July 18, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 18, 2018

Most of the storms in the forecast missed us completely.  We did get some rain but the rivers below the dams came through clear and fine with hardly a bump in flow.  The West Branch above Cannonsville Reservoir increased the most which is great for the system.  The release from Cannonsville has been cut back to 360 cfs.  That’s great for wading and should let the algae filter out of the system.  Sulphurs, cahills, and olives made up most of the hatching yesterday.  Today will be another cool day but with more sunshine.  It looks like more rain in the weekend forecast but that will change as we get closer.

Filling Cannonsville Reservoir

If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Blue Winged Olives – #16 – 20 – E. attenuata
Dark Blue Winged Olives – #18 – 22 – E. lata
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Tricos – #22 – 24 – Tricorythodes
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophila sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.
Tan Caddis #14 – 16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 17, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 17, 2018

Yesterday was another bright sunny day.  Decent fog in the morning but once that burned off it definitely felt like July.  The higher release kept the West Branch in great shape  all the way down through Hancock.  There was quite a bit of loose algae in the water making nymph and streamer fishing difficult but that should have filtered out now with the lower release this morning.  There were a few clouds around in the afternoon but they were moving through quickly as the front pushed through.  There were a few caddis and olives on the water but the main hatch was sulphurs.  Today looks much cooler with an air temp reaching 73 degrees.  The rain forecast has been decreased to 1/2″ over the course of the day.  Most of the rain will fall over 6 hours beginning at 11 am.

A wide bodied rainbow from last night

If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Blue Winged Olives – #16 – 20 – E. attenuata
Dark Blue Winged Olives – #18 – 22 – E. lata
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Tricos – #22 – 24 – Tricorythodes
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophila sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.
Tan Caddis #14 – 16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 16, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 16, 2018

The release from Cannonsville was increased to a little over 600 cfs yesterday afternoon. The West Branch is still at a good wading and floating level with 659 cfs flowing at Hale Eddy this morning.  The forecasted rain missed us completely yesterday so the runoff from the weekend still has the other rivers in the system dropping.  Sulphurs, cahills, olives, and caddis are still our mainstay hatches and flies.  There are some Tricos around in the mornings but we haven’t seen a decent spinner fall yet.  Today should be sunny and warm with the possibility of showers over night.

Mark Li with a good one from the weekend

The closer you fish to Cannonsville Dam the more likely you are to see some remnant hatches like pink lady, varia, and some cornutas.  While it may be a long shot have a few in your box in case you get lucky.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and warm water on some of the river sections.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Blue Winged Olives – #16 – 20 – E. attenuata
Dark Blue Winged Olives – #18 – 22 – E. lata
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Tricos – #22 – 24 – Tricorythodes
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophila sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.
Tan Caddis #14 – 16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 15, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 15, 2018

The thunderstorms and light rain that were supposed to hit us around 2 pm yesterday were pushed off until later in the evening.  We did get some rain after 7 pm and continuing on and off overnight.  Most of the rivers are showing a slight bump in flow but are already dropping back down.  We have a possibility of a few more scattered storms this afternoon but the forecasted amount of rain is less than 1/4″.  We do have fog  and cloud cover this morning.  Sulphurs, cahills, and caddis are the flies of choice right now.  It’s good weather for mid day dry fly activity.

The closer you fish to Cannonsville Dam the more likely you are to see some remnant hatches like pink lady, varia, and some cornutas.  While it may be a long shot have a few in your box in case you get lucky.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and warm water on some of the river sections.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -20 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Blue Winged Olives – #16 – 20 – E. attenuata
Dark Blue Winged Olives – #18 – 22 – E. lata
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Tricos – #22 – 24 – Tricorythodes
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophila sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.
Tan Caddis #14 – 16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 14, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 14, 2018

The sun stuck around most of the day.  We had a few clouds in the afternoon but they didn’t stick around.  The mid day sulphurs were hatching on the upper West Branch but most of the fish spotted were sporadic risers in the low clear water.  Shaded banks and cuts produced better than the big pools.  Nymphing was working well throughout the West Branch.  Small mayfly imitations seem to be picking up the most fish.  Adjust your weight frequently based on the water depth.  We are finding some fish surprisingly shallow even in the sun.
Today looks like a totally different ballgame with clouds and light rain in the forecast.  Wunderground is showing less than 1/4″ of rain falling today with a little more than 1/4″ falling overnight.  Most of that will soak right into the ground.  The best potential for rain begins around 2 pm today.  Hopefully the change in weather pushes the olives and makes the fish feel a little more comfortable rising.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 13, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 13, 2018

Yesterday was another bright, sunny, still day.  The best bet for day time hatching is above Hale Eddy.  There are sulphurs, cahills, and some isonychias hatching.  The lower West Branch has been better in the morning and evening once the sun drops behind the hills.  Nymphing has bee good during the day with decent numbers of fish landed on the lower sections.  Match your patterns to the naturals so think smaller.  Today looks like a mirror image of yesterday with sun, wind around 5 mph, and an air temp in the low 80’s.  Based on the forecast the river should fish the same as yesterday.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 12, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 12, 2018

Someone lost a landing net in the Gamelands. If you find one please send us an email at flyfish@thedelawareriverclub.com

The best bet for dry fly action right now is above Hale Eddy on the West Branch.  The daytime sulphurs are hatching along with cahills and a few isonychias.  The fish have been a bit shy in the bright sun so if you see bugs and no fish keep moving and look for shade, broken water, or seams on drop offs.  A dry with a small dropper can also be good in these conditions.  Today looks like a mirror image of yesterday with sunshine, winds 5 – 10 mph, and an air temp around 80 degrees.  The sulphurs and cahills were definitely better the farther you went up the West Branch.  The low flow and bright sun pushed the water temp into the mid 60’s in Hancock.  That can push the hatching to late at night or even the morning.   We’re starting of a couple of degrees cooler on the West Branch today but the sun is already shining.   Hale Eddy only peaked at 60 degrees so start looking for the water in the 50’s up there.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 11, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 11, 2018

We had a couple of brief showers late yesterday afternoon but all of the precipitation soaked into the ground.  There were some good thunderstorms out there last night but judging from the sound they tracked south of us.  The flows and water temperatures are starting off today about the same as yesterday morning.  We’re going to have a slightly cooler air temperature today with sunshine.  We may have a little more wind due to the temp drop but it will be fishable around 10 mph in the afternoon and dropping back in the evening.  The upper West Branch has had decent hatches of sulphurs and cahills during the day.  The lower West has fished well with nymphs during the day and sulphurs in the evening into dark.

the temps at Hale Eddy have remained cool this Summer

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 10, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 10, 2018

Despite the bright sun yesterday there was a steady stream of hatching on the upper West and a decent evening hatch on the lower West Branch.  Mostly sulphurs, cahills, a few isonychias, and a few olives.  If you go close enough to Cannonsville you will see some left over light cornutas and gray fox hatches too.  Mornings have fished well on the lower West with olives, a few caddis. and left over sulphur spinners.  Today looks like a better fishing day with clouds and some light rain moving in during the afternoon.  Winds will be 5 – 10 mph and the rain total will only be around 1/10″.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 9, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 9, 2018

Today looks like it will be a mirror image of yesterday.  Sunshine, low 80’s, with light wind.  The upper West Branch is seeing the daytime sulphur hatches mixed with some small olives.  The lower West Branch has seen morning and evening dry fly activity on sulphurs and olives too.  Mid day  on the lower sections with the bright sun has been nymphs and wets in the riffles.  No matter where you fish carry some isonychias, cahills, and caddis.  If you are fishing until dark bring some larger stoneflies.  We should get some clouds rolling in mid afternoon tomorrow.  The rain shouldn’t be enough to do anything to the flows but the cloud cover will be a welcome change.

While the overnight cold temperatures have helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 8, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 8, 2018

Today should be a repeat of yesterday.  Sun with a few clouds, cooler, and light wind.  A pleasant day to be on the water after the extreme heat.  The upper West Branch is your best bet for daytime dry fly action.  Sulpurs, cahills, and caddis will make up the bulk of the bugs but we are seeing more isonychias and olives now.  The mid to lower West Branch has been fishing in the morning and again in the evening.  There are some tricos around but we haven’t seen great numbers of them yet.  Nymphing has been productive during the day.  We’ve been doing better on smaller nymphs that match the sulphurs and olives.

Tim Glynn catching fish in the bright sun. Photo by Peter Glynn

While the overnight cold temperature helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

July 7, 2018

Delaware River Report / Conditions July 7, 2018

We had decent cloud cover most of yesterday morning.  By afternoon it was a mix of clouds and sun with some pretty good wind.  The wind was the cold front coming in finally giving us a night in the high 40’s.  We should have sunshine today but the temp will stay in the low to mid 70’s.  Fish were caught on nymphs during the day but there was some dry fly action on a few sulphurs and caddis.   The dry fly fishing was definitely better if you could find a spot out of the wind.

While the overnight cold temperature helped drop most of the water temps in the system we are still dealing with low flows and bright sun.  If you are fishing for trout do not fish the Mainstem, lower East Branch, or the lower Beaverkill.  Check the water temperatures in other areas before you fish.  The West Branch and upper East Branch are your best bets for cold water and fish.

Cold nights really help

Hatching:
Sulphur – #16 -18 – E. dorothea
Light Cahill – #14 – 16 – S. ithaca & canadense
PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Eperorus vitreus
Isonychia – #12-2xl – 12 – Isonychia bicolor
Blue Wing Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans
Tiny Blue Wing Olives #20 – 26 – Psuedo sp.
Dark Blue Sedge #14- Psilotreta sp.
Spotted Sedge #16 – Hydropsyche sp.

There is construction on Winterdale Road. A short stretch is closed near the Methodist Camp between us and Hancock. We have detours listed on our website here:  https://thedelawareriverclub.com/welcome-to-the-drc/getting-here/

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update: