The East Branch in August

It's August and the flow on the East Branch has been lowered from five
hundred cfs to one hundred thirty nine cfs.  What does this mean?

The big East Branch below the Beaverkill junction is no longer
receiving an infusion of cold water and is too warm to fish.  The
trout have either left the river or are hunkered down in thermal
refuges and should not be disturbed.  Cool fall rains (or releases)
will drop the water temps, fish will repopulate the stream and it will
again be fishable.

The upper East Branch above the Beaverkill junction remains cool and
fishable. The low clear water, however, requires both skill and
patience.  It also requires each angler to be considerate of fellow
anglers.  There are about fifteen miles of water in the upper East
Branch.  More than enough room for everyone.  If you want to fish with
other anglers the Power Line Pool and Long Flat are the places to go.
Both have public access and are long deep pools where anglers can
stand and wait for fish to rise in front of them.

If you seek solitude and a chance to fool wild trout in beautiful
surroundings under the most challenging conditions, drive along the
river and select a spot which is not being fished. Intruding on water
being fished by another angler at summer water levels insures only
that both of you will fail.  Walking through the shallow riffs sends
trout racing for the depths of the nearest pool. A wake caused by
wading in a pool will put fish down.

 Leave the house with an open mind about where you will fish, find a
spot no one else has chosen and match wits and skills with beautiful
wild trout.  You may not catch any but you won't be sorry you tried.

Two shots of a 20 incher that ate the wrong olive