We’ve teamed up with Michael Johnson to offer a line of Alpaca Dubbing Furs.  Many people know Michael from the Delaware, the Fly Fishing Shows, and his Instagram Account @theflywarrior.

Michael sources the 100% natural Alpaca fur from the Upper Delaware Region.  It is then dyed and processed in small batches by Michael himself to match the major hatches.

Alpaca dubbing is a great substitute for baby seal, floats well, and is suitable for both dry flies and nymphs.  It is also a green and sustainable product.  Check it our in our online store here

Michael Johnson fly

Every Sunday in November we will list a limited run of a new fly in our online store.  A different pattern each week.  These are patterns we think are cool but don’t have room for in the shop bins.

Week five is a Hi Vis Rusty Spinner.  These are tied in sizes 10-2xl – 16-2xl on a Daiichi 1280 hook, Delaware River Club Rusty Spinner Dubbing and Light Dun Hi Vis Wings.  The post is Hot Pink Hi Vis.  It’s a hard one to miss on the water!    Click here to see them in the store

Click on the links below for the most recent flow updates:

Every Sunday in November we will list a limited run of a new fly in our online store.  A different pattern each week.  These are patterns we think are cool but don’t have room for in the shop bins.

Week four are a few useful Sulphur options.  The Sulphur hatch is long lasting and notoriously difficult.  This sulphur nymph is an updated version of one we used 20 years ago to sight nymph fish on the Watauga and South Holston Rivers during their tough sulphur hatches.  The emerger is a low floating fly with a touch of orange in the thorax as a trigger.  The cripple is tied a lot like our spinner patterns.  Spinners make great cripples that look like mayflies with wings stuck in the film.  This one has a trailing shuck.   Click here to see them in the store

Click on the links below for the most recent flow updates:

Every Sunday in November we will list a limited run of a new fly in our online store.  A different pattern each week.  These are patterns we think are cool but don’t have room for in the shop bins

Week three is the Apple Caddis life cycle.  This can be a tough hatch simply because of the shear numbers of them in the system.  The fish can and will key in on different stages and you’re more likely to catch fish underneath than you are on the surface during the height of the hatch.   Click here to see them in the store

Click on the links below for the most recent flow updates:

Every Sunday for next four weeks we will list a limited run of a new fly in our online store.  A different pattern each week.  These are patterns we think are cool but don’t have room for in the shop bins

Week two are three Hendrickson options. The Hendrickson hatch starts off easy but the longer it lasts the picker the fish can get- especially in low water conditions.  These three patterns work well on picky fish.  We did the Extra Red Compardun and the Floating Wet Fly last year but they are both worth repeating.  Click here to see them in the store

Click on the links below for the most recent flow updates:

Every Sunday for next four weeks we will list a limited 4 dozen run of a new fly in our online store.  One new pattern each week.  These are patterns we think are cool but don’t have room for in the shop bins

Week one is the Psilotreta Caddis.  The Dark Blue Sedge hatch is an important from late May into June.  It’s hard to miss these big dark flies.  The larva isn’t readily available to trout so that’s unimportant to us.  The pupa, adult, and egg laying imitations are definite fish catchers.  These three patterns are in the online store in limited numbers here

John found some risers on the river yesterday

Click on the links below for the most recent flow updates:

This is our last daily post for the season.  We will resume again April 1st.  In the meantime starting tomorrow we will be posting weekly limited run fly patterns at least through November.  Same as last Winter.

It’s a cold 27 degrees this morning but we should warm up to 44 by the afternoon.  At least we’ll have some sunshine mixed it today.  The runoff is still filtering through the system but the rivers are dropping.  The release from Cannonsville is around 150 cfs and the flow at Hale Eddy is just over 500 cfs.  Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the South.  We should see some olives in the afternoon once the water temps climb a bit.  Otherwise nymphing or small streamers should work well to start the day.  It looks like the weather will be back and forth this week but it should fish if you choose the warm days with little wind.

Tonight

There is some color in the West Branch from the release.  The higher the release the more color will be in the river.  It happens every Fall when the reservoir begins to turn over.

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

Slate Drake – #14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

It’s been raining since yesterday morning so the river flows are up this morning.  This morning we will change to rain mixed with snow for a bit and then hit 40 degrees in the afternoon.  It’s going to be a cold weekend and then warm back up next week.  The flow at Hale Eddy is already dropping but keep an eye on the gauge for the latest flows since it is still raining.  Streamers and nymphs will be your best bets this weekend but you may get a shot at little olives in the slow pools and tailouts.

There is some color in the West Branch from the release.  The higher the release the more color will be in the river.  It happens every Fall when the reservoir begins to turn over.

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

Slate Drake – #14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The release from Cannonsville has been dropped again and the flow at Stilesville is 325 cfs.  This was done in anticipation of the runoff meeting the downstream flow targets.  If  Wunderground is correct we’ll see close to 2″ of rain mixed with some snow over the next two days.  We’re also in for quite a cold snap but we should warm back up early next week.  We’re still fishing small olives for the most part with the occasional small isonychia and caddis thrown in the mix.

There is some color in the West Branch from the release.  The higher the release the more color will be in the river.  It happens every Fall when the reservoir begins to turn over.

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

Slate Drake – #14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The release from Cannonsville has been dropped and the flow at Stilesville is 589 cfs and still falling at 6 am.  The release is 500 cfs.  We should see 1/4″ of rain today with another 1/2″ tomorrow.  They’re counting on the runoff to meet the downstrean flow targets.  Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the South and the air temp will hit 54 degrees.  The olive hatches have been good on some sections.  Just keep out of the wind and you’ll find fish eating them.  There are still some caddis and isonychias around but the olives have been the most dependable.

There is some color in the West Branch from the release.  The higher the release the more color will be in the river.  It happens every Fall when the reservoir begins to turn over.

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

Slate Drake – #14 – Isonychia bicolor
Olive Sulphur – #18 -20 – Heptagenia hebe
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Ginger Caddis – #14 – 16 Limnephilis sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

We had a little rain overnight but not enough to change the flows.  The release from Cannonsville was bumped slightly and the flow at Stilesville is 1,060 cfs. Today will be 52 degrees with wind 5 – 10 mph from the North.  We’ll see a little bit of rain today and tomorrow but not enough to make a difference.  Yesterday was a decent day on tiny olives.  We may see some better rain Thursday and Friday but the air temps also drop.  We’ll warm back up over the weekend.

There is some color in the West Branch from the release.  The higher the release the more color will be in the river.  It happens every Fall when the reservoir begins to turn over.

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

Slate Drake – #14 – Isonychia bicolor
Olive Sulphur – #18 -20 – Heptagenia hebe
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Ginger Caddis – #14 – 16 Limnephilis sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

It’s a little warmer this morning with some light rain falling.  We’ll hit 54 degrees today with a little rain but not enough to affect the flows.  Wind will be 10 mph from the South.  Not ideal wind but way better than Saturday.  Yesterday was decent with light wind and a mix of clouds and sun.  The olives were out and people did find fish eating them.  Nymphing work well early before the hatch started.

Brandon found some fish yesterday. John Loughlin photo

John found some fish too

There is some color in the West Branch from the release.  The higher the release the more color will be in the river.  It happens every Fall when the reservoir begins to turn over.

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

Slate Drake – #14 – Isonychia bicolor
Olive Sulphur – #18 -20 – Heptagenia hebe
Tiny Olive – #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.
Tan Caddis - #18 – 20 – Hydropsyche sp.
Ginger Caddis – #14 – 16 Limnephilis sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives – #18 – 20 – E. deficiens, lata

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update: