Posted on June 10 2025
Drove down to the fishing camp this morning in another misty drizzle. The blades on the windmills between Windsor and Deposit disappeared at the top of each rotation in the low hanging clouds. Stopped at Jim Serio's real estate office, (he is my source for all information pertaining to the FFMP regulations). I was quite sure that NYC was obligated to maximize the release from Cannonsville after June 1st. Glad I stopped as Jim quickly set me straight. The 1,500 cfs drawdowns are required but not until June 15th. Increasing the release does two, (maybe three), things. First it cools the water temp at Stilesville which is currently the warmest water in the entire system. Second it draws down the spilling reservoir a little bit faster than if the release was left at 600 cfs. Third it probably delays waders reentry into the WB by a day or two.
Left the Lordville Estate about three thirty hoping to find some olives and/or isos. Fished two runs on the BK. There were no olives but by about 5:00 the first isos appeared. The hatch was a good one but the only fish that would look at an iso dun were in difficult places to wade. Soaked fly boxes and elbows but landed five fish before it shut down about 7:00:. Once a fish has been hooked on an iso they ignore the duns and concentrate on the fast swimming nymphs. The big splashes you see during an iso hatch are fish eating nymphs. If you figure out how to catch them let me know.
It was 7:45 when I walked out to the pavilion at jaws and looked for risers. Saw but one rise, walked back to the car and headed started back to the fishing camp. It was 8:05 when I pulled up to a pool on the EB for a last look. Saw two fish rise while tying on a new tippet and decided to fish. Saw a couple of olive spinners on the water and tied one on. The first fish I threw at refused me but before I got into the car at 9:08 nine fish ate my olive spinner. There were next to no bugs on the water and the fish were hungry. I'm sure I didn't make more than a couple dozen casts. When I get into a frenzy I just might try to rush the fish a bit, lost the first three, then landed five of the next six.
With rain every day the rivers are slow to come down. There are still fish throughout the system, if you are going to fish pick a spot you can wade safely and be patient, look for isos early evening with spinners and perhaps a few other mayflies hatching in the hour before dark.
Mills grind grains, turbines grind birds.
Sorry I couldn’t resist.
Who else is tired of the rain?
Oh, I hate to be that guy, but they are wind turbines, not mills. Mills grind grains, turbines create electricity.
Apologies, I was in the industry….