Posted on October 14 2016
Motivated more by the lack of deer sightings from my tree stand than the expectation of good fishing, I drove down to the river. It was bright and sunny without a cloud in the sky and the foliage colors were beyond belief. If you have a chance go this weekend do it. The trees will be bare a long time. Syracuse to Binghamton and back will do the trick but the whole ride to Lordville was beautiful.
I wanted to fish downstream on the big river while the water was low so I went all the way to Callicoon. Did not see an angler from Deposit to the bridge in Callicoon. Fished in solitude for almost three hours. There were pseudos but with the warm sun they were popping quickly off the water and there were no risers to be seen. Rose four fish blind casting, three of which ate and were landed. The fish (all rainbows) were quite heavy (perhaps they have eaten a lot of shad fingerlings) and were all between 16 and 17 inches. The fourth fish said no.
As the sun went behind the hills the temp dropped into the low fifties and the bugs stayed glued to the water. The only rises I saw, however, were fall fish.
With the short window of opportunity (bugs from 2:00 'til 5:00), and the lack of rising fish it was a far better day than I anticipated. Couple that with the beautiful fall colors and it would have been perfect but for the one other angler I saw all day who walked two hundred yards down the shore to a spot opposite me, waded out and started casting across my line!
NOTE:
If you plan on fishing the big river or the WB check the Stilesville release. It is going straight up to make minimum flow as apparently the Wallenpaupak draw down is complete.
I wanted to fish downstream on the big river while the water was low so I went all the way to Callicoon. Did not see an angler from Deposit to the bridge in Callicoon. Fished in solitude for almost three hours. There were pseudos but with the warm sun they were popping quickly off the water and there were no risers to be seen. Rose four fish blind casting, three of which ate and were landed. The fish (all rainbows) were quite heavy (perhaps they have eaten a lot of shad fingerlings) and were all between 16 and 17 inches. The fourth fish said no.
As the sun went behind the hills the temp dropped into the low fifties and the bugs stayed glued to the water. The only rises I saw, however, were fall fish.
With the short window of opportunity (bugs from 2:00 'til 5:00), and the lack of rising fish it was a far better day than I anticipated. Couple that with the beautiful fall colors and it would have been perfect but for the one other angler I saw all day who walked two hundred yards down the shore to a spot opposite me, waded out and started casting across my line!
NOTE:
If you plan on fishing the big river or the WB check the Stilesville release. It is going straight up to make minimum flow as apparently the Wallenpaupak draw down is complete.