Posted on May 28 2026
Launched Mark's boat early enough to lead the parade down river from Buckingham where there were wade fishermen casting at rising trout. We saw almost no flies hatching or spinners on the water but there were fish rising. Hooked a nice rainbow and several fall fish in the slow water pools. There were trout willing to eat a fly along Frisbee Island until about 12:45 when the bright sun shut things down. Rowed down to Lordville and took out there a little after 3:00. Spent the afternoon doing yardwork, tying flies, and maybe closed my eyes for a minute or two while doing a crossword.
About 6:30 we set out, this time in the car, to again look for a good fly hatch and rising fish. In that endeavor we failed miserably. Checked the BR, finding the Buckingham lot filled with trailers, but neither fish rising nor bugs hatching out from the launch. Stockport roadside parking was also filled with both trailers and cars. At Shehawken there was not a bug to be seen on the water. Didn't see bugs or fish on our journey up the BE and the BK. There were very few fishermen on the water we drove by.
Decided to try Buckinngham where Mark had rising fish last night. There was still a good breeze blowing which kept the caddis in the bushes and the fish from rising. Reeled it in and tried a spot on the lower WB for about half an hour before dark. Found enough Grey Foxes hatching to get a few fish up, a couple of which ate flies with hooks in them.
Have fished but one good hatch so far this week when most all the big bugs should be hatching. Today's catch was one shy of yesterday's total, but had no fish over seventeen inches. The boat trailers seemed to indicate that the place to be was between junction pool and Buckingham, that said, five drift boats went under the Lordville Bridge about 3:30.
Cannonsville at 98.7%, no drought in sight, yet the Water Master continues to bottom out the flows (currently 600 and dropping). Every year it’s the same story, the reservoirs drop to below 50% in late summer(as designed), only to fill to the brim every Spring and spill. No voids are created to protect persons and property downstream, every drop is hoarded in order to flush toilets in NYC. The system was created to supply NYC with water, I get it. Why can’t there be a minimum flow outside of specified drought conditions? Why can’t small voids be established to buffer against storms above 2"? Once again, it government beauracracy at its worst, and the solution would be so simple.
Rant over.
Both the BK and BE were slow last night. The wind died down about 8:15pm and the big black caddis started, hundreds of them. A few trout rose but not many, and they refused my black caddis but ate a rusty spinner.
Last few days have been slow for me, but did see a few green drakes last night, so it’s probably only a matter of time
Dennis-Fantastic. What a great day. Congratulations. Ed
I fished the upperWB yesterday from 1-5 and it was very slow. Almost no risers and no bugs. Got something to eat and was back on the water at 5:30. Landed the first fish at 6 It was 13 in. BT. At 6 the switch was flipped. There were fish all over. I ended up landing 9 fish in the net and a few refusals. The fish of the day was a 20 in. BT and 2 17in. Fish. It wasn’t a A119 day but my best so far!!!!!!
Angler119’ Wish I had some good news to report.To paraphrase your blog title. It was a day of “ fews”Fished the Willow/BK UEB and finished on the Neversink. A few March browns around ( not many even for a sporadic hatch) a few caddis and a few “one time” risers” Windy and sunny conditions didn’t bode well for good fishing. A few fish cast to, no fish hooked. So far this year I haven’t landed a fish on the Willow /Bk.and really haven’t found many rising fish to cast to. Yuck . To better days . Ed