Delaware River Report / Conditions July 27, 2016

The mid-day sulphur hatches have still been decent on the upper river sections followed by a few olives and isonychias.  The fish are being picky so it’s time to downsize your flies and fish lightly dressed cripples and emergers.  The wind made the fishing tougher yesterday with the fish taking a break during the gusts.  The sun was definitely bright and everyone out there yesterday ended up with a tan.  We have a decent chance of some rain over the weekend that should definitely help the fishing.  Nymphing on the lower West Branch has been effective with an occasional riser being found.   Hatches on the lower West Branch are going to be slim until the water temperatures drop.

So looking back over the last few days we had a short thermal release from Cannonsville that was cut as soon as we had some rain.  The rain soaked in and the rivers dropped back quickly.  The lower West Branch temperatures are now higher then they were before the release.  The East Branch received zero thermal protection and Harvard peaked over 71 degrees the other day.  The lower East and Mainstem have been cooking for most of the Summer.  The thermal release did drop the Mainstem temperatures for one day.  One day.  Lordville is 70 degrees already this morning.  It peaked just under 74 degrees yesterday.

 

Mike with a colored up brown.  Photo by Jared Makowski

Mike with a colored up brown. Photo by Jared Makowski

Hatching:
Slate Drake – 12-2xl- Isonychia bicolor
Sulphur – #16-20 – E dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
Trico – 22 – 26 – Tricorythodes sp.
Tiny Blue Winged Olive – #22 – 26 – Psuedocloeon spp.
Blue Winged Olive – #18 – 20 – E. lata
Light Blue Winged Olive – #16 – 20 E. attenuatta
Tan Caddis – #16 – 20 – Hydropsyche spp.
Dark Brachycentrus sp. – #14 – 18 – Dark Grannom
Little Black Caddis #18 – 20 – Chimarra sp.
Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans (updated name: Baetis tricaudatus)

West Branch at Stilesville, NY 486 cfs
46°
West Branch at Hale Eddy, NY 566 cfs
49°
East Branch at Harvard, NY 159 cfs 60°
East Branch at Fish’s Eddy, NY 326 cfs 70°
Mainstem at Lordville, NY 1,030 cfs 70°
Beaverkill at Cooks Falls, NY 149 cfs N/A
Cannonsville Reservoir Release 497 cfs
West Branch at 191 Bridge  N/A 55°
West Branch at Walton (Cannonsville inflow) 110 cfs
Cannonsville Reservoir Capacity 77.6%
Pepacton Reservoir Capacity 88.2%
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