The release from Cannonsville has been decreased to 309 cfs.  It fished well when they dropped it this low last week so we are expecting the same today.  Afternoon olives, caddis, and isonychia spinner should be concentrated in the feeding lanes.  Wind should not be a factor today hitting 3 – 4 mph.  Maybe a little sun poking through this morning with clouds and the chance of an odd shower in the afternoon.  If we get a shower or two the precipitation amount will be minimal.

The flow at Montague this morning.

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

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The release from Cannonsville has been dropped to 467 cfs.  We’re not sure how long the current release will last.  There is a 4 hour whitewater release tomorrow on the Mongaup that would help meet downstream flow targets for a short time.  That release should be about 900 cfs.  There are no scheduled releases from Lake Wallenpaupack.  There is no rain in the short term forecast.  The Delaware at Barryville, NY above Lackawaxen is 1,400 cfs and dropping.  So once the Mongaup water filters through we should see a bump in our release again.  And remember they have to time it to reach Montague NJ.

The dry fly action started late yesterday afternoon.  There were some isonychia spinners and olives but the real story were the caddis.  They came out in good numbers and some were actually on the water.  The fish never got steady – just the nature of caddis fishing but if you watched carefully you could find fish to target and get to eat.  Early in the day streamers and nymphs were the best option.  Fish did hit iso dry flies as we were picking them back up so an iso wet fly would have probably done well.  We’ll hit 67 degrees today with mostly sunshine.  Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the North.  It looks very similar to yesterday.

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

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They were pretty accurate with the forecast yesterday and we did seem to have decent cloud cover.  We had decent fish rising around mid afternoon.  Caddis, olives, and isonychias.  Definitely carry your isonychia spinners.  Nymphing and throwing streamers are bringing some fish to the net before the hatches start.  Today is going to be warmer than yesterday with the air temp hitting 67 degrees.  We’ll have sunshine and wind 5 – 10 mph from the North.  It looks like a great weather weekend with daytime temps staying in the 60’s.

Still a few bigger stoneflies around too

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The release from Cannonsville has been in creased to 670 cfs.  The release from Pepacton looks like it increased to 290 cfs (ish).  The runoff is dropping back so the increases are likely to meet the flow targets downstream.  We don’t have any rain in the forecast until early next week.  We’ll hit 60 degrees today with wind around 5 – 7 mph from the North.  According to Wunderground we’ll have cloud cover all day.  Yesterday evening fished well with caddis and yellow sallies.  There were some olives and isonychias out there too.  Caddis were the main bugs so you had to be patient.  There were a lot in the air but enough were getting on the water you could find fish eating them.  There was actually a surprising number of yellow sallies out for October.

One of yesterday’s Iso eaters

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

Yesterday’s rain was just what we needed.  Just an all day soaking that never came down too heavy.  There is some color in the West Branch but it is fishable and should clear up even more by the afternoon as the runoff subsides.  The release from Cannonsville is 189 cfs.  The rest of the flow at Hale Eddy is runoff that is already dropping. Today will be totally different from yesterday with some sunshine, the air temp hitting 65 degrees, and wind 5 – 8 mph from the North.  There may be some clouds in the afternoon but we’re betting on sunshine.  The fog is thick this morning but should burn off shortly.  The lower water should help the fishing concentrating whatever bugs are hatching into more defined feeding lanes.  Olives, isonychias, and caddis should definitely be in your box today.

A good level to wade on the West

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

We woke up to a steady rain.  Not heavy but steady.  Wunderground is calling for just under 3/4″ of rain spread out over the entire day.  The release from Cannonsville has been cut back to 300 cfs.  The cut is probably in anticipation of the runoff adding enough water to the system to meet the downstream flow targets.  It looks like the freestone streams are just leveling off and beginning to rise on the graphs.  Wind should stay under 10 mph from the North today.  The air temp will hit 60 degrees.  It took a while for things to get going yesterday but overall most people found success.  It was nymphing and streamer fishing early with some isonychias and olives coming later on some river sections.  Overcast skies and falling water levels always seems to be a good combination.

Tim with a nice one yesterday. Bruce Miller photo

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The release from Cannonsville has been dropped to 500 cfs.  It seems that ramping down the releases is no longer going to happen.  It was nice the one or two times they did it in the past though.

That being said the West Branch should fish better with the lower flow.  It should concentrate the bugs more and create more definable feeding lanes.  All of the rivers in the system are at a good level for wading today,  According to Wunderground we may see a stray shower today but the better chance of rain will be after dark.    We’ll still have the wind 5 – 10 mph  from the South.  The cloud cover will be great.  Yesterday was a tough combo of wind and sun.  Dry fly fishing was tough so nymphing and wets were the best producers.  Everyone had the same story.  Lot s of bugs in the air.  Caddis, isos, and olives.  No bugs on the water.

The likely reason the release was dropped is the rain in tomorrow’s forecast.  Right now Wunderground has close to 1″of precip tomorrow.  If we get that it should create enough runoff to meet the downstream flow targets.  If the rain misses us count on the release from Cannonsville being increased.

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The release from Cannonsville was increased a bit to 917 cfs.  There are spots to wade the West at this level but not too many. The lower East Branch and Mainstem are both relatively low and easy wading at these levels.  They may be better choices.  It’s cool this morning but not as cold as we thought it would be down along the river.  The sun will come out today and push the air temp close to 60 degrees by mid afternoon.  Wind should be 6 – 8 mph which will feel like a gentle breeze after yesterday.  Some fish did rise yesterday but the wind turned it into more of a streamer / nymph day.  Start off underneath today but the evening should fish in the slower pools and tailouts with olives, isonychias, heptagenia, and caddis.

Terry stuck it out yesterday and got his first Delaware brown. Tim Glynn photo

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

We ended up with a light steady rain most of the day yesterday.  It was enough rain to bump up some of the freestone streams a bit.  The release from Cannonsville has been bumped up to 853 cfs.  Today is going to be cool staying in the low 50’s.  We’ll have some clouds early and some sun in the afternoon.  The air temp will drop into the mid 30’s overnight so it seems like fall really is here.  We should warm up a bit beginning tomorrow.  Isonychias, heptagenias, olives, and caddis.  Nymphing and streamers are working and are definitely your best bet early in the day.  The wind will peak around 15 mph from the North mid day and begin to drop in the late afternoon.  There are still enough leaves on the trees to hide from it a bit.

Have some Iso spinners in your box this weekend

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

The releasefrom Cannonsville has been increased slightly to 648 cfs this morning.  There’s a little rain falling this morning.  We should end up with around 1/4″ today and another 1/4″ falling over night.  It’s going to be cooler wit the air temp reaching 50 degrees.  Wind from the South 5 – 10 mph.  There are some olives and a couple of isonychias on the door this morning.  Look for risers in the slower tail outs and edges on the small olives.  Nymphing or throwing streamers will probably your best bet during the day.  Most of the dry fly action has been in the afternoon.  There should be some sunshine this weekend with more much needed rain next week.

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

Yesterday was an odd one on the West Branch.  The Cannonsville release was cut back to about 280 cfs for a brief period to rescue an immature eagle.  The eagle was rescued and the release was immediately increased back to where it was in the morning.  The release has now been dropped back to 588 cfs.  So a little weird but things will be fine and so far we’ve heard the eagle is fine.  No harm no foul.  We had a good rain storm last night that lasted about 10 minutes.  Today we have a 40% chance of more rain but Wunderground has the precip total listed as .06″.  The cloud cover should be good for the fishing.  Wind will be 5 – 10 mph from the South with the air temp reaching 76 degrees.  This morning the doors are covered with the most small isonychias we’ve seen so far this fall.  There are a lot of different sized olives out there too.  The caddis are all over the bushes.  Tough to say when they will hit the water but when they do it will be good.

Good signs on the buildings this morning

Hatching:
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Olive Sulphur – Hept. hebe – #18 – 20
Slate Drake – #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Tan Caddis – #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche sp.
Dark Blue Wing Olives  – #16 – 20 – E. lata, deficiens
Tiny Blue Winged Olives - #22 – 26- Pseudo sp.
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Yellow Sally – #14 – Isoperla sp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

New Update.  The release from Cannonsville is climbing back to where it was this morning.  It is 740 cfs and climbing now.  It’ll drop and go back up late afternoon and early evening on the lower West Branch Branch

All we know so far…

“NYCDEP, with a wildlife expert, are attempting to rescue a trapped eagle, which may require a temporary suspension/stop of releases from Cannonsville Reservoir. ”