We had another freak rainstorm last night.  The West Branch is high and very off color below Oquaga Creek and is not wadeable this morning.  The flow at Hale Eddy is over 4,000 cfs.  Above Oquaga to the dam should be fine flowing at 515 cfs.  The release is 460 cfs so there is some runoff coming in from Cold Spring Creek in Stilesville.  The West Branch flow has peaked and should drop quickly throughout the day.

We shouldn’t see any additional rain today.  We’ll hit 85 degrees with sun and clouds.  The wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the North.  Wunderground shows us cooling off over the weekend with no more rain until Sunday.

Above Oquaga stick with small sulphurs and olives.  Maybe a few flying ants will show in the afternoon.  Below Oquaga it looks like floating throwing streamers is the only option until the flows drop back.  That will be better if it clears up a bit by the afternoon.

Dan landed this one yesterday afternoon. Bruce Miller photo

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

Yesterday was a warm one but a few clouds rolled in during the later afternoon.  Most of the storms went just South of us but we had a light rain for a few minutes.  Today looks like it will be exactly like yesterday right down to the 20% chance of an afternoon thunderstorm.  Maybe a little more wind at 10  mph from the South.  Nymphing produced some fish and there are still sulphurs and olives during the day in the cold water closest to the dams.  We are seeing more caddis which is always a welcome sight.  There are still tricos in the morning. That can be a finicky hatch so if you see bugs and no fish move to a different spot.  Wunderground shows the heat breaking over the weekend.

The lower Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem temperatures are all peaking over 70 degrees.  Give those rivers a break until they cool down. 

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

We’re in for a couple of days of heat before it breaks again so your best bet for daytime hatching will still be close to the dams in the coldest water.  Nymphing has worked well in the lower river sections.  The runoff has cleared a bit of the algae up near deposit so nymphing has been a little easier up there.  Oquaga Creek was still putting some color in the river yesterday but just enough to stain the water and not affect the fishing.  Small olives, sulphurs, and caddis were seen on the river yesterday.  A few isonychias and golden drakes were in the air too.  87 degrees today with sunshine and a few clouds.  We do have a 20%  chance of some storms but they’ll probably slide South of us.  Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the West

Donnie with an early one yesterday. Bruce Miller photo

The lower Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem temperatures are all peaking over 70 degrees.  Give those rivers a break until they cool down. 

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The flow at Hale Eddy is down to 790 cfs and the river looks good this morning.  Oquaga Creek was still putting color in the river yesterday afternoon but it was fishable.  There were a lot of people throwing streamers but people did find some fish rising in the afternoon.  Today will be warmer at 85 degrees.  We’ll see a few clouds roll through with wind 5 – 7 mph from the South.  If the weather report is correct we should see cloud cover most of the week with some showers here and there.  Caddis are showing back up and we’re still seeing sulphurs and olives.  Mid day on the lower West will still fish best with nymphs and wets but carry your dry flies just in case.

Tim found some fish yesterday. Bruce Miller photo

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

There were no freak rain storms this morning.  Luckily the storms missed us yesterday afternoon too.  If you’re fishing above Oquaga Creek everything looks normal and the West Branch is flowing at 497 cfs and is clear.  Once you get below Oquaga the feeder streams are adding some color to the river but it is fishable.  The flow is still dropping at Hale Eddy and will clear a bit as the runoff subsides.  It’s not the prettiest the West Branch has ever looked but it is clear enough to fish.  It looks like great conditions for streamers and it is clear enough for fish to rise if there are bugs on the water.  We’ll hit 81 degrees today with a 40% chance of a couple morning thunderstorms.  Hopefully they slide South of us like normal.  The afternoon will be a mix of clouds and sun.  We shouldn’t have any wind to deal with today.

The flow is much better than yesterday and still dropping

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

8:45 AM Update  We had more rain than was forecasted.  Hale Eddy is at 4000 cfs right now.   Oquaga Creek is going to add some color to the river

We had some rain overnight and a little still falling at 6:30 this morning.  Nothing heavy but the flow at Hale Eddy is climbing.  It looks like they did a quick pulse release from Cannonsville overnight so that is where the water is coming from.  The flow at Stilesville is already dropping back so we should see the flow at Hale peak and begin to drop soon.  To day looks like a pretty great day to be on the river.  75 degrees, wind 5 – 10 mph from the South, and .14″ of rain with clouds.  There is a chance of some thunderstorms this afternoon but they say that everyday.  Bring a raincoat just in case.

If the rain changes the flows dramatically we’ll do a mid day update but right now that is not in the forecast.

And a week from tomorrow:

River Clean Up Saturday August 15th. Open to all and it’s going to be awesome

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The flows throughout the system have dropped dramatically as the runoff from the rain subsides.  The lower West Branch out front looks fine this morning and is running clear.  We’re coming off a cool night and should only see the temp rise to high 70’s today.  We’ll see a mix of clouds with less than 1/10″ of rain overnight.  The change in the weather is going to be great for the rivers.  Definitely have your olive box ready along with your small sulphurs.  Hopefully the cooler weather and cloud cover pushes the isonychia hatch earlier in the day.  We have been seeing more caddis over the last week too.

The flow at Hale Eddy looks just about normal this morning

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

We had the rain yesterday but luckily not all of the wind that was in the forecast.  The river flows are up but are already dropping back this morning.  The Hale Eddy flow is already under 900 cfs this morning and is dropping quickly.  The rivers will clear as they drop too.  The lower West is off color from the feeder streams but should look better by the afternoon.  There is enough visibility to streamer fish this morning and if there are enough bugs the fish will rise.  It may not fully clear until tomorrow but overall it came through just fine.  Stilesville is steady at 470 cfs so the river should look good above Oquaga Creek.  The Eastern drainage is a bit bigger so it will take longer for the runoff to filter through.  We’ll see 78 degrees today with a mix of clouds and sun.  Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the West.  This will help dry things out a bit.  There is no additional rain in our forecast until Friday.

The flow at Stilesville looks fine this morning

The flow at Hale Eddy is dropping fast this morning

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

At 6 am we are just seeing a small bump in flows from the rain.  We should see rain all day with the heaviest amount falling in the afternoon.  We could see between 2″ and 3″ of rainfall.  We are in a flash flood watch – most likely for the small feeder streams.  Wind will be 10 – 20 mph switching from the South to the North.   The air temp will  only hit 70 degrees today as the storm passes through.  If we see significant changes in flows we’ll do an update this afternoon but keep an eye on the latest flows by clicking the gauge links below.  If you head out today be careful.

Dan went for smallies yesterday. Chris Calabrese photo

The lower Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem temperatures are all peaking over 70 degrees.  Give those rivers a break until they cool down. 

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

No pulse release from Cannonsville so the flows are steady and close to where they were yesterday.  The air temp should hit 83 degrees today which also puts us right where we were yesterday.  According to Wunderground we should see “considerable” cloudiness with wind 5 – 10 from the West.  The rain in today’s forecast should start until well after dark.  Tomorrow is the day with well over an inch of rain predicted but watch that report- they’ve been changing our forecasted amount over the last few days.  Check the latest weather reports and check the gauges a lot tomorrow. We’ll do multiple updates if conditions change throughout the day.  Sulphurs and olives with a few isonychias and caddis will cover your need today.

Darren with one in yesterday’s sunshine. Bruce Miller photo

Bruce and Rich with another one yesterday

The lower Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem temperatures are all peaking over 70 degrees.  Give those rivers a break until they cool down. 

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

We had a little rain overnight but not enough to bump the flows as of 6 am.  The total rainfall for the day should be around 1/10th” but there are some thunderstorms in the area that could drop more.  The ground is still dry despite the rain over the last few days so any precip. will probably get get absorbed.  Wind will be 10 – 15 mph from the South and the air temp will be 86 degrees.  The cloud cover is great though and it looks like a good day to be on the water.  Just keep an eye on the radar.

Definitely have some lives handy along with your small sulphurs.  Caddis and a few isonychias have been around and hopefully show up today with the good weather.

The lower Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem temperatures are all peaking over 70 degrees.  Give those rivers a break until they cool down. 

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

They did another brief pulse release from Cannonsville last night but the flows are already dropping back at 6 am this morning.  We’ll likely settle back in the 450- 500 cfs range at Stilesville.  Today’s weather looks a lot like yesterday.  We’ll see a few clouds but mostly sun with the air temp reaching 85 degrees.  No wind and a 10% chance of precipitation.  So the first August report of 2020 is going to sound just like most of July.  Midday go up close to the dams in the coldest water for the best shot at dry fly fishing.  If you stay lower the best timing for dry flies will be early and late.  The lower WB will be better for nymphing because of the algae in the upper river.  We have a higher chance of some precipitation tonight and tomorrow but it shouldn’t be enough to affect flows.

Bruce with a nice fish yesterday. Tim Glynn photo

The lower Beaverkill, lower East Branch, and Mainstem temperatures are all peaking over 70 degrees.  Give those rivers a break until they cool down. 

Hatching:
Click on the fly to see the patterns in our online store

Slate Drake – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Epeorus vitreus, stenocron sp., invaria
Sulphur – #18 – 20 – E. dorothea
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophillia sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata
Light Blue Wing Olive – 16 -20 – E. attenuata, cornutella

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update: