With the morning temp 46, I started a fire in the stove to warm up the camp. At 9:45 I got the bright idea to drive up to the UEB to see if there were any tricos. Looked at all of the riffs from the Sunoco station to Harvard without seeing any waxwings, tricos or rising fish. Back to camp.
At 1:45 I left camp again in the bright sun and headed for Deposit. Crossed the river at Hale Eddy and...
Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report
Some days it don't come easy.
Posted on July 18 2018
With the cooler temp, a "delightful" breeze and bright sun it was a day better suited for yard work than fishing. Didn't go until 4:00 when there was a chance of getting both the sun and wind off the water on the UEB.
Yesterday's cloud cover and fog produced enough bugs to get the fish up and feeding. Today's bright sun and high pressure seemed to stifle both the hatch and the feeding trout. There...
Yesterday's cloud cover and fog produced enough bugs to get the fish up and feeding. Today's bright sun and high pressure seemed to stifle both the hatch and the feeding trout. There...
Sometimes the best plan, is not to have one.
Posted on July 17 2018
When fishing the Delaware River system it's usually best not to plan anything in advance. Wanted to try a piece of the upper WB that I hadn't fished yet this year. Left camp early enough to stop at FUDR and ask why there had been no flow increases when the gauge at Montague showed levels reaching almost as low as 1,400 CFS. CEO Jeff Skelding patiently explained that the 1750 CFS flow requirement...
Maybe tomorrow - - -
Posted on July 16 2018
With everything but the WB and the UEB above Shinhopple too hot to fish, I decided to play an away game and drove straight from home to the Neversink. There have been rumors of summer sulfur hatches "up near the dam" and it was a good time to take a look. Saw a few (very few) sulfurs and a rise or two before a couple of thunderstorms with brisk winds swept through. I headed for camp. Best part of...
Plans, what plans?
Posted on July 13 2018
After two days of relative peace and quiet in the "sulfur zone" with a good mix of summer bugs and rising fish, where else would you go? Arrived about 3:30 and headed down towards the Gentleman's Club. Counted six drift boats between the route 17 bridge and the GC. There were also two pontoon boats and one kayak and a bunch of wade fishermen. Did a U turn and headed for the UEB.
Drove up route...
Drove up route...
Never fall in love with a fish!
Posted on July 12 2018
It's a mantra I've been preaching for as long as I remember. Your best chance to catch a fish is always on the first cast. As soon as the fish becomes aware that you are there, the odds swing heavily in his favor. I know, I know "He's still rising", but he gets to look at that fly from only inches away and if there aren't six legs on the water with the tail in the air he ain't eating. Tip your cap...
If you are going to fish the sulfur spinner fall, book a room.
Posted on July 11 2018
Did another split day. The best thing about the morning was that I was smart enough to quit after only an hour. Spinners were on the water along with a few mayfly duns and caddis but the fish were nowhere to be seen. Home before 11:00, grass mowed and peach tree limbs propped up out of reach of the deer before 1:00.
Left camp at 3:30 and headed up to Deposit "Just to take a look". Saw an old...
Left camp at 3:30 and headed up to Deposit "Just to take a look". Saw an old...
Not going to the "sulfur zone" just yet.
Posted on July 10 2018
Did a split day with the intent of further postponing my return to the algae laden sulfur zone with its boats, wade anglers, sulfurs, and super tough fish.
This morning I fished a section of the lower WB that I fished back on the 22nd of June. That morning there were olive spinners on the water and the fishing was great with big fish eating my fly with abandon. Today, not so much. Perhaps I should...
This morning I fished a section of the lower WB that I fished back on the 22nd of June. That morning there were olive spinners on the water and the fishing was great with big fish eating my fly with abandon. Today, not so much. Perhaps I should...
It's good to be back home again.
Posted on July 09 2018
Returned from my trip to the Owyhee River in Oregon late Saturday night. Spent Sunday doing chores at home and left for the river about 11:00 this morning.
The Owyhee trip - The canyon is beautiful, the wildlife along the river abundant (mule deer, turkeys, ducks, quail, chuckers, eagles, otter, beaver, etc, etc). But the fly hatches have virtually disappeared. Have not seen any tricos in the last...
The Owyhee trip - The canyon is beautiful, the wildlife along the river abundant (mule deer, turkeys, ducks, quail, chuckers, eagles, otter, beaver, etc, etc). But the fly hatches have virtually disappeared. Have not seen any tricos in the last...
I'm leaving on a jet plane - - -
Posted on June 29 2018
Today was change over day. Cleaned the camp, packed my fly tying equipment and "Owyhee River " fly boxes and headed home. Will be on a plane Sunday morning flying to Oregon for a weeks fishing on the Owyhee River tailwater.
A week ago I said if the trip wasn't prepaid, I'd gladly give it up to stay and fish the Delaware. Now, with the weeks weather forecast in front of me, I'm not so sure...
A week ago I said if the trip wasn't prepaid, I'd gladly give it up to stay and fish the Delaware. Now, with the weeks weather forecast in front of me, I'm not so sure...
Neversink revisited and "Sulfur Zone" boundaries set.
Posted on June 28 2018
After the all day soaker of yesterday, the heavy thunderstorms of last night and the scattered showers today, the entire system was either stained or muddy. It was a much needed infusion of rainwater into the systems tribs and the lower water temps will at least help when the coming heatwave hits.
Decided to take the day off and drive over to the Neversink and look for sulfurs and rising trout....
Decided to take the day off and drive over to the Neversink and look for sulfurs and rising trout....
There is no correlation between being smart and being a good fisherman.
Posted on June 27 2018
When it started raining at about 8:30 this morning my morning shift was cancelled (spinners don't do it in the rain). With time on my hands I turned on the tea kettle and steamed a few of my more bedraggled flies, tied a few new ones and lo it was 1:00 o'clock. Drove up to Deposit and visited with Lloyd Hornbeck, hands down the best fisherman on the Cannonsville reservoir. Left Deposit and headed...
At a loss for ways to say "The fishing is still great".
Posted on June 26 2018
For perhaps the first time since I started writing this blog I sat in front of the computer and found myself at a loss for words. Each night, while sipping my libation, I try to think of something different and interesting to write about. Tonight the words just didn't come. Writers block? Or am I just tired of tired of telling people how good the fishing is.
If you want to catch fish on a dry...
If you want to catch fish on a dry...
Monday, coming down.
Posted on June 25 2018
Got enough rain over the weekend to help out the lawn and at least bump up the river levels a little bit. It helped the BR the most as Lordville at 1300 cfs stayed below 70 while the BE and the BK both hit about 72 today.
Ran into the perpetual traffic jam at the construction project in Binghamton on the way down and opted out by taking I-86 east. When the GPS settled down and stopped telling me...
Ran into the perpetual traffic jam at the construction project in Binghamton on the way down and opted out by taking I-86 east. When the GPS settled down and stopped telling me...
Y'all come, a few at a time.
Posted on June 22 2018
Remember about a month ago when the Hendricksons were done everywhere but the UEB and WB and the BK blew out and everything down stream was too muddy to fish? There were so many boats and wade fishermen crowding the river that I just didn't fish.
This week with the high water temps, everything but the UEB and the WB were shut down and I had such a good week of fishing that I would gladly cancel my...
This week with the high water temps, everything but the UEB and the WB were shut down and I had such a good week of fishing that I would gladly cancel my...
Where things stand on the first day of summer.
Posted on June 21 2018
It's the first day of summer and we need rain. Lots of it. The reservoirs are fine, right where they should be. NYC is seeing to that. But the tribs are drying up, the releases have been cut back and the BK, BE and almost all of the BR are too warm to fish. The adult fish are being stressed by the low oxygen content in the warm water. In the tribs the brown and rainbow fingerlings are becoming...
Cold water, lots of bugs and rising fish. Who could ask for more?
Posted on June 20 2018
Yesterday there wasn't a fly in any of my boxes that got the job done. Collected samples of three different flies that were hatching, put 'em in the fridge when I got back to the camp, took 'em out this morning went to work. Tied a couple dozen flies in different shades of the yellowish green body and yellow/gray wings. Also tied emergers in various stages of emergence. Lastly I went to a...
Your questions, my answers.
Posted on June 19 2018
Recently I received three questions in the comments section and thought maybe the answers might be helpful to all.
Brian - You aren't the only one who has asked. I'm not a typist and it's just easier for me to use initials for the rivers.
BK = Beaverkill
BR = Big River, Main Stem, The Delaware
UEB = The East Branch from Downsville to East Branch (the Sunoco Station)
BE = The East Branch below "Jaws"...
Brian - You aren't the only one who has asked. I'm not a typist and it's just easier for me to use initials for the rivers.
BK = Beaverkill
BR = Big River, Main Stem, The Delaware
UEB = The East Branch from Downsville to East Branch (the Sunoco Station)
BE = The East Branch below "Jaws"...
The way things are.
Posted on June 18 2018
Fished both branches and the big river today with mixed results.
The BR: With the 700 cfs release from Stilesville the middle section of the BR was in play today. The release was cut back to just under 400 cfs again at noon and any amount of sunshine will put the water temp over 70. Today the river had browns and rainbows willing to eat a fly with a hook in it (always a good thing) and I did better...
The BR: With the 700 cfs release from Stilesville the middle section of the BR was in play today. The release was cut back to just under 400 cfs again at noon and any amount of sunshine will put the water temp over 70. Today the river had browns and rainbows willing to eat a fly with a hook in it (always a good thing) and I did better...
Happy Father's day to all!
Posted on June 17 2018
With a predicted high of 90 degrees and the release at Stilesville cut back to under 400 cfs the choice of where to fish became less complicated. A 400 cfs release won't cool the BR much below Stockport (if that). So, you have the UEB the WB and a short stretch of the BR. The rest of the system (BK, BE, and BR below Stockport were clearly out of bounds due to temps in the mid 70's.
Arrived at...
Arrived at...
If you didn't tie a wind knot today - - - you didn't fish!
Posted on June 14 2018
If there was ever a day in June not to fish, this was it. In Florida they say, "Wind, what wind, we don't call it a wind 'til they give it a name". Well I gave it several names today. It was flat out unfishable.
Got into the BR early just as the wind started picking up. There were splashy risers chasing Cornuta nymphs. The Cornuta hatch is frustrating because the trout eat the nymphs and won't...
Got into the BR early just as the wind started picking up. There were splashy risers chasing Cornuta nymphs. The Cornuta hatch is frustrating because the trout eat the nymphs and won't...
Trump's "friends" sure can fish!
Posted on June 13 2018
With a gray overcast day forecasted I decided to continue my assault on the BK and BE. With the low water conditions it won't take more than two or three bright sunny days in a row to get both streams into the "no fishing zone" (temps over 70).
Fished about a half mile of the BK which surrounds one of the "Eastern European's" tenting sites. They camped there for about a week to harvest fish during...
Fished about a half mile of the BK which surrounds one of the "Eastern European's" tenting sites. They camped there for about a week to harvest fish during...
Trump's "friends" sure can fish!
Posted on June 13 2018
With a gray overcast day forecasted I decided to continue my assault on the BK and BE. With the low water conditions it won't take more than two or three bright sunny days in a row to get both streams into the "no fishing zone" (temps over 70).
Fished about a half mile of the BK which surrounds one of the "Eastern European's" tenting sites. They camped there for about a week to harvest fish during...
Fished about a half mile of the BK which surrounds one of the "Eastern European's" tenting sites. They camped there for about a week to harvest fish during...
All you need to know about Delaware River midges.
Posted on June 12 2018
I'm not a midge expert by any stretch of the imagination. No-see-ums are bad news, you're on fire before you even know you've been bitten. Chironomids, on the other hand, don't bite, hatch in trout streams, taste good and can be tied and fished on size 16 and 18 hooks. Trout love'em. On my annual trip out west they are the mainstay of mid day fishing, hatching in 100 degree heat and bright...
Early afternoon is the time to snooze.
Posted on June 11 2018
With summertime water levels on the rivers and a sunny day predicted, a split day was in order. Started on the BR about 9:00 am. There were bugs hatching, fish feeding, eagles eating dead shad and deer along the shoreline. Never saw a boat or another angler (two of the perks of morning fishing).
What I did see were duns of all sizes floating down the river unmolested. The fish on the BR have...
What I did see were duns of all sizes floating down the river unmolested. The fish on the BR have...
Love low water, bugs and rising fish.
Posted on June 10 2018
Have been on a Sunday through Thursday schedule for the past three weeks. The boats aren't as numerous on Sunday as Friday but there seem to be wade fishermen everywhere. Arrived late morning and took time to tour the river system. The water at present is too low to float anywhere but the WB and the BR. Saw boats and wade fishermen on the BR midday with rising fish in all the big pools. Didn't see...
Love low water, bugs and rising fish.
Posted on June 10 2018
Have been on a Sunday through Thursday schedule for the past three weeks. The boats aren't as numerous on Sunday as Friday but there seem to be wade fishermen everywhere. Arrived late morning and took time to tour the river system. The water at present is too low to float anywhere but the WB and the BR. Saw boats and wade fishermen on the BR midday with rising fish in all the big pools. Didn't see...
How your GPS can help you to catch more trout.
Posted on June 07 2018
In mid May when the water was too high to wade and the bugs hadn't really gotten going, I said we'd probably get an extended heat wave and it would all be over in a couple of weeks. I'm wrong a lot but seldom does my being wrong make me so happy. This weeks cool, cloudy weather has slowed the bug activity so much that we actually have Hendricksons and Green Drakes (plus all of the other mayflies)...
Today the worm turned (and the flies hatched).
Posted on June 06 2018
If you are a regular reader you'll know that I've been taking my lumps trying to meet bugs and rising fish on the BE and BK. I've made the trip once or twice every week and come back with fish totals that can be counted on one hand without using the thumb and several digits.
Went to the Beaverkill around one (morning fishing on the BR wasn't worth talking about). With heavily overcast skies there...
Went to the Beaverkill around one (morning fishing on the BR wasn't worth talking about). With heavily overcast skies there...
If you did well on the Delaware yesterday - - stay home today!
Posted on June 05 2018
After yesterday's great morning with the rainbows on the big river there was no question where I was going. Mother Nature, however, had plans of her own, which were designed to give the 'bows a little help. To start with it was in the 40's this morning and no self respecting bug was about to leave it's home in the relatively warm water and try to air dry it's wings 'til things warmed up. Waited...
It's not so much what's hatching (everything) but where.
Posted on June 04 2018
Went out on the BR about 10:30 looking for spinners and never found a one. What I did find, however, were Green Drakes, Isonychia, Gray Fox and sulfurs in enough abundance to get the fish up and eating. It lasted until the sun burned through around 12:30. There is a large year class of two year old rainbows (now 13 to 15 inches) throughout the system and the BR appears to have its full share of...
Love my job!
Posted on June 03 2018
The fishing was, dreadful, there was just no other way to describe it. All the signs were there, thousands of golden stones on the grass along the lower BE, iso husks on both the BE and BK streamside rocks, a gray overcast fishy kind of day and - - - nothing - - - just nothing.
From 1:30 until 5:30 I fished three pools on the lower Beaverkill and two pools on the BE. I rose three fish, caught...
From 1:30 until 5:30 I fished three pools on the lower Beaverkill and two pools on the BE. I rose three fish, caught...
Just because you have the right - doesn't make it right!
Posted on May 31 2018
It was another one of those "perfect days for fishing", overcast with a light mist falling. An olive kind of day. This is the third one I've fished this spring and if there are any more on the way I'd like to save them up for July or August when they might do some good. Didn't get skunked but didn't throw at a rising fish all day.
There were none of the sun loving caddis. There were no...
There were none of the sun loving caddis. There were no...
A split day in May.
Posted on May 30 2018
With another hot, sunny, summer type day on tap I decided to do a day/night double header.
Spent the morning playing the big river 'bows to a standstill. Lost the last three in a row to end up at a fifty percent catch rate. Saw three Green Drakes,one Isonicia, some caddis and a few olives. There were enough rises to locate fish and once I took the March Brown emerger off, most of them ate. There...
Spent the morning playing the big river 'bows to a standstill. Lost the last three in a row to end up at a fifty percent catch rate. Saw three Green Drakes,one Isonicia, some caddis and a few olives. There were enough rises to locate fish and once I took the March Brown emerger off, most of them ate. There...
Traded bugs and rising fish for solitude and serenity.
Posted on May 29 2018
It wasn't because I didn't think the WB would be any good, it's just because I like to fish different places and with the water finally down to wadable levels, you can now get into spots that have been inaccessible to wade anglers all year.
Fished the top of the UEB and there were still Hendricksons but, like Deposit last week, there were not enough of 'em to get the fish going. Watched them float...
Fished the top of the UEB and there were still Hendricksons but, like Deposit last week, there were not enough of 'em to get the fish going. Watched them float...
A better place to be.
Posted on May 28 2018
Yesterday I fished the Big River, the Big East, the Upper East Branch and the Beaverkill. Never really saw a hatch. There were a few March Browns, a smattering of caddis and almost no rising fish. I did stop at the Hale Eddy bridge on the West Branch, where there were Hendrickson spinners over the riff upstream of the bridge but the number of boats and wade fishermen convinced me to fish...
On which day would you rather fish?
Posted on May 27 2018
You get to pick:
#1 Sunshine in a cloudless sky, temp in the mid 80's, with afternoon thermals and a windless evening.
- -or - -
#2 60 degrees temp, heavy overcast skies, intermittent rain or a light drizzle and little or no wind?
FYI-
Last Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were #1's.
Last Tuesday and today were #2's.
Please vote in the...
#1 Sunshine in a cloudless sky, temp in the mid 80's, with afternoon thermals and a windless evening.
- -or - -
#2 60 degrees temp, heavy overcast skies, intermittent rain or a light drizzle and little or no wind?
FYI-
Last Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were #1's.
Last Tuesday and today were #2's.
Please vote in the...
Make it a memorable Memorial day - go fishing.
Posted on May 25 2018
Another hot sunny day with the temp hitting 88 degrees. Was wrong about the Hendricksons starting early above Deposit. Got there early today and watched the water go by until 3:00 when the first H's hatched. The hatch was sparse, with little feeding and was over before 4:00. There was one other angler that I could see above the town bridge and only one boat came down. Apparently everyone else...
The water's droppin, the bugs are poppin and the fish are - - -
Posted on May 24 2018
Got on the river at 3:00. There were Hendricksons on the water and feeding fish. There was also a boat anchored over every pod of feeding fish. I'm guessing that the hatch has been starting well ahead of my arrival, as the last two times I fished above Deposit it was over within an hour of my arrival.
Drove down the back side of the river to Hale Eddy and was amazed at how many boats and how few...
Drove down the back side of the river to Hale Eddy and was amazed at how many boats and how few...
Love those caddis spinners.
Posted on May 23 2018
With the flow being cut back at Downsville I headed to the upper reaches of the UEB hoping to find the Hendricksons making their last stand. Found a few Hendricksons and a few apple caddis and almost no risers. In two hours I rose two fish neither of which found my fly to their liking.
Bailed on the UEB and headed for the bug soup that is currently the WB. Of course the pot is overflowing at 2000...
Bailed on the UEB and headed for the bug soup that is currently the WB. Of course the pot is overflowing at 2000...
This, that and other things.
Posted on May 22 2018
For those who care, todays game was called after the fishermen batted in the top of the fifth. The fish were the home team and were ahead so they didn't have to bat in the bottom of the fifth.
The water levels: It rained again. If you can't look at the flow levels yourself, learn how to do it or you'll have a lot of "bad trips".
The water color: The color of the water is another thing....
The water levels: It rained again. If you can't look at the flow levels yourself, learn how to do it or you'll have a lot of "bad trips".
The water color: The color of the water is another thing....
So what did you have for dinner?
Posted on May 21 2018
Arrived a little late due to construction tie ups leaving Syracuse and going through Binghamton. The river in Deposit was like a ghost town. Don't know if the rain and high water discouraged everybody or if there were poor bug hatches over the weekend. There were bugs on the water when I got there so I suited up and had at'em (for a short while). The high water put a lot of the river out of the...
May 18th, Hendricksons still going strong.
Posted on May 18 2018
After yesterday's day off, I was anxious to get back in the water and throw a fly. Headed to the upper reaches of the WB to fish the Hendrickson hatch. Drove up the WB at about two o'clock and saw very few anglers and boats on the water. Had a pool to myself for about an hour and a half and threw at rising fish the whole time. When I had fooled all the fish I was going to fool there I waded...
When you're retired every day is a holiday.
Posted on May 17 2018
It's not your fault! All you wanted to do was go fishing. Unfortunately so did hundreds of others. It was just bad luck that parts of the Delaware were too high to wade and that the Hendricksons were over on the BK, BEB and the Big River. Everyone reads the fishing reports and they know where they had to go.
The problem is mine (perhaps mine alone). I just don't like crowds. I don't want boats...
The problem is mine (perhaps mine alone). I just don't like crowds. I don't want boats...
Sunshine makes me (and the bugs) happy.
Posted on May 16 2018
With the Beaverkill, Big East and the Big River muddy and high there was no doubt that the UEB and WB would be crowded. Game land lots were full of cars and every put in and every takeout was jammed full of trailers.
In an effort to minimize the number of boats passing by me during the day, I fished the WB up high. The strategy worked. Not a single boat went by. The guides knew that without...
In an effort to minimize the number of boats passing by me during the day, I fished the WB up high. The strategy worked. Not a single boat went by. The guides knew that without...
I'm buying a lottery ticket!
Posted on May 15 2018
Left camp about 8:00 this morning and drove five miles ( narrowly missing the second of two yearling deer that were learning to cross RT. 97) to where I could get cell service so that I could again call Verizon and try to schedule an appointment to get the phone line fixed. The call took 45 minutes and with severe thunderstorms scheduled for the afternoon I decided to take advantage of the rest of...
It's better to have hooked and lost, than never hooked at all.
Posted on May 14 2018
Returned to the big river hoping to convince the caddis pupa eating 'bows that Hendricksons were more nutritious and tasted better. After three hours I had landed four fish. Not bad you say? Well, the rainbow was a nice one (fish of the day at 18.5"). (The other three were fall fish). Turned my back on the pupa eaters and walked back to the car. Met a fisherman coming down for the "epic spinner...
I hate caddis pupas!
Posted on May 11 2018
Fished the midsection of the WB, hoping to avoid the crowds and be one of the first ones in on the "bust out Hendrickson day", (It wasn't). There were paraleps hatching in good numbers at 2:00 and they were joined around 3:00 by a mediocre Hendrickson hatch and a testy wind. Caught the only riser I saw and was in the car heading elsewhere at 3:30.
Got fooled at Buckingham when I only saw one...
Got fooled at Buckingham when I only saw one...
So, how was my day?
Posted on May 10 2018
Now I'm not one who gets emotionally attached to automobiles, but today was the day to say good by to my 2011 Santa Fe which has given me over 174,000 absolutely trouble free miles. Picked up my new ride, loaded it up with my fishing gear and headed back to the camp.
Arrived to find that the bathroom sink that I have been working on for the past two weeks is still leaking. Happy to report that the...
Arrived to find that the bathroom sink that I have been working on for the past two weeks is still leaking. Happy to report that the...
Was anyone able to read my smoke signals?
Posted on May 09 2018
While I'm sure my call was important to them and they were sorry for any inconvenience, Verizon still took five days to get a repair man out to the fishing camp to get me back on line. The nice ladies over in India weren't much help at anything but apologizing.
I wouldn't have had much good to tell you anyway until yesterday. Up 'til then there were Hendricksons on the BR, BEB and the Beaverkill...
I wouldn't have had much good to tell you anyway until yesterday. Up 'til then there were Hendricksons on the BR, BEB and the Beaverkill...