Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report
A celebratory PM was duly consumed.
Posted on June 02 2023
I could do a few rants today, they would be justified, but it upsets Jean and they serve no purpose. Just don't tell me NYCEP didn't say if the project is a go, we will max the releases from all three Delaware River Reservoirs on June first ( I asked...
Will the aqueduct project be a go, or a no?
Posted on June 01 2023
Last week when I made my somewhat shaky return from a bout with "Montezuma's Revenge", it was at two easy access pools on the Beaverkill. Not to be a sentimental sop but the first thing I noticed was that the toads were singing their hearts out. No, not for me...
Fox and toad updates coming next.
Posted on May 31 2023
It was as an idyllic a morning as you could ever find on the Delaware River System. Early morning sun and not a hint of at breeze. Water temp 64 degrees. Not a boat or fisherman in sight. An adult bald eagle flew up and down the river before landing...
The Bench Beckons.
Posted on May 30 2023
Let there be no doubt about it, day after day of hot, dry and sunny weather, coupled with reduced releases and increased fishing pressure have made catching a fish cause for celebration. Even the DRC's glut of "fish of the day" pictures came to a screeching halt yesterday. The bright...
Learn to love your bad casts.
Posted on May 29 2023
If you read yesterdays report and were on the river today there is no way you would believe a word I said. I didn't get out this morning when the rivers were the coolest. Was two hours later than yesterday getting to the river, there were still Hendricksons and apple...
There just aren't enough pockets in a fishing vest to be ready for a day like today.
Posted on May 28 2023
My plans for an early start this morning went out the window when dawn didn't crack for me until 8:30. Was on the road by 9:45 and had light traffic all the way down, arriving at 11:50. Decided to mow the lawn before lunch and was done and ready for...
The bugs are hatching, its time to start catching.
Posted on May 26 2023
It was not the day I expected at all. Finished turning over and breaking up the soil in the garden, pruned some limbs off the flowering quince, talked myself into waiting until Saturday to mow the lawn (will be at granddaughters graduation tomorrow), had lunch and was ready to go...
Its Got To Be The Going Not The Getting There That's Good.
Posted on May 25 2023
There's no question I tried to do too much yesterday. The proof? Was up about six this morning did a few little chores and at 8:20 I went into the bedroom to wait for Jeans 8:30 call. Hung up from the call and maybe just closed my eyes for a...
Easy does it.
Posted on May 24 2023
Drove down to the camp this morning - uneventfully. When I left on the 13th the grass needed mowing, the apricots on one of the trees were about the size and shape of a prune pit, there were lots of baby peaches, the apple blossoms were falling and the whole...
Angler 119 Update
Posted on May 21 2023
David from the Troutfitter called the other day and said he was sick of answering questions about A-119's health. He suggested I do a medical update but to leave out the details. A-119's medical report - I have basically been in a bed next to the john for the last...
Unhooking the Hooker
Posted on May 16 2023
While it certainly isn't time for another Wind Knots & Tailing Loops page, I'm still back home in Lafayette suffering from an intestinal malady which has required me to be not more than 15 feet from the loo. Thought I would try describing the hook removal procedure which I rely...
Wind knots & Tailing loops.
Posted on May 14 2023
Back home attempting to cross items off a to do list that has filled the page due to my extended stay at the Lordville Estate. At the moment I'm taking a break in the recliner with my feet up and the PC in my lap. Seems like a good time...
You land rainbows when they are done, not before.
Posted on May 13 2023
After eight days at the fishing camp, I'm ready to head home. I'll need a fork lift to get the laundry bag into the car, I'm a wee bit tired and I miss Jean. The week has been a bit disappointing because of the high water which limited wade fishing...
A visit with an old friend comes to an end.
Posted on May 12 2023
With the late evening Wednesday we were slow getting out of the gate this morning. Decided to take a look at the EB and the BK both of which are now wade able but solidly in the doldrums. Saw no bugs or risers on the EB but there were enough...
Warm water and bright sun made for a July fishing day.
Posted on May 11 2023
With the water levels still limiting wading opportunities, we rented a drift boat (Mark has a drift boat he uses when the TVA is generating power on his home river the South Holston). We did the Barking Dog to Balls Eddy float but rowed straight down to Hale Eddy skipping...
There's a reason no one will fish with me.
Posted on May 10 2023
It had been over ten years since I last floated down the Delaware in a drift boat. Mark Stauffer who has endured my presence in a bonefish skiff for many years was passing through on his way to visit his parents wanted to give the Delaware a try. With the ...
Amazing how quickly trout remember to look carefully before they eat.
Posted on May 09 2023
With a float of the WB on tap for tomorrow, I spent the better part of the today driving around looking at water where it was about to happen or where it had already happened. The wind, as usual, saved its best efforts for the peak of the Hendrickson hatch,...
The pendulum swings to the WB!
Posted on May 08 2023
Spent the morning mowing the grass, attacking the knot weed that threatens to block my view of the river and tying flies, just in case I get to fish again. The rivers are dropping, slowly, and as of now, the Willow is at a nice level to fish. The BK...
Patience is a scarce commodity.
Posted on May 07 2023
Arrived at the Lordville Estate about 1:00, unpacked, made up a batch of hummingbird food, filled the feeder, ate lunch and headed out to got reacquainted with the river system after a week of no fishing. The WB, UEB, EB and BR are fishable only by boat. The Willow can...
More than you need to know about A-119.
Posted on May 06 2023
Chris asked multiple part question that, after being unable to fish for the last seven days, at least gives me something to write about. On the personal side, I was born and have spent my entire life in upstate (Syracuse area) New York. Went to Syracuse University undergrad and law...
And now you know the rest of the story.
Posted on May 04 2023
Brian who must be as frustrated as I am with the high water conditions, asked the best question. What will be the effect of the proposed increased flows during the aqueduct repair? Didn't look it up but my recollection of the 2015 "leak panic" was that they did a test...
Killin' Time Is Killin" Me.
Posted on May 03 2023
It's 7:30 Tuesday night, and I'm sitting at the kitchen table at the Lordville Estate, Perfect Manhattan in hand, prepared to do a "Wind Knots & Tailing Loops" page except that no one has asked any real questions. Dennis, who asks more than twice as many questions as anybody else,...
How high's the water momma?
Posted on May 01 2023
WB -8,000 cfs
EB - 10,000 cfs
BR - 20,000cfs
BK - 5,000cfs
Both reservoirs spilling.
Go out and shoot a turkey.
FUDR's One Bugger's will have lots of company on the water this weekend.
Posted on April 29 2023
Today was the last day of fishing for me this month. Looked back through my diary and was surprised to see that I haven't caught a single trout in either the UEB or WB yet this year. The high releases on the WB and initially on the UEB got me...
Listen to the rivers and they'll tell you where to go.
Posted on April 28 2023
With both reservoirs being allowed to spill, the decision on where to fish became more complicated. 650 cfs at Harvard is certainly wade able but is not ideal and probably will result in some people putting in drift boats and floating. The water temp at Harvard (50 degrees) indicates that...
It's A Great Day To Be Alive!
Posted on April 27 2023
If the DRC said it was a nice day to be on the river today - they lied. Woke this morning to a sparkling white lawn covered with a heavy frost (temp 28). Thankfully the sun came out and tried its best to warm things up. Air temp got to...
Some days you have to work for 'em, and that's not all bad.
Posted on April 26 2023
Today was one of those marginal days, temperature wise. It got cold last night and the water temps were way below Hendrickson hatch level this morning.. It was partly cloudy and the wind was from the north. Would the water temp get to 50 degrees? That was the question almost...
As promised.
Posted on April 25 2023
So where did I fish? First some background. The action last week was on the freestones (BK,BR,EB). Why? Much warmer water and the bugs hatched there most of the week. Yesterday, the BK was at 1200 cfs, too high to wade safely. At 3,600 cfs I know of only a...
Changes keep on changing.
Posted on April 25 2023
They keep changing the rules. After record breaking heat on Thursday and Friday in which every Hendrickson, pseudo, Apple caddis and Grannom hatched (at least where I was), and you could wade anywhere you wanted, and the fish fed like hogs at the trough, it all changed. Lets just say...
Experience the joy of being the one to meet the bugs and fish, when no one else is there.
Posted on April 23 2023
People, I do my best to provide you with enough information to make good decisions on when and where to fish. It became evident last year that it is better if my comments on where to fish are more general and less specific. Water temps, water levels, air temps, wind,...
Keeping it in perspective - helps.
Posted on April 22 2023
Left the fishing camp this morning at about 11:30. Caddis hatch in the morning on bright sunny days and I wanted to be there. I was. From noon until I left at almost 6:00, there were caddis hatching in profusion (both grannom and apple). The water was full of empty...
The Delaware River - A Better Place To Be
Posted on April 21 2023
If there was ever a day to be on the river, this was it. The cold front departed, the sun came out, the wind took the day off, the water warmed up, the bugs hatched and the fish ate, all day long! Knew the cold had suppressed the bugs and...
Keep you eye on the prize.
Posted on April 20 2023
For a fly-fisherman there wasn't much to look forward to today. On the weekend the weatherman predicted two cold days (Monday and Tuesday) with a nice warmup today and another 80 plus degree day scheduled for Friday. As of last night, today's prediction had gone steadily down hill. The predicted...
All my life's a circle.
Posted on April 19 2023
Awoke this morning full of enthusiasm born of yesterdays success. Spent time repairing three flies that were a little worse for the wear, sharpened one dull hook point, and tied half a dozen new Hendricksons. While I was at the bench the sun poked through the clouds and I was...
Tomorrow morning I'm tying more Hendricksons!
Posted on April 18 2023
When I left for home Saturday morning everything was ready to burst into bloom. The forsythia across the road, my red buds, the apricot trees (actually some of their blooms had already opened), the plum trees, and the peach trees. Drove back down this morning in a chilly drizzle with...
Sometimes not everyone is doing their part.
Posted on April 15 2023
The NYC DEP out did themselves last night. They reduced the out-flows from both Cannonsville and Pepactin and in the process totally disregarded the mandated step down procedure for releases. In both cases they they just cranked the valve down to the new desired flow and let the flow drop...
Things are looking up, a few of them are fish.
Posted on April 14 2023
Drove home early yesterday morning for my appointment to get new tires and brakes. The bill came to just $50.00 dollars more than the cost of my first car (a VW Bug). Spent a pleasant evening with Jean, packed up the car in the morning and headed back down to...
Get you a boat and be ready to float!
Posted on April 12 2023
Attended the meeting last night about the repair work scheduled to be done this year on the aqueduct that runs water from the Delaware River System reservoirs(Cannonsville, Pepacton and Neversink) down to NYC. There are two leaks, the biggest of which is under the Hudson River. A new two plus...
Sometimes free advice is worth more than you had to pay for it.
Posted on April 11 2023
Tyng stone flies isn't as easy as it looks. Yes, I can tie them with the wings lying along the shank of the hook, but what the trout want is wings at right angles to the water, flapping like crazy as the fly heads for shore. I'll work on it...
Floating stones.
Posted on April 10 2023
Never add up my catch totals at the end of the year in case I happen to come down and fish another day or two. Last year the 20/20 fish was the last one I caught. Today I spent a little time adding up both October's catch and the 2022...
it's early days.
Posted on April 05 2023
Down in the Florida Keys the signs of spring are subtitle and go unnoticed by most. The sun gets higher in the sky, the days get longer, and you need a higher SPF number sun screen. Yes, all that's true, but it's not what I'm talking about. The first male...
April fools!!!
Posted on March 31 2023
At 2:30 Monday morning Jean and I backed out of the driveway down in the Florida Keys and headed home. Why such an early start? It's the only way to avoid the stop and go traffic in the Keys and the six lane wide (in each direction) commuter nightmare around...
There's no tick-tock on your electric clock, but still your life runs down
Posted on March 17 2023
Will be starting my eighth decade on the planet before the "traditional" April 1st trout season opening day. Looked at pictures from my high school classes' last reunion along with the obit notices posted on the class web page and came away feeling lucky. As I've no doubt mentioned before,...
The closure.
Posted on November 04 2022
Picked one of the most beautiful November days imaginable to drive down to Lordville and shut down the estate. Bright sun, early morning fog, with flocks of geese on their way out to cut cornfields to feed. Temps varied from 45 to 35 depending on the fog density. The trees...
A note to the faithful diehards.
Posted on October 28 2022
Home in Lafayette watching a logging company take down some enormous dead and dying ash trees along with some other trees that pose a hazard to the house, driveway and power line. Will not be back down to the "Lordville Estate" until at least Tuesday but thought it worth mentioning...
The 20/20 club.
Posted on October 25 2022
Continued work on the camp shutdown, am at the stage where everything can be finished with one overnight stay. Am not anxious to shut things down as the fishing has been good and the bucks have not made an appearance in Lafayette since mid September. Am heading home either tomorrow...
The hourly rate was great!
Posted on October 24 2022
Learned a long time ago that you earn every fish you catch in the Delaware. Don't know if I earned todays two hours of fishing during my two days in purgatory last week or if I'm going to be paying for them later this week but it was grand. Drove...
Dermatologist's liquid nitrogen on Monday was nothing compared to today's cold wind!
Posted on October 20 2022
Today was just not a pleasant day to be on the water. It was overcast, cold and windy, a deadly combo for the hapless fly fishermen. Got in the water about noon and saw but two other anglers all day. The car thermometer never got above 47 and it spent...
It's time to tip your cap to the trout.
Posted on October 19 2022
Much to my surprise the air conditioning instillation crew that came to correct a D- instillation job done last August was finished by noon. A look at the job left me just shaking my head, the finished job is a C- at best. I paid the crew the balance I...
Wind knots and tailing loops.
Posted on October 17 2022
Home with commitments that will keep me here until at least Friday and by then maybe the deer will be moving and I'll be up in a tree instead of being frustrated by fish scorning my pseudo offerings. Dennis wanted to know when the fall caddis peak. Easy answer, they...