Wow. Simply WOW. Yesterday was one of the strangest yet amazing days I’ve even heard about on the Delaware. We started with frigid water temps, which were never helped by the cold, biting wind and rain. That soon developed in to some of the most prolific mayfly hatching many have ever seen. March Browns, Grey Fox, Green Drakes, Hendricksons, Paraleps, Pseudos, Rotunda, Dorthea, Invaria, Vitereus…..all hatching simultaneously and en masse. This varied a bit based on where you were located system-wise, but the onslaught of bugs was definitely felt everywhere. Even better? The fish were up and eating them in between the heavy bursts of wind. It looks like I will have some great pictures to share over the next few days, just as a result of all that craziness. Today, we’re looking much warmer (the fact that into the 60s is warmer on Memorial Weekend is pretty crazy), with a break from the rain and sleet. Water temps are starting low again, so the action likely won’t begin until the afternoon. Let’s hope for a repeat of yesterday’s performance!
NIck Christon holds a piggy from yesterday! Photo: Steve Shen
What’s Hatching:
……yesterday? EVERYTHING.
Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL
Stenonema vicarium – March Browns – #10-2xl
Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl
Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18
Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18
Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14 – Getting Started
Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic
Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning – Upper West Only)
Current Flow Conditions:
| FLOWS AS OF 8:00 AM: | |
| West Branch at Stilesville, NY | 227 cfs @ 42º |
| West Branch at Hale Eddy, NY | 443 cfs @ 45º |
| East Branch at Harvard, NY | 326 cfs @ 47º |
| East Branch at Fish’s Eddy, NY | 2,130 cfs @ 47º |
| Mainstem at Lordville, NY | 2,670 cfs @ 50º |
| Beaverkill at Cooks Falls, NY | 1,510 cfs @ N/A |
| Cannonsville Reservoir Level & Release | 97.2% – 225 CFS release |
