July 12, 2015

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 12, 2015

Yesterday was a typical summer day with afternoon sulphurs in Deposit and Iso’s through the evening.  The lower West was decent in the evening with a fair amount of vitreus.  The Main Stem fished early on but the temps were too warm in the evening to produce many rising fish.
The water is still dropping and more of the river is becoming accessible to those on foot.  The sun will shine bright today, so look for fish in the shade and riffles.

Eric Athey with a great WB rainbow.

Eric’s son Tom, left, with his first Delaware rainbow.

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12-2xl  – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Sulphur #18-20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahills #14 – various steno species (invaria, etc)
Golden Drake #12-2xl – Potomanthus distinctus
PED / Pink Lady #14 – E. vitreus
Large Blue Winged Olive #14 – D. cornuta
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22-26 – Pseudo sp. (now classified as Acentrella sp.)
Charcoal Caddis #14 -16 – dark Brachycentrus sp.
Tan Caddis #16-18 – Hydrosyche sp.
Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Little Black Caddis #18 – 20 – Dark Chimarra sp.

Flows and Temps as of 8:00 AM:
Click on the gauge below to view the latest update

July 11, 2015

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 11, 2015

The reservoirs have stopped spilling and the release has been stepped down to 700 cfs. This should make the West Branch good for both floating and wading today. Overall, the Upper Delaware is in good shape with clear water. The sun will be out today, look for trout rising in the shade.

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12-2xl  – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Sulphur #18-20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahills #14 – various steno species (invaria, etc)
Golden Drake #12-2xl – Potomanthus distinctus
PED / Pink Lady #14 – E. vitreus
Large Blue Winged Olive #14 – D. cornuta
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22-26 – Pseudo sp. (now classified as Acentrella sp.)
Charcoal Caddis #14 -16 – dark Brachycentrus sp.
Tan Caddis #16-18 – Hydrosyche sp.
Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Little Black Caddis #18 – 20 – Dark Chimarra sp.

Flows and Temps as of 8:00 AM:
Click on the gauge below to view the latest update

July 10, 2015

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 10, 2015

Yesterday the  West Branch provided us with decent afternoon suphur hatches to land  a few decent fish.  A few fish were also taken on streamers, but not as many were eager to chase now that the water is dropping.  More of the river is becoming more wade accessible for release from Cannonsville has been cut back to 1,000 cfs.  The rain from last night has brought Walton, the Cannonsville inflow, up to 800 cfs and it still continues to rise.
The sun is supposed to shine today and the wind will speak subtly with gusts up to 15mph from the NW.  Despite the sun, one should expect to see Sulphurs, Isonychia’s, Golden Drakes, and small Olives. Patience is the key as the hatches might not be strong early in the day.  Stay vigilant and look for big heads on the banks and in eddies.

A nice fish from yesterday afternoon. Photo by Jared Makowski

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12-2xl  – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Sulphur #18-20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahills #14 – various steno species (invaria, etc)
Golden Drake #12-2xl – Potomanthus distinctus
PED / Pink Lady #14 – E. vitreus
Large Blue Winged Olive #14 – D. cornuta
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22-26 – Pseudo sp. (now classified as Acentrella sp.)
Charcoal Caddis #14 -16 – dark Brachycentrus sp.
Tan Caddis #16-18 – Hydrosyche sp.
Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Little Black Caddis #18 – 20 – Dark Chimarra sp.

Flows and Temps as of 8:00 AM:
Click on the gauge below to view the latest update

April 18, 2015

Delaware River Report / Conditions April 18, 2015

The reports from yesterday are a bit mixed but it seems most success came on nymphs.  There were a few stoneflies and very few mayflies around in the afternoon.  There were fish rising but they were inconsistent making them tough to target.  You had to be in the right place at the right time and cast quick to target them.  Hare’s ears, copper johns, and pheasant tails in #14 -16 seemed to work well.  We still have decent water temperatures this morning with air temps of 70 degrees in the forecast.  They are calling for wind gusts around 15 -156 mph in the afternoon so find a bend in the river or some other wind break.  Hopefully the wind will blow more stoneflies on the water.  The West Branch under the 191 Bridge is 46 degrees this morning.

Larry makes the blog two days in a row! Photo by Samantha Dennis

Hatching:

Little Black Stoneflies #14 – 18 – Capnidae sp. and Taeniopteryx sp.

March 16, 2015

Delaware River Report / Conditions March 16, 2015

We are thawing, but the river is still frozen solid.  There is warmer daytime weather on the way but the nights are still going to be below freezing.

February 5, 2015

Flyline to backing splice

Here is new video of DRC guide Jim Swift demonstrating a new method to smoothly connect your flyline to your backing.
Also, check out our other knot tying videos: https://thedelawareriverclub.com/tips-and-techniques/knot-tying-videos/

September 25, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 25, 2014

Today’s weather appears to be more than ideal; clouds, a little rain in the forecast, high of 66, and no wind!  The Main yesterday yielded less bugs than the previous days, but fish in the quick water were eager to react to an Iso being blind cast.  There were also a lot of #20-24 olives and a ton of #16 caddis by the evening.  Dry fly fishing on the West Branch continues to be spotty but nymphing and streamer fishing the AM remains to be productive.  The graph at Stilesville says 885 cfs so the West should become more wader friendly by this afternoon.

A nice brown from the upper main.

Hatching:

Olive/Sulphurs #18 -20 H. hebe

Summer Stenos #12-16 various species

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Dark Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. deficiens, lata, etc.

Slate Drakes #12 – 14 -Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

September 22, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 22, 2014

Despite the mid day sun and the unrelenting wind, the fish were still eager to rise and take duns off the surface.  On the Main Stem, size 14 Isos, 18-24 olives, 14-16 steno’s, and 26 flying ants were served to the fish yesterday.  Reports from the west branch are very spotty with minute amounts of bugs and fluctuating water levels. There was some early morning streamer action before the sun rose, but the fish ceased to be aggressive once the light shined upon the water.  Today is supposed to be mostly cloudy with a high of 58 with a chance of showers this morning and a downstream wind.

Nothing like your first day on the Delaware!

September 3, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 3, 2014

Despite the constant alterations made to the Cannsonsville release, the river still fished!  Sulphurs and olives were found early to mid afternoon in Deposit.  On the lower river, the action didn’t happen until around 6pm with a few olives of various sizes.  Since the fish have been sporadic the past few days, one good tactic is to move slowly up and down a pool until you find a group of fish.  Stay on them! While they may only rise once every couple minutes, a well placed fly immediately after they feed will be sure to fool them.

We received some heavy rain late yesterday evening but it wasn’t enough to change the river.  Today is supposed to be partly sunny and less humid.  The lack of humidity should keep the fog off the river.  The current flow from the Cannonsville dam is  600 cfs, let’s hope it doesn’t change too much today.

Although it’s quite uncommon, these little guys find their way into the river from time to time!

They still are making constant changes to the release.

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -20 E. dorothea

Summer Stenos #12-16 various species

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Dark Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. deficiens, lata, etc.

Slate Drakes #12 – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

August 21, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions August 21, 2014

There is still an unfortunate amount of the green goo plaguing the waters in Deposit, but the fish can still be caught!  Despite the several abrupt changes with the release from Cannonsville, there were still plenty of bugs and rising fish. As for the bugs, the cloudy weather and the rain brought a great deal of #18-24 olives. There were also some stenos and little sulphurs in the mix. Today looks like it should be a repeat of yesterday with some cloud cover and an evening thunderstorm. Hale Eddy is currently at 791 and the graph shows it is stable.

Rich with a pretty bow!

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -20 E. dorothea

Summer Stenos #12-16 various species

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Dark Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. deficiens, lata, etc.

Light Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. cornutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12 – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Golden Drakes – #12-2xl – Potomanthus sp.

August 14, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions August 14, 2014

We didn’t receive the amount of rain we had hoped for, but that means the system is still wad-able and the water clarity is normal.  Their is a chance of a few passing showers throughout the day, but nothing torrential.   Yesterday fished well in the rain with sulphurs and olives in deposit and some #14 Stenos and pseudos on the lower west.  You can expect things to be a little slower today with the sun, but there will be sulphurs in Deposit and the evening will fish well on the lower river.

The river remains virtually unchanged.

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -20 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Summer Stenos #12-16 various species

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Dark Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. deficiens, lata, etc.

Light Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. cornutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Golden Drakes – #12-2xl – Potomanthus sp.

August 6, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions August 6, 2014

Yesterday showed us more afternoon sulphurs in Deposit, and some evening hatches of cahills and isonychia on the lower West.  We received an afternoon rainstorm that put a sheen of fog on the river and the bugs shut down late in the evening. The water levels did not change, but the fog was appropriate for a quick streamer bite though using black.  Today will be partly cloudy will a chance of an evening thunderstorm.  The West Branch temp at Hancock is still 55 degrees!

A mama bear with 3 cubs crossing the river!

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -20 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Summer Stenos #12-16 various species

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Dark Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. deficiens, lata, etc.

Light Blue Winged Olive #16 -20 – E. cornutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Golden Drakes – #12-2xl – Potomanthus sp.