time is see that, it makes me sad because it tempers the idea of catching a wild fish, somewhat.
Popularity can negatively affect a fishery. The history, fly fishing culture, and a sense of stewardship that has been present in the upper Delaware system is being tarnished a bit, at least for me. We have lost so many of these places that are attached to the fly fishing nostalgia, a connection to a time that predates the modern life. Let’s preserve what we have. Let’s not let it erode away – for the fish, for the other fishermen, and for the River.
To Ed Jones..I like your suggestion of monitoring the river system with more DEC officers. NY S has seen to it to spread them out pretty thinly. In all my years of buying a license (57 years now) I have never seen a DEC officer. I’ve called a few times to report an environmental issue or a questionable fishing practice and have always received a call back to inform me of the action taken to rectify the problem. I think everyone should fish barbless..it would have a significant impact on the mortality of the fish population…Coasters for me too although I vividly remember Ray Stevens version the most..
Dick, thanks for the nice comment. You always have a way with words. You must have been a lawyer in the day. lol.
No change in regs has come out of the DEC shocking studies. Business as usual. More pressure than ever. And definitely more than 10% of fish there showing visible signs of being caught on WB.
The almighty dollar $$ is what rules. Bring in more people year after year. Hunan change is the rule.
I would love to see floater regulations and barbless (crimped down barb) hooks with STRICT enforcements. I have never seen a DEC officer on patrol and only see a NPS officer once or twice a year.
Angler119’-Thanks for your feedback on the various questions. Always helps make us better fisherman. And I agree that comments should not be personal attacks. We talking fishing here. Not politics, religion or life and death issues. Ron K – I like the Coasters version also. Ed
I’ll go with “The Coasters” on this one, even though Ray Stevens sang it a few times.