Despite knowing that there were Hendricksons hatching in good numbers on local streams and that no part of the Delaware River system was even remotely wadeable, I filled my SUV with gas and took a long drive.
In almost six hours of driving I saw eight drift boats (all on the West Branch) and one fisherman in neoprene waders standing on the bank of the Beaverkill.
Were there bugs? My windshield says...
Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report
Did anyone else get into a Hendrickson hatch?
Posted on April 21 2019
Yesterday before writing my report I looked at stream levels, weather reports and the weather radar. The streams were up but not as bad as expected. The storm had split in two. There was heavy rain out west over Lake Erie and rain pounding the coast. New York was escaping the storms wrath. All the forecasts said so. I almost put a cautionary note in the report but the system was unfishable anyway...
Rain drops keep fallin on my - - - - -
Posted on April 20 2019
With the worst of last night's rain missing the Delaware system, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. That said, there is absolutely no wade fishing available in the entire system. Today the rivers are off color and high. Anyone fishing will be in a boat and chucking streamers.
The outlook?
We are right back to where we were late last year with the releases maxed out and both reservoirs...
The outlook?
We are right back to where we were late last year with the releases maxed out and both reservoirs...
So maybe I need to buy a boat.
Posted on April 15 2019
At 4:00 yesterday afternoon I was standing in the tailout of a pool in 1900 cfs of water in the lower West Branch - surrounded by Paraleps. It was a good enough hatch that I expected to see risers - there were none. By 4:30 the hatch was on the wane and it had started to rain.
This morning the river system was blown out. The Big East was over 20,000 cfs with most of the water coming from the...
This morning the river system was blown out. The Big East was over 20,000 cfs with most of the water coming from the...
The first trip down.
Posted on April 12 2019
Never known for my technical wizardry, my first post of the year never found it's way to the Troutfitter web page (it can be viewed by Googling "Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing reports"). David at the Troutfitter has assured me that the way has been cleared for this and future efforts to appear in their usual place on their website.
After an enjoyable week of bonefishing with long time...
That's all she wrote!
Posted on October 15 2018
With the wind howling and the rain coming down too hard too make sitting in a tree the least bit appealing, I found time today to sit down and compare 2018 with the previous 27 years for which I have kept records of my of fishing on the Delaware River system. The results aren't pretty.
The season started off with high water and cold temps which delayed the may fly hatches and made wading...
The season started off with high water and cold temps which delayed the may fly hatches and made wading...
Tired of being teased.
Posted on October 11 2018
Stopped by the Troutfitter yesterday and talked with one of the regulars who gets down to the Delaware more often than most. Lately he has found fish in the UEB rising to olives and cahills. Said it was hard to get around in the high water and that he was the only wade fisherman on the river. Saw four boats go by the last time he was there.
With both reservoirs running at maximum release it...
With both reservoirs running at maximum release it...
Take heart - meadow mushrooms are starting to poke up out of grassy lawns.
Posted on October 08 2018
It's now been a month since I posted the picture of the twenty inch brown that ate a cahill on the Big River. Haven't caught another fish in the big river since. In fact I haven't been able to get into the big river or almost any other part of the Delaware system for the last month. Right now you can wade some of the Bk and a few spots in the BEB.
My plans for tomorrow are to drive down to camp...
My plans for tomorrow are to drive down to camp...
Thinking of a trip to the San Juan???
Posted on October 07 2018
Arrived back home in Syracuse at 9:45 last night from seven days of fishing on the San Juan river in Northern New Mexico. Made the trip with another Troutfitter regular who had been to the San Juan several times. His prior experience on the river was a huge help in the adjustment to what proved to be an entirely new and unique fishing experience. Being with a congenial companion also made the...
Do you know the way to San - - -
Posted on September 27 2018
With the Delaware system having been hit hard again by the frontal system that passed through the area yesterday wade fishing is out of the question. If you want to throw streamers out of a boat into high turbid water be my guest. More rain is forecast for today.
If you are in need of a fishing fix you might give thought to driving north to the Salmon River or one of Lake Ontario's other numerous...
If you are in need of a fishing fix you might give thought to driving north to the Salmon River or one of Lake Ontario's other numerous...
It's time to face facts.
Posted on September 25 2018
My decision to take a trip out to the San Juan is looking better every minute.
NYC has raised the release on the WB from 700 CFS to at least 1200 CFS (further step ups may well be coming). Mother nature has also gotten into the act by dropping enough rain on the river system as of noon on Tuesday to make the entire system again unwadeable. It will soon be too muddy to even be worth floating.
With...
NYC has raised the release on the WB from 700 CFS to at least 1200 CFS (further step ups may well be coming). Mother nature has also gotten into the act by dropping enough rain on the river system as of noon on Tuesday to make the entire system again unwadeable. It will soon be too muddy to even be worth floating.
With...
Enough is enough is enough.
Posted on September 23 2018
With the promise of a pleasant drive along the river and a dinner out, my wife joined me on a Sunday trip to the camp. She made short work of the lawn mowing while I finished up a stump removal project that I started back when it was 90 in the shade. The back porch, where I had vacuumed up over 100 Pumpkin (aka October) caddis a little over a week ago was again littered with them. I've never seen...
2018 - the drift boat year.
Posted on September 22 2018
Nobody enjoys fly fishing anymore than I do and not many people fish as much as I do - most years. This one is different - way different. There was too much water to wade comfortably until May 15th. We then had good water levels and good fishing for a six week period that ended the the first week of July when the arrival of the first of four heat waves shut things down. The last week of July the...
As of Thursday morning at 9:00 am.
Posted on September 20 2018
The rivers are coming down SLOWLY. The Beaverkill, Upper East Branch (above Jaws), the East Branch and the Big River are all still too high to wade. NYC has yet to begin cutting back the release from Pepacton.
The West Branch looks to be the first stream that will be available for wade fishermen. NYC has stepped down the release by about 200 CFS each of the last two days. At it's present level...
The West Branch looks to be the first stream that will be available for wade fishermen. NYC has stepped down the release by about 200 CFS each of the last two days. At it's present level...
Has anyone ever caught a fish on a Hebe?
Posted on September 18 2018
You don't need me to tell you, all you have to do is look at the river flows. It's Tuesday morning at 11:00 am and they are still going straight up. High, warm and muddy water abounds throughout the system. With the ground saturated and the tribs gushing mud it will be a good many days before things clear and become fishable.
IF (and it's a big IF) - (See what I did there?) NYC cuts back the...
IF (and it's a big IF) - (See what I did there?) NYC cuts back the...
Reservoir releases increased before Florence rains arrive.
Posted on September 15 2018
Just so you know - both reservoir releases have been stepped up and are at or just below their maximum flow in anticipation of the arrival of Florence on Monday and Tuesday. The increased flow from the releases coupled with the recent rains have raised all rivers in the system above safe and comfortable wading levels.
Waders - - Stay home and wait for Florence to go by. As the runoff subsides,...
Waders - - Stay home and wait for Florence to go by. As the runoff subsides,...
I've got better things to do!
Posted on September 14 2018
Driving back from the Neversink yesterday afternoon, I was surprised by my first glimpse of the Beaverkill. Muddy water was pouring into it from a small trib. Each successive view showed higher and muddier water. At East Branch I drove into heavy rain, (there was none on the Neversink). A check of stream levels this morning shows that all but the WB are unwadable. The WB came up a bit and is only...
Righ place, for the wrong reason.
Posted on September 13 2018
Last week I sat on the bank of the big river talking to another angler. We were talking about where we had been fishing and he mentioned the Neversink. Said he had done well there on isos. Kind of filed the information away as the BR was wadeable and fishing well and I wasn't interested in fishing anywhere else.
A week later, with the entire Delaware system too high to fish safely and only a...
A week later, with the entire Delaware system too high to fish safely and only a...
You know it don't come easy!
Posted on September 12 2018
It has been an overcast day with a mist/light rain all afternoon. It might have produced a good olive hatch somewhere but I didn't see it. Fished two places in the UEB and did nor fare well. First place had a few olives in water that was ice cold and difficult to wade. Saw a few splashy rises and got three fish to come to the fly. Two ate one said no thanks.
Tried lower down the UEB in a pool...
Tried lower down the UEB in a pool...
Is the fat lady getting ready to sing?
Posted on September 10 2018
Well, as of 8:30 Monday night it's not the disaster it might have been. It has been relatively dry for the the past two weeks. The current rain, while steady has not been the "gully washer" type. A lot soaked into the ground. NYC has continued to release large amounts of water from the reservoirs. This has created a void meant to cushion the effects of heavy rains during hurricane season. If this...
If you think you want to fish the EB or UEB, - think again.
Posted on September 07 2018
The rain yesterday caused the Big River to rise over 900 CFS while all the other rivers in the system remained virtually unchanged. I've enjoyed three good days on the BR this week plus yesterdays near rainout. Decided it was time to play on another field.
The Big East has good iso hatches and most places can be waded at 1,100 CFS. Left in time for the iso hatch and headed for a riff in the...
The Big East has good iso hatches and most places can be waded at 1,100 CFS. Left in time for the iso hatch and headed for a riff in the...
It wasn't a total washout afterall.
Posted on September 06 2018
Spent over an hour in the early afternoon tying iso duns and emergers for a renewed assault on the big river 'bows. Just as I was finishing up at the tying bench, a bolt of lightning and clap of thunder put my plans on hold. The grounds crew was quick to roll out the tarps so the infield is dry. If it stops raining we'll try to get the game in.
3:00 pm. The weather radar doesn't look good and...
An ice cold lemonade would have been nice.
Posted on September 05 2018
I'm not asking for snow, but enough of this heat and humidity. Came in soaking wet from cutting the lawn (on a riding mower).
Spent a couple of hours repairing some flies that were injured in battle and tying new ones to replace those that were beyond repair or that went MIA in the knot weed and other shoreline vegetation on my errant backcasts.
By one o'clock I was ready to go, but with the temp...
Spent a couple of hours repairing some flies that were injured in battle and tying new ones to replace those that were beyond repair or that went MIA in the knot weed and other shoreline vegetation on my errant backcasts.
By one o'clock I was ready to go, but with the temp...
To big or not to big - that is the question
Posted on September 04 2018
It was clearly not a Big River day with bright sun and mid summer temperatures. Buckingham parking area had 0 boat trailers and 0 cars at 2:00 pm.. For a guide to float his sports on the BR on a day like today requires either sports who are willing to take a scenic ride with the hope of catching fish or or a guide willing to throw his tip out with the trash if his hunch is wrong.
Two boats put in...
Two boats put in...
Waters droppin, bugs are poppin!
Posted on September 03 2018
With NYC continuing a 100 CFS a day stepdown of the releases, there are now good wading opportunities throughout the system.
The releasing of 1,500 CFS from Cannonsville for the past several weeks has resulted in the depletion of the cold water below the thermocline. Water temps at Stilesville which have been around 44 degrees all summer are now above 50. This late in the year (even with the...
The releasing of 1,500 CFS from Cannonsville for the past several weeks has resulted in the depletion of the cold water below the thermocline. Water temps at Stilesville which have been around 44 degrees all summer are now above 50. This late in the year (even with the...
Coming down - -
Posted on September 01 2018
Hope everyone who fished the last two days did well. After six days battling the high water, diminishing hatches and the absence of adult fish feeding on top, I took the last two days off.
Looked at the flows this morning expecting them to be cut back. Cannonsville was reduced by 100 CFS yesterday but remained at about 1400 today. Pepacton held steady just under 700 CFS. It's 7:30 pm on Saturday...
Looked at the flows this morning expecting them to be cut back. Cannonsville was reduced by 100 CFS yesterday but remained at about 1400 today. Pepacton held steady just under 700 CFS. It's 7:30 pm on Saturday...
Heading home.
Posted on August 29 2018
If you're thinking of fishing Thursday or Friday - think again. The last two days have been dreadful. The wading is difficult (haven't seen another wade fisherman in the water), the bug hatch is declining and the bigger fish are not rising.
I've been fishing since last Friday and had four relatively good days but with the high water wading opportunities are limited and I've had to fish most places...
I've been fishing since last Friday and had four relatively good days but with the high water wading opportunities are limited and I've had to fish most places...
A lesson learned - - again.
Posted on August 28 2018
Planned on taking a long walk to a place where I could wade the WB at 1750 CFS. After working in the yard for three hours in the hot sun, that plan was saved for a cooler day.
Decided to fish the UEB and EB. I've seen no one wade fishing there and only a very few boats. Now I know why. Saw no bugs or rising fish above Shinhopple, a few bugs and small fish rising between Shinhopple and Harvard and...
Decided to fish the UEB and EB. I've seen no one wade fishing there and only a very few boats. Now I know why. Saw no bugs or rising fish above Shinhopple, a few bugs and small fish rising between Shinhopple and Harvard and...
Fewer ants more Uncles
Posted on August 27 2018
After a long overdue dump run, I headed back up the UEB. The ease with which I found bugs and rising fish yesterday left no doubt in my mind that that was the place to go. There was only one boat trailer at Ox Bow Campground and not a single car parked along the river. At 3:00 pm, roughly the same time I found bugs yesterday, there were none. Risers, I saw not a one. Boats, I saw one with a fly...
Fewer Ants - more Uncles.
Posted on August 27 2018
After a long overdue dump run, I headed back up the UEB. The ease with which I found bugs and rising fish yesterday left no doubt in my mind that that was the place to go. There was only one boat trailer at Oxbow Campground and not a single car parked along the river. At 3:00 pm, roughly the same time I found bugs yesterday, there were none. Risers, I saw not a one. Boats, I saw one with a...
The rules keep changing.
Posted on August 26 2018
Four days ago in my "killin' time" posting I said that with the warm spill water, hatches would be restricted to the last hour before dark. Also said that any tricos or ants would likely go uneaten at "current water levels" which on the big river was at 8,000CFS. Well, welcome to the Delaware. The spills have stopped, the water is very cold throughout the system and there are olive and steno...
Back in the "game".
Posted on August 25 2018
It's no secret that August has not been a friend to Delaware River fishermen. Torrential rains, high muddy water and reservoir spills have kept us off the water. I normally fish about 20 days a month. Yesterday was only my fourth day fished and first since the 6th of the month. On none of those days did I catch 10 fish.
Each day I fish I have a contest with the fish. The rules are pretty...
Each day I fish I have a contest with the fish. The rules are pretty...
I let time go lightly - on the river.
Posted on August 24 2018
It has been 6 days since I've fished and 18 days since I made a cast in the Delaware. Drove down to mow the lawn and "take a look". Saw two boats anchored below the 17 bridge in Deposit so I exited 17 and drove into town. Stopped to chat with Lloyd Hornbeck who said he had not heard of any wash overs being caught since the spills began. Drove down along the river and saw bugs (some) hatching. Saw...
Killin' time, is killin' me.
Posted on August 22 2018
The water temps throughout the system are now ok for trout fishing.
Why? All right, I'm only guessing but the ratio of bottom release to spill is improving daily. Another factor is the wind that has blown the past two days. This has probably mixed some of the hot surface water in the reservoirs with cooler water lying just below the surface. Temps are now in the sixties and the trout are back in a...
Why? All right, I'm only guessing but the ratio of bottom release to spill is improving daily. Another factor is the wind that has blown the past two days. This has probably mixed some of the hot surface water in the reservoirs with cooler water lying just below the surface. Temps are now in the sixties and the trout are back in a...
Two out of three ain't bad.
Posted on August 20 2018
Arrived back in Syracuse from the South Holston at noon today. Ended up leaving at 5:00 PM Sunday after it became obvious that Saturday night's pyrotechnic display was not put on by NASCAR at the Bristol track and that it came with locally heavy rains which turned several So Ho tribs into Tennessee's version of Oquaga Creek. They blew out the South Holston.
It could be said that I was unlucky...
It could be said that I was unlucky...
It's a BLOWOUT!
Posted on August 19 2018
You don't have to be there to know. The entire system is blown out and even without additional rain it will remain unfishable for the near future.
Why?
Both reservoirs are spilling hot water into the two branches.
Water is flowing into the reservoirs at a faster rate than it can be released, thus insuring that the warm water spill will continue to make the branches both warm and dangerously high.
Th...
Why?
Both reservoirs are spilling hot water into the two branches.
Water is flowing into the reservoirs at a faster rate than it can be released, thus insuring that the warm water spill will continue to make the branches both warm and dangerously high.
Th...
A better place to be, (during monsoon season).
Posted on August 17 2018
Stopped at camp yesterday. All the rivers were much clearer than they were on Wednesday. That said, they were all too high for wade fishing.
Received an invitation from a friend to fish the South Holston and after mowing the camp lawn I drove 9 hours south on 81, bought a Tennessee fishing license and went fishing. The "SoHo" is a TVA tailwater that is just full of fish from yearlings to fish of...
Received an invitation from a friend to fish the South Holston and after mowing the camp lawn I drove 9 hours south on 81, bought a Tennessee fishing license and went fishing. The "SoHo" is a TVA tailwater that is just full of fish from yearlings to fish of...
It's just the way things are.
Posted on August 15 2018
Drove down to the river for a look see. It wasn't pretty. Water above Oquaga was high, cold, comparatively clear, but unwadable. Oquaga was still very high and muddy. The entire WB was muddy brown from just below Oquaga to it's merger with the EB at junction pool.
Now for the bad news.
The UEB is very high with water that is, (because of the warm spill) over 70 degrees. Even with no rain it will...
Now for the bad news.
The UEB is very high with water that is, (because of the warm spill) over 70 degrees. Even with no rain it will...
Please exercise patience and stay safe!
Posted on August 13 2018
All rivers in the system are too high to wade safely. Both reservoirs are maxing out their releases and Pepacton is still spilling. If the predicted rain amounts (almost another 1.5 inches) arrive both reservoirs will be spilling by Wednesday. Because they have maxed out the releases, even the water up near the dams is too high to safely wade.
Drift boaters are in heaven with no waders to have...
Drift boaters are in heaven with no waders to have...
Train derailment above Hale Eddy - 2 rail cars and diesel fuel end up in the river system
Posted on August 09 2018
Flash flooding caused a small culvert running under the railroad tracks just upstream from Hale Eddy to wash out. This led to the derailment of four locomotives and an undetermined number of the 63 cars in a west bound train early this morning. Two of the cars, carrying construction debris are apparently in the river. The diesel fuel from one of the locomotives has apparently leaked into the West...
Am home building an Ark.
Posted on August 08 2018
Lots of bugs are hatching in the Sulfur Zone. Cold water releases have good temperatures well down the Big River. But the intense rainstorms have washed out any wade fishing possibilities for the near term.
The fish are enjoying the break and will big bigger, fatter, well rested and perhaps a little easier to fool when action resumes.
Stay tuned.
A nice day for a drive.
Posted on August 07 2018
With yesterdays increases in the reservoir releases (WB to 900 CFS, EB to 700 CFS) added to the already robust flow from the rain swollen tribs, drift boaters were in their glory. Wade fishermen not so much. Those who fished were soaking fly boxes and cell phones just trying to get far enough off shore to make a back cast. By 2:20 the Sulfur Zone had bugs (lots of them) all the way down to Hale...
Monday morning gave me no warning of what was to be.
Posted on August 06 2018
Arrived in Deposit about 2:00 with the air temp 90 and the river water yellow with sulfurs. Saw a bunch of splashy rises above the town bridge, parked, donned waders and went fishing. Shared the pool with a Troutfitter regular and we sure showed 'em - - - every fly in our respective boxes. The fish were almost all yearlings (now about 9 inches long) and they were chowing down on the sulfur nymphs...
Five feet high and rising!
Posted on August 03 2018
If you haven't started for the river yet don't. If you have started - turn around. The entire system has been hit by heavy downpours and is unfishable. The first showers hit during the night and raised the levels but there was still a possibility of fishing up near the dams.
The WB got hit with a gully washer around 11:00 this morning and all of the tribs are raging torrents of orange mud. The...
The WB got hit with a gully washer around 11:00 this morning and all of the tribs are raging torrents of orange mud. The...
It's August and a few big browns are still feeding on top.
Posted on August 02 2018
Drove to the UEB early this afternoon. While it's not like Green Drake time, the UEB is being fished. There are a number of fishermen who fish only the UEB. They find the WB's crowds of wade fishermen, boats and algae 3 good reasons to stay on the UEB. Enough of them have been fishing this week that planning where to fish is impossible. You just have to go and look for an empty pool.
Tried two...
Tried two...
Some days are better than others.
Posted on August 01 2018
If you like variety today was the day for you. There was sunshine, partly cloudy skies, cloudy skies, rain and fog. There was a good sulfur hatch which was underway when I arrived about 1:45 and continued until 5:30 after the rain there were good olive hatch.
If you are looking for a challenge the Delaware is the place for you. The fish fed from about two until I left the upper WB at 7:00. They...
If you are looking for a challenge the Delaware is the place for you. The fish fed from about two until I left the upper WB at 7:00. They...
Reprise, reprise.
Posted on July 31 2018
With the predicted rain never showing up and a partly sunny day filling in as a last minute substitute, I was forced to change plans. The increased flows have cooled both branches down and with the predicted cloudy rainy day I had planned to see if the WB would have olives down river. Went to the UEB instead, in part to see if it was the clouds or the cooler water that brought on the bug hatch...
Reprisals don't often work out, but - - -
Posted on July 30 2018
Two weeks ago on a cloudy overcast day there were bugs on the UEB. There were also feeding fish and I had a very nice day. Since Hendrickson time, that was the only day that I found good bugs and feeding fish on the UEB.
With the sky clouding over midday, the UEB at 300 CFS, (rain and an increase in the release), I decided to see if I could get a July 18th do over. Was busy doing yard work (rain...
With the sky clouding over midday, the UEB at 300 CFS, (rain and an increase in the release), I decided to see if I could get a July 18th do over. Was busy doing yard work (rain...
It's good to be back "home" again, (with apologies to my wife).
Posted on July 29 2018
Hadn't fished since last Tuesday what with the rain, high water, a day canning peaches and yet another funeral to attend up in Vermont. Arrived in Deposit about 1:30 and drove around looking in vain for bugs and rises. Was on my way elsewhere when I saw some waxwings working over the riff behind the grass island above the Gentlemen's Club. Turned around and parked at the G.C. lot. One of the...
Raindrops keep fall'in on my head - - -
Posted on July 26 2018
My 6:00 pm posting of yesterday (Wednesday) was quickly followed by a night of heavy rain. All rivers in the system are unfishable today. The WB was spared the worst of it and streamer enthusiasts might well be able to float and fish on the weekend (assuming no additional precipitation).
The Beaverkill crested at about 11.000 CFS, (above the 10,000 CFS flood line), with the EB hitting 15,000 CFS...
The Beaverkill crested at about 11.000 CFS, (above the 10,000 CFS flood line), with the EB hitting 15,000 CFS...