Posted on June 20 2024
It's 6:30 and once again I'm back at the Lordville Estate writing the days blog while eating dinner. It was hot again today but when you spend three or four hours waist deep in cold release water, you don't mind the heat one bit.
Arrived in Deposit at about one thirty and drove up to the red barn, it was a sight to behold. As most anglers know, the spring sulfurs, (Invaria), move upstream starting, (for our purposes). at Callicoon sometime in mid May and ending up at Cold Springs Brook where they depart the river. Anglers in large numbers gather along the river from Butler Brook to Cold Springs Brook to bid them adieu, (and perhaps catch a few of the fish that are feeding on them). If you want to take part in the festivities best hurry as it will be over sometime in the next week.
What did I do? Drove downstream a couple of miles and fished in relative solitude,(until the Armada came by). There were still a few of the Invaria hatching with fish eating them and looking for more. A good many of the fish gave my fly a try. As I mentioned in the Gone, Gone, Gone page, (I think), you can still catch as many fish with a dry fly after "big bug season", but the size of the fish will mostly be smaller. Usually I'll get a big fish or two to come to the fly each day. Today one gave me an open mouthed refusal, one ate but the hook came unstuck and finally an 18 inch brown ended up in the net, none of the other fish were over 15 inches.
Until the heat wave ends the daytime fishing is above barking dog take out on the WB. If you want to fish evenings, (say from 8:00 until dark), you can fish anywhere in the WB and with the increase in the UEB flow, anywhere down to Jaws.
If I decide to head back out after dinner, I'll add an addendum.
Well you should have known, no Perfect Manhattan at dinnertime was the tell. Had a pleasant drive both to and from a place on the lower WB, encountered a young red fox as I went around the corner at the Methodist pool. Fortunately we were both going in the same direction and he scooted away no worse for the encounter. Arrived streamside about 8:00, no wade fishermen or boats, (it's been dead down there for the last few days. There were almost no bugs hatching but within fifteen minutes there were fish sipping the smut that was on the water. They paid no attention to my offerings. When it got towards nine there was a Dorthea, (summer sulfur), spinner fall and several fish started feeding on them. Hooked a good brown that took all but a couple turns of fly line off the reel before being landed. Switched to a sulfur in the gathering gloom and as I was working my way back to the car, hooked two rainbows. One a nice fish, the other a 19.5 incher that ended the night on a high note.
Drove home with a near full moon overhead and yearling deer seemingly everywhere..
Greg, great day. Wonderful. Dave-I reread my post- I’m not trying to be snarky or create any controversy. What someone takes away from a day on the stream is very up to them . Enjoy. Ed
Interesting day yesterday (Wed.) Hit Deposit area 1130AM. Not crowded but about 6 people in surrounding area I normally fish. Tried wets to no avail and by noon all fisherman left leaving me alone to see the beginning of the Sulfur hatch 1230PM. It was a light hatch in dribs and drabs until about 6 PM when it died off. But the great part was the fish were up and actively eating. Best fly was klinkhammer style sulphur emerger . Landed 19 inch brown in faster water at head of run (unbelievable butter yellow belly!). Also successful was a sulphur comparadun. Interestingly I caught a dozen fish or so in just about all ranges of sizes up to 16 inches besides the 19 incher. Must have had hits or misses at least 30 times from 1 -7 PM. Saw Isos occasionally floating down river and being eaten but by 7 PM the Isos were in full swing. Only connected with one nice brown of 16 inches on Iso.
Thoughts: was using 4X tippet but along with leader total length 15 feet. –Was a bit distressed in removing some deeply embedded hooks. Does anyone use barbless hooks and does it make any difference in hooking and landing fish? And yes it was hot but had soda can dangling in cold water and tied to my belt to refresh me in afternoon.
Regarding Dave’s post from yesterday. I believe that Size and numbers are not what fishing is all about. I and others will post them as information to help others. If I catch a bunch of stockers, maybe it’s not worth the trip. I not all that altruistic, however, if I manage to catch some nice fish I do feel good posting about it I guess I’m an egomaniac. Have fun. Ed
Angler119 and Dennis Congrats on a good day on the river. Fished UWB yesterday , looked at Barking Dog nothing happening (too early?) Got to the Barn at 1:30. Mix of sulphur, invaria and some bigger olives..Not a lot of bugs, but enough to bring some fish up. Landed 2 14” browns and a 15” rainbow..Left at 5. Great fun. Ed
I arrived late at 3pm and stayed on the water until 530 below the red barn. I landed one brown around 16 inches long, fishing Duns 8-10 refusals. Overall, not a bad day.
I was amazed at the number of fishermen that were on the river yesterday. I found a spot on the UWB and did ok.
Six fish in the net and 12 refusals. The largest being16 in. I had a very slow start and as the day went on things got better. The evening fishing was uneventful. I left at 8:20