Delaware River Report / Conditions July 11, 2012

Finally a little bit of precipitation! I can’t remember the last time we actually had a decent rain hit the ground here in Starlight. Albeit the duration was not much to brag about, it was still a welcome respite from the constant heat and sun. The change in pressure did affect the hatching slightly, but only shut it down for the duration of the rain, and then the bugs quickly shot back to the surface, making for a pretty good evening of fishing river-wide. As the temps cooled, the action slowed, so we didn’t get the typical “half-past dark thirty” hatching we normally see. The flow from the reservoir was dropped back down to 510 CFS overnight, so the fish will take a little while to reacclimate this morning, and the with no real storms or clouds in the forecast for today (as of yet), the lower west will be a bit warmer today, as will the very upper stretches of the Main Stem.

An angry Crawfish in its black phase. So ticked he’s frothing at the mouth! Fairly unusual to see. Photo by: Jeff White

Hatches:

Epeorus vitreus – Pale Evening Dun – (Female) -#14

Epeorus vitreus – Light Cahill – (Male)- #14

Potomanthus distinctus – Golden Drake – #12-2xl

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Isonychia bicolor – Isos – #12-2XL and BIGGER!

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Ephemerella invaria – Large Sulphurs / Light Cahills – #14

Ephemerella deficiens–  Dark. BWO -#12-20

Ephemerella attenuata- Light BWO- #16-20

Ephemerella pseudocloeon– Tiny BWO- #22-26

Hydropsyche- Tan Caddis- #18

Ryacophilia- Olive Caddis- #16

Baetis species – #18 & #20