While yesterday’s cloud cover was intermittent, the system proved to fish well during the day.  The evening fishing picked up down river with olives, cahills, and Isonychias. If you were fishing the main you saw golden drakes and golden drake spinners along with the usual mix of summer insects.  Today looks like an exact copy of yesterday: passing cloud cover and a possible evening thunderstorm.

Be sure to try blind casting isos and larger flies in the riffs!

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

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

The rain missed us yesterday but the wind did not.  It was tough until the gusts dropped in the early evening.  Mid-day we saw a decent number of Isonychias and Pseudos on the water but the wind blew them off the surface before the fish could key in on them.  Luckily the they are calling for very little wind today which should definitely help the dry fly fishing.  The sulphurs are still going strong in Deposit during the mid afternoon and if we do get the predicted brief thunderstorm today has very good potential.  We are seeing a few Golden Drakes get eaten too – it’s great to get to throw big flies again.

Pat with a nice brown. Photo by Bob Lewis

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

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

The storms that were predicted to hit us really didn’t amount to anything at all.  The West Branch saw a very small bump last night and the flow at Hale Eddy is 709 this morning and dropping back.  The water looks fine on the West Branch and lower East Branch so we are looking really good right now.  We are looking at some cooler weather over the next couple of days with highs in the low 70′s.  We are seeing the Pseudos on the mid to lower West Branch and upper Main Stem mixed with some sulphurs and Isonychias.  The upper West Branch Sulphur hatches are still going strong in the afternoons and on some days continuing right into the evenings.  We are moving some fish on streamers in the early mornings before the sun really hits the water.  The cooler air and water temps will push the trico hatches back a little so don’t leave the river too soon if you’re looking for them.  The West Branch water temp under the 191 Bridge is 55 degrees this morning.

Ken with a chunky Mainstem brown from the weekend

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Well Accuweather isn’t always so accurate. Instead of clouds mixed with showers yesterday we ended up with bright sunshine for most of the afternoon.  The river still fished with a mix of sulphurs, summer stenos, and small olives.  We had some decent success over the weekend blind casting Isonychias and tan caddis in the riffles.  If Accuweather is accurate today we should see some clouds with intermittent rain today hopefully bringing out the olives in decent numbers.  Wet flies and Isonychia nymphs have proved effective during slow period so don’t overlook the riffles even in the sunshine.

Fred with an awesome Delaware rainbow

Fred and Debi taking a break. Jackets in July??

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Yesterday morning started off slow but fishing definitely picked up in the afternoon.  We saw decent numbers of Summer Stenos and Pseudos mixed with a few Sulphurs, Isonychias, and Golden Drakes.  There didn’t seem to be a “magic” fly.  It seemed to be more about timing and covering the fish well multiple times to get the eat.    There were a number of sporadic fish early but once the bugs started coming down we were able to set up on steady risers.  We have some light rain this morning and cool temperatures.  It looks like most of the weather is coming mid day today.  If it stays light and steady the fishing could be really good.  July 27th and the West Branch under the 191 Bridge is 57 degrees this morning- what an unbelievable Summer so far.

Art sent us this picture of Marcus with a 20″ brown from yesterday

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

The Upper West Branch had it’s normal sulphur hatches during the afternoon while the lower sections had some sulphur and steno flushes in the evening.  The activity seemed to really slow down as the sun and temperature dropped.  There were still fish to be found rising at dark if you moved around and were patient.  We saw a number of fish eating the sulphur emergers a few inches under the surface and occasionally taking one off the top.  Accuweather is calling for some afternoon clouds with some light rain late which could trigger the Isonychias and Pseudos.  This morning was cool enough to wear a fleece and the WB under the 191 Bridge is 57 degrees.

Mitchell sent us this picture of a pretty WB Brown

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

All the rivers in the system are clearing nicely and dropping back to normal flows.  The West Branch is in great shape this morning with a flow of 726 cfs at Hale Eddy and the water temperature under the 191 Bridge is 48 degrees.  The combination of sun and wind didn’t make fishing easy yesterday but some people found success mid day nymphing the mid to lower West Branch.  Isonychia nymphs combined with a small pheasant tail dropper seemed to be the ticket.  We’ve also found some fish very willing to eat wet flies swung through the riffles.  The afternoon sulphur hatches have continued on the upper river while we are seeing a lot of Pseudos on the lower sections in the evening.  We have not seen large Isonychia hatches lately but the fish are still looking up and are willing to eat the imitations.

Mitchell Kaliner makes the blog again with this rainbow from yesterday

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

That was quite a rain we were hit with last night.  Very brief and very heavy.  The Upper West Branch above most of the feeder streams looks like it came through just fine with barely a bump in flows.  Stilesville has already dropped back to it’s normal 609 cfs and should be fishable and looking good.  The mid to lower West Branch peaked around 1300 cfs but has already dropped back to 872 at Hale Eddy this morning.  It will be higher below Hale Eddy due to the feeder streams adding flow.  While the lower river has color it is fishable right now and should clear throughout the day and be in great shape tomorrow.  It is looking very good for streamers from a boat this morning.   Today should be cooler in the high 70′s.

Pack your yellow bugs

The Upper West Branch flows dropped back to normal overnight

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Today looks like a good fishing day with warm weather this morning and 75% chance of thunderstorms in the evening.  Hopefully the cloud cover increases during the late afternoon and the predicted rain looks light- perfect for Blue Winged Olives and Isonychias.  The Sulphurs are still going strong on the Upper West Branch offering decent daytime activity and the Pseudos are hatching on the mid to lower river in the evening.  This has been a really great July so far with temperatures at Lordville staying in the low 60s and the lower West Branch is starting off in the 50s every morning.  The West Branch is 57 degrees this morning under the Hancock Bridge and Lordville peaked yesterday at 64 degrees!

Mainstem temperatures in Lordville

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

We have some warmer weather coming coming in bringing some thunderstorms our way today and tomorrow.  It doesn’t look like much and some clouds and sporadic rain should help the fishing bringing the olives and Isonychias out and making the fish less wary to rise.  The sulphur hatches continue to come mid day on the Upper West Branch and the evenings have been decent on other sections.  Nymphing and streamer fishing has most productive in the early mornings before the sun hits the water.

Finding cool spinners in spider webs keep the mornings interesting

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

We woke up to another cool morning in the low 60′s which is great for the river system- let’s hope it continues all Summer.  The West Branch continues to be in awesome shape for late July with decent Sulphurs in the Deposit are and Summer Stenos and Isonychias on the lower sections.  The hatches are going strong up top but we have also had some surprisingly decent mid day hatches of Cahills on the lower sections.  A lot of the tiny Blue Winged Olives have been coming off mid morning, not too long after the fog burns off.  The West Branch is 56 degrees in Hancock this morning and the flows are steady and perfect for wading and floating.  The water temperatures are decent on the rest of the system and the flows are still slowly dropping back.

Finding solitude on the West Branch. What a pretty start to the day

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

The Lower East Branch and Upper Main Stem have cleared nicely over the last couple of days and temperatures remain great for July.  Lordville is starting off at 60 degrees this morning and Fish’s Eddy is 56 degrees.  This opens up a lot of water for those who wish to explore a bit.  The West Branch continues to fish well with Sulphurs, some Isonychias, and Light Cahills.  If we get some light rain we should see large flushes of Pseudos.  Just to mix it up up try blind fishing Cahills in the riffles rather than Isonychias- the fish seem to be on them.  The West Branch under the 191 Bridge is 57 degrees this morning.

Dave Price with a nice West Branch rainbow yesterday- photo by Bruce Miller

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. conutella, etc

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.