Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report
It's not all bad news.
Posted on June 22 2017
It was just 12 days ago that I was in the midst of rising fish, green drakes and 18 boats. Just a week ago I saw my last coffin flies of the season. Today I did not see a boat or for that matter another fisherman. The pictures of "fish of the day" on other sites have been replaced by pictures of the USGS water flow graphs. Some sites are reporting M-W-F, while other reports have become...
Almost didn't fish.
Posted on June 21 2017
I split the day again. Fished above Hale Eddy in the morning. Bright sunshine, cold water, no bugs or risers. As I was wading up to where I intended to fish I saw a nice fish out on a gravel bar. Made a poor cast that landed two feet to his left and he swam over and ate it. This at least gave me hope, in about two hours of fishing I rose six, hooked five and landed four.
With the bright sun...
With the bright sun...
The longest day.
Posted on June 20 2017
According to the people who keep track of such things today is one second longer than tomorrow will be. Tomorrow the pendulum begins its long swing back to a cold gray November day when it won't be light until after 7:30 in the morning and will be dark again by 4:30 in the afternoon. I savor the hour and a half of additional sun light we get upon our arrival in Florida in late November and...
Today the fat lady sang!
Posted on June 16 2017
It was a dark, overcast, foggy, misty kind of day, that you expect to see olives and isos on. There were olives but not isos. Tried a tailout on the big river and found fish eating something sub surface. A big brown lured me into the tailout by eating my olive and then running and jumping through 75 feet of backing before coming unstuck. The next two hours produced one refusal, three fall fish and...
A day on the West Branch
Posted on June 15 2017
With Cannonsville no longer spilling and the release cut back to 275 cfs it was time to spend a day on the WB. With the low water there were sure to be fewer boats and the wade fishermen probably wouldn't come in numbers until the weekend.
My morning fishing was above Hancock. It's a place I fish a couple of times a year. It's a good long walk along the tracks but there is seldom anyone there....
My morning fishing was above Hancock. It's a place I fish a couple of times a year. It's a good long walk along the tracks but there is seldom anyone there....
Done too soon.
Posted on June 14 2017
It kind of sneaks up on you. When the first hendricksons started hatching late in April you thought it would never end. We had a major period of high water where even floating was dangerous and wading was out of the question. The doldrums seemed to last forever and just when things started happening the second big rain washed out the better part of the gray fox, sulfur and drake fishing. The...
Fish pitch a shutout in second game to salvage split.
Posted on June 13 2017
Most who read this blog know I try to avoid boats at all costs. After a bang up night Friday on the UEB, I went back for more on Saturday and had 18 boats wend there way by me in JUST TWO HOURS!!! Now, some of those who rowed by were old river friends who I was glad to see. Others were fishermen who stopped and shared information as fishermen do, most were polite and tried to stay out of my way....
Lightning bugs out shine the fishing.
Posted on June 12 2017
With the heat turned up again today I fished early. Was on the river by 7:00 with mist on the water and the slurp of rising trout in the air. The spinner fall didn't amount to much. Either they all fell the night before or the hatch is waning. Actually did better than yesterday as there were more fish feeding where I fished today than yesterday. Quit about noon.
Didn't go out again until 7:00....
Didn't go out again until 7:00....
Lightning bugs out shine the fishing.
Posted on June 12 2017
With the heat turned up again today I fished early. Was on the river by 7:00 with mist on the water and the slurp of rising trout in the air. The spinner fall didn't amount to much. Either they all fell the night before or the hatch is waning. Actually did better than yesterday as there were more fish feeding where I fished today than yesterday. Quit about noon.
Didn't go out again until 7:00....
Didn't go out again until 7:00....
The teams played a day night doubleheader.
Posted on June 11 2017
With the weather forecast calling for near ninety, I decided on a split the day. It was a good idea and would have worked even better if I had started out earlier.
Went to the UEB in the morning where a brown/green drake spinner fall was well underway. My first two casts found fish willing to eat. Thereafter the fish sharpened their game and refusals outnumbered takes, It was calm when I started...
Went to the UEB in the morning where a brown/green drake spinner fall was well underway. My first two casts found fish willing to eat. Thereafter the fish sharpened their game and refusals outnumbered takes, It was calm when I started...
Took a refresher course today.
Posted on June 10 2017
There are several guiding principles that I adhere to when trout fishing. One of the most basic is "Don't fish a pool more than once in a week." Why you ask? Because trout "remember" to avoid flies that didn't taste good. Much like squirrels that are said to "remember" where they buried up to a thousand nuts, trout "remember" to avoid things they ate that left a bad after taste.
Yesterday when...
Yesterday when...
I just don't know what to say.
Posted on June 09 2017
With the drakes a good ten days behind schedule and sure to be hatching, I decided to head back to the river and try to find a place to fish. When I got to the camp I turned on the computer and learned that the releases had been increased (WB - 1000 cfs, EB - 300 cfs). While this is good news if you are concerned with the summer sulfurs blowing out in June due to the warn water temps created by...
Turn out the lights - the party's over.
Posted on June 06 2017
In case you slept through yesterdays series of storms - today's game has been postponed. Hopefully it can be rescheduled later in the season. All of the rivers are high, muddy and still rising. With both reservoirs spilling they will stay high for several days even without more rain.
On the positive side the spill water will be clear and probably full of alewives. Streamer fishermen will again...
On the positive side the spill water will be clear and probably full of alewives. Streamer fishermen will again...
You can't beat experience.
Posted on June 05 2017
Set out to fish earlier than usual today because I encountered cornutas yesterday. While they can and do hatch most anytime all summer, in the first week of June they can reliably be found hatching in the morning. Stopped to chat with my neighbor who was standing by the road. He asked where I was fishing today and I told him the Beaverkill. Just as I pulled away a Rhodes & Johnston flat bed loaded...
Big red spinners never fall!
Posted on June 04 2017
The day came as advertised, cloudy, rainy and cold. A three shirter for sure. But we didn't get the 3/4 of an inch of rain that was predicted. With the reservoirs already spilling that much rain could have made most of the river system unwadeable. We have more rain on tap but today was predicted to be the heaviest soaking. Looking at the weather radar, it seemed to go just south of us.
The...
The...
Sunday mornin coming down.
Posted on June 02 2017
It's 8:00 pm on Friday. I'm home trying to cross items off the "Honey-do" list . Some things have gone well, others not so well. With the bright sunshine I didn't miss the fishing today but the breeze has quieted and there will be a late hatch and if in fact it's calm, a spinner fall. I will miss both. Will miss tomorrows fishing also as there are things here at home yet to be done.
Sunday,...
Sunday,...
May in review
Posted on June 01 2017
Was finally able to get the lawn mowed here yesterday before the first storm and am heading home to tackle some chores there. Spent an hour last night reflecting on the season to date and came up with a few statistics of interest at least to me.
My fish total for May came in 9th out of the 25 years of record keeping. There seemed to be plenty of fish and the number of fish caught would probably...
My fish total for May came in 9th out of the 25 years of record keeping. There seemed to be plenty of fish and the number of fish caught would probably...
Last cast saves the day!
Posted on May 31 2017
It never happened - or - I was in the wrong place all day. Never cast to a rising fish. Saw less than ten rises. Suffered through two thunderstorms and a temperature drop of about 20 degrees. Saw almost no big bugs. The few spinners I did see were drowned by the second "severe T-storm" of the day.
Did have a nice chat with a Troutfitter regular during the first T-boomer. Said he reads the...
Did have a nice chat with a Troutfitter regular during the first T-boomer. Said he reads the...
Sulfurs brighten the day, black caddis turn out the lights.
Posted on May 30 2017
After yesterdays marathon 10;30 am until 9:00 pm fishing spree, I took it somewhat easier today. Left camp around noon and did a tour of the EB, lower BK and UEB and BR. Saw a few big bugs hatching on the lower part of the BE but nothing going farther up or on the BK and UEB. It was overcast, raining (very heavy downpour on the ride back to Hancock) and quite breezy. Not seeing bugs at 1:00...
The sweet of the year.
Posted on May 29 2017
Dave and Rick from the Troutfitter took advantage of the Memorial Day holiday and came down to fish the BR. It spit rain all day out of a heavily overcast sky. An upstream wind at times created instant drag on the best of casts. But the bugs got going mid afternoon and the fish looked up often enough to let you get a cast off in their direction.
Bugs of almost every kind imaginable were seen on...
Bugs of almost every kind imaginable were seen on...
Sulfur hatch gets fish up late on big river!
Posted on May 28 2017
The number of fisherman on the river today was much lower than on Saturday. My wife and I toured the river system during the afternoon. Buckingham easily won the award for most trailers. There seemed to be very few boats in sight on the WB. Perhaps the flow of 400 cfs is proving difficult to both navigate and catch fish in. The UEB at about 200 cfs had no boats and very few fishermen. The BE is...
You're never lonely on a trout stream.
Posted on May 27 2017
Split the day between the BR and the UEB. Fished noon 'til four on the BR just below a take out where there were three trailers parked. There was one drift boat in the area I fished. They put in at the take out above me and floated past me shortly after I started. They were the only fishermen I saw on the BR. At about four thirty I drove from Hankins to Roscoe and then down the Beaverkill. EVERY...
A place for T to try.
Posted on May 26 2017
Decided to give the BR a try down at Callicoon. Fished it years ago whenever water levels permitted. In the past few years there have been so many boats floating the lower river that I have found other places more enjoyable.
This year with the extreme high water and now the doldrums the lower river has been lightly fished. Once the bugs start you can count on an armada fishing down there.
The...
This year with the extreme high water and now the doldrums the lower river has been lightly fished. Once the bugs start you can count on an armada fishing down there.
The...
The table is set!
Posted on May 25 2017
Grackles were lined up along a gravel bar in the Beaverkill today eating Dragonfly nymphs as they crawled up on rocks to hatch. The Dragonflies hatch just before the stone fly and drake hatches and feed on the duns. You can see them darting around over the water catching and eating the mayflies. Wings and other uneaten body parts often cover the water.
Ragged Robin, long the precursor of the...
Ragged Robin, long the precursor of the...
So maybe I changed my mind.
Posted on May 24 2017
Well, lets be up front about it - I didn't go to the big river today. I know I said I was going there but it turned out to be a beautiful day. Bright sunshine with a cool and refreshing breeze are not the best weather for a fun day on the big river. Add to that about a dozen trailers at Buckingham and I found myself less enthusiastic about fishing the big river.
I saw sulfurs on the BE on Monday...
I saw sulfurs on the BE on Monday...
A day on the Big River.
Posted on May 23 2017
To me the Big River is a special place. Parts of it go through remote areas where seeing bears, rattle snakes, eagles and deer are as likely as not. It can be intimidating to wade anglers and often times being able to reach a rising fish tests your courage, and both your wading and casting ability. It is the reason I fly fish.
Sadly, drift boats have changed the experience of fishing the big...
Sadly, drift boats have changed the experience of fishing the big...
Monday morning coming down.
Posted on May 22 2017
I fished my way downriver today as I usually do on my return from the weekend spent at home with my wife. It was a gray overcast day with scattered showers (some heavy - like the one when I was ready to leave BJ's with a basket of food and no raincoat or umbrella).
The WB had bugs at three. I saw tiny olives and small hendricksons. There were also spinners of various sizes but a dearth of risers....
The WB had bugs at three. I saw tiny olives and small hendricksons. There were also spinners of various sizes but a dearth of risers....
If only my vest had more pockets!
Posted on May 22 2017
At home on the weekend I took the time to reorganize my fishing vest. I added march browns to the arsenal already in the vest just last week. You don't dare take the hendricksons or grannoms out just yet and now I need to add sulfurs, green drakes and isos. About the only flies not in the vest are tricos and epherons.
It's an exciting time to be a fly fisherman as it will all happen sometime in...
It's an exciting time to be a fly fisherman as it will all happen sometime in...
Frontal systems and toads.
Posted on May 19 2017
Its accepted by anglers almost everywhere that the first day of a high pressure system is a poor day to fish. Well, this week we had two of 'em. Monday's got rid of Sundays rain with a wind that exceeded 20 mph not counting gusts. I drove around all afternoon and saw nary a riser.
Today started out much warmer than the forecast high of seventy degrees and by 3:30 it had reached 85. I was...
Today started out much warmer than the forecast high of seventy degrees and by 3:30 it had reached 85. I was...
Just so you know.
Posted on May 19 2017
At midnight last night NYC reduced the flow from its reservoirs. This will make wading easier but it will result in warmer water temps since the bulk of the water coming from the reservoirs is now overflow off the top which has been warmed by the recent hot weather.
At present this poses no threat to the fish, however, unless we get cool cloudy rainy days the bug activity and fishing will be...
At present this poses no threat to the fish, however, unless we get cool cloudy rainy days the bug activity and fishing will be...
The spinner falls are too good to miss!
Posted on May 18 2017
Fished the WB in the morning hoping to beat the heat and find some fish eating leftover spinners. The water is now at a level where the WB can be waded (with care). At noon when I headed back to mow the lawn there were nine cars in the upper gamelands lot. There were spinners on the water when I got there (paraleps, hendricksons and caddis) and there were fish up feeding. With no wind (yet) the...
The first one shirter
Posted on May 17 2017
They said it was going to be hot and sunny and it was. My car thermometer registered 90 most of the afternoon.
Went out early to beat the heat and hooked and lost two more rainbows. Took the middle of the day off and returned in time to catch a apple caddis/hendrickson hatch. Stopped at the first empty pool with risers and promptly lost the first two fish I hooked. Was fast to a nice brown when I...
Went out early to beat the heat and hooked and lost two more rainbows. Took the middle of the day off and returned in time to catch a apple caddis/hendrickson hatch. Stopped at the first empty pool with risers and promptly lost the first two fish I hooked. Was fast to a nice brown when I...
Rainbows best Angler 119!
Posted on May 16 2017
Fished the BE, BK and the UEB today. Found rainbows lunching on a hatch of small caddis just after noon. Had no problem getting them to eat my flies, landing them, however, was another story. Three left wearing an Angler119 fly as a remembrance of the occasion. Managed to get only one of the six that I hooked into the net.
Mid afternoon I headed for the UEB in search of Hendricksons. Found...
Mid afternoon I headed for the UEB in search of Hendricksons. Found...
Not to be the one to throw a wet blanket but - - -
Posted on May 15 2017
From the 5th to the 11th of this month whenever I was able to get into the water on the WB and the UEB I found myself in the midst of epic hatches of paraleps and Hendricksons. Wading was limited but the fishing was very good. Last Thursday and Friday there was a marked decline in the hatches. (The fishing was better as you had a better chance of getting a rising fish to look at your fly.)
I...
I...
Are the Hendricksons petering out?
Posted on May 12 2017
With rumors that March Browns were hatching, I tried a pool on the lower Beaverkill. Never saw a MB or a rise.
At about two I started my journey up the UEB. From the Sunoco station at East Branch to the pool above Thayer Hollow, there were multiple cars at every pull off and parking area. It was not until I got above Corbett that I found a pool with no cars. Saw a few Hendricksons on the water...
At about two I started my journey up the UEB. From the Sunoco station at East Branch to the pool above Thayer Hollow, there were multiple cars at every pull off and parking area. It was not until I got above Corbett that I found a pool with no cars. Saw a few Hendricksons on the water...
Warmer temp extends the fishing.
Posted on May 11 2017
Left camp early as I had a long walk to get to where I wanted to be on the WB for my date with the bugs and the fish. Neither showed up. At 2:00 I pulled the plug and returned to the car more lathered up than Always Dreaming after his Derby win. Drove over to the UEB and encountered more boats, cars and fishermen than I'd seen since the One Bug Weekend.
At 2:45 fishermen were sitting down (not a...
At 2:45 fishermen were sitting down (not a...
It doesn't get any better than this!
Posted on May 10 2017
If you went looking for Rick at the Troutfitter today, you didn't find him. Don't know if he called in sick or just took a personal day. All I know is that by the end of the day he was feeling just fine. Stop by the shop and ask him how he did.
If you followed the advice in yesterdays report and made it to the river today you witnessed an epic hatch of paraleps and Hendricksons. Put simply, both...
If you followed the advice in yesterdays report and made it to the river today you witnessed an epic hatch of paraleps and Hendricksons. Put simply, both...
Personal days and sick leave?
Posted on May 09 2017
Returned from my sojourn down south in time to be on the WB (at 2800 cfs) for the paralep/Hendrickson hatch. It was cool and breezy but the bugs came (boy did they ever!!!). The fish are now keyed in on them and were rising even in the heavier, faster water.
The WB fish don't suffer fools and with the wind and difficult wading I got my share of refusals. But enough of the fish were willing to...
The WB fish don't suffer fools and with the wind and difficult wading I got my share of refusals. But enough of the fish were willing to...
Used one of my time outs!
Posted on May 09 2017
With wade fishing the Delaware system taken off the table by unseasonably high water I spent 18 hours (round trip) driving down to Tennessee to fish the Watauga and South Holston tailwaters with
an avid fly fisherman friend, originally from Syracuse who now resided in Greensboro, North Carolina. We floated the Watauga Sunday and wade fished the South Holston on Monday.
Both rivers have large...
No Mas!
Posted on May 07 2017
With the sun shining in Lordville and the WB dropping back towards 3000cfs, I sat down and tied a dozen red quills and paraleps. I was confident that with the warmer air temp the bugs would come again and that I could get out for a second day of dry fly fishing before the cold front shut things down.
Checked the water level for the WB at noon and instead of dropping below 3000cfs it had risen...
Checked the water level for the WB at noon and instead of dropping below 3000cfs it had risen...
Jean and Pam save the day!
Posted on May 05 2017
After yesterdays less than scintillating day on the Neversink, I was left with no where to go. Both branches and the big river were at higher levels than I had ever waded them and 3/4 quarters of an inch of rain was in the forecast.
When I looked out at 5:45am it was raining. It continued to rain all morning. The air temp hovered at 45, some 13 degrees below the predicted high. The water temp...
When I looked out at 5:45am it was raining. It continued to rain all morning. The air temp hovered at 45, some 13 degrees below the predicted high. The water temp...
At least I got the Lawn mowed.
Posted on May 04 2017
With the Delaware system too high to wade I drove over to the Neversink ( it took about 45 minutes from Hancock) where the ghosts of LaBranch and Hewitt haunt the waters. The reservoir was 99.8 percent full but NYC loves Neversink water and the pipe to Rondout was no doubt open and there was no spill. The air temp was 58 degrees with a chilly breeze. Saw two Hendricksons, one Quill Gordon and a...
It's good we aren't in a parade.
Posted on May 03 2017
The river system has peaked from Monday night's storm but all rivers remain unwadeable. The West Branch offers the best possibility for drift boat fishing as the area above the reservoir didn't get hit as hard as the East Branch did. It will be full of alewives and should be clearing up by tomorrow if it doesn't get serious rain. Bring your streamer rod and alewife imitations.
Another...
Another...
If you're thinking of fishing the Delaware today - Think again!
Posted on May 02 2017
The entire system got hit by a frontal system and is blown out. The rivers are flowing orange and are not even safe for drift boats.
The reservoirs will be spilling again for days and the rivers are likely to remain too high for wade fishing all week. If we don't get additional rain (rain is in the forecast all week) drift boaters should have good streamer fishing for alewife eating trout late in...
The reservoirs will be spilling again for days and the rivers are likely to remain too high for wade fishing all week. If we don't get additional rain (rain is in the forecast all week) drift boaters should have good streamer fishing for alewife eating trout late in...
Where it"s at
Posted on April 30 2017
I usually head home on Saturday morning to take care of household chores and fulfill social obligations. This week I delayed my departure in order to take in the the "One Bug" launchings and to get a feel for just how many fishermen and drift boats would be on the river.
On my drive up the UEB around two thirty I saw several boats and a significant number of wade fishermen all hoping that the...
On my drive up the UEB around two thirty I saw several boats and a significant number of wade fishermen all hoping that the...
New approach - - -same results but with a stronger smell
Posted on April 28 2017
Instead of driving around like a maniac all day looking for rising fish I decided to mow the lawn, tie some flies and then drive around like a maniac for half a day looking for fish. I saved a little gas by starting later but I had a part break on the mower - so call it a wash.
It was a bright, sunny and warm day and I'll bet from the cars on the road lots of people snuck out of work early to take...
It was a bright, sunny and warm day and I'll bet from the cars on the road lots of people snuck out of work early to take...
Dead certs shouldn't be bet on.
Posted on April 28 2017
I knew yesterday, which will be a top ten for sure, would be a tough act to follow.
The big river, at current levels is boats only. It is warming up and there are Paraleps and Hendricksons on my screens but you can't step off the bank without going over the tops of your waders.
The UEB and WB are still cold from the big releases and the bugs are behind.
The Big east is wadeable in some places but...
The big river, at current levels is boats only. It is warming up and there are Paraleps and Hendricksons on my screens but you can't step off the bank without going over the tops of your waders.
The UEB and WB are still cold from the big releases and the bugs are behind.
The Big east is wadeable in some places but...
It's early days - but
Posted on April 26 2017
The dandelions have been in bloom for almost a week. The shad bush is in full bloom. The water temps have for the most part stayed below the magic 50 degree mark. The reservoirs are full and spilling. The West Branch, upper East Branch and big river are too high to wade safely. The rivers are filled with alewives and the trout are gorging on them.
Boat fishermen have been throwing streamers at...
Boat fishermen have been throwing streamers at...