Posted on July 10 2025
Called Vicki's Unisex Hair Salon this morning and asked for an appointment between 11:00 and 12:30 anytime this week. Vicki said she was going to be closed Thursday and Friday and all she had today was 3:30. I took it. Half an hour later the phone rang, it was David at the Troutfitter who said Vicki called and that she had a cancellation at 10:30 if I wanted it. It was ten of 10:00 when I got the call. Took a quick shower and a twenty five minute drive later I was getting clipped. Drove back to the fishing camp, made the dump run with the humidifier, tied some Jim N. flies that ended up looking more like mine than his, ate a sandwich and headed back to Deposit for what is now the afternoon sulfur hatch.
The bugs - Dorotheas normally crank up just about now, and they are hatching. They usually appear around one and go for a couple hours. Start time is dependent on water temp so things start a little sooner on sunny days. So far the hatches haven't been great, or even good for that matter. A handful of experienced Delaware River fishermen at the Troutfitter late this afternoon agreed that the hatches are only "fair", but should be good enough to get fish up and feeding. None of us saw an adult fish rise for a sulfur dun today.
The fishermen - Clearly the number of boats have diminished since the big bug bonanza, but most of them are floating between Stilesville and Barking Dog so it still seems crowded. The wade fishermen who were benched for May and June due to the high water, are out in force. From Stilesville to Barking Dog there is an unbroken line of anglers. Are they catching fish? Clearly not as many as they would like. The biggest problem, however, is that they are not seeing fish to throw at. Hopefully the hatches will continue to increase in size and the fish will start feeding on top where they can be seen.
The fishing - Todays afternoon fishing was much like it has been for the last week or so. Few if any fish to target. I hooked three fish blind casting and was refused by a fourth in a little over two hours of fishing. A big brown ate an emerger ran about twenty feet and then just thrashed until he came unstuck. Landed a nice rainbow and a two year old brown. Stopped at the Troutfitter and everyone there had a similar experience.
Returned to the Lordville Estate and took a nap. Woke with a start at 8:06. Was in the water at 8:25 and by the look of the fishermen in the boat anchored where I wanted to fish, I hadn't missed anything. The good thing about arriving late is that you don't have to wait as long for the action to begin. The bugs were scarce so there was not much incentive for the fish to rise. Walked downstream behind the boat and found a few rising fish to throw at. They ate. Hooked and landed five fish, the last of which was a rainbow that I carefully measured at 19.5 inches. Had my phone ready for a picture of a twenty incher, (dropped it in the water), released the fish and was back at the car with my gear off at 9:25.
I was very sad to view the scene from the 191 bridge
yesterday. Anglers every 100 ft.to the rt. 17 bridge,
Drove to Barking Dog. Same scene. The fishing pressure
on the West Branch of the Delaware is not sustainable
To me, this fishing. gives no personal pleasure.
I believe some limits need to be to established
by the DEC to protect this precious resource.
Richard Wells
Fished near Deposit. Hatch started around 230PM. Not anywhere near the hatches of last year. Did have targets and landed three fish, 8 inch and 14 inch browns and a beautiful full bodied 16 inch rainbow. Definitely had to work for them in the 3 ½ hours of fishing. Plenty of refusals and non hook ups.
After nap and dinner, hit the water and as it was getting dark and misty at 830PM, left. Not a rise in sight and not even a smatter of bugs on the water.
Interestingly, spoke with a young boy spin fishing who caught a walleye. He said that he saw three stripers following the fish as he reeled it in. Since he mentioned striper fishing on a charter last week with his dad in NJ, I am sure he could recognize a striper. Five minutes later as I was leaving encountered a fellow who was excited as he just caught his first striper of a round 4-5 pounds.
Angler119’-Boy, sounds like conditions are really difficult. Congratulations on a 19.5” brown. Great fish. And getting a successful visit to Vicki’s. Ed
Nice report. Thanks for sharing. There are just too many anglers in the “Sulphur zone.” I started around 2:00 and fished till 7:00. I saw fish rising the entire time i was fishing. The fish are feeling the heavy angling pressure. I am surprised that they are eating our flies at all.
Yesterday the Barking dog pool looked like Salmon River during the Chinook run. People were lined up about a rod length away.
Yet, with an accurate cast, drag free drifts, and close enough fly pattern fish took pity on me. Caught 2 fish around 14/15 inch long. One fat rainbow that felt like a 20 in fish when I first hooked it. Another was a nicely colored brown. Both ate my poorly tied Sulphur dun patterns. To me, accuracy was the key today. Once I figured out the rise pattern of a target and cast with good accuracy, I was in the game.