September 30, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 30, 2017

We had a little rain overnight but the river flows have not budged.  Everything is starting off about the same as yesterday.  There is a chance of additional rain during the day today but the amount forecasted is negligible and will soak right into the ground.  We should have some decent cloud cover for most of the day.  It definitely feels like a fall blue winged olive day.  If the winds pick up look for fish in protected edges of the larger pools.  Aside from the decent streamer fishing there have been fish eating dries on the West Branch- especially in the evening.  Streamers are still bringing some nice fish to the net and a lot of the browns are stating to darken up.  Mix it up and be patient.  A lot of nice fish have been landed since the hot weather ended and things have cooled down.

Geoff with a good fish yesterday. Photo by Bruce Miller

Hatching:

Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 29, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 29, 2017

The wind was heavy yesterday.  We had clouds in and out for most of the day but the wind was constant.  Despite that the river fished well with streamers and nymphs.  The clouds and cooler air temperatures seemed to push the fish a bit and they were more aggressive than they were on Wednesday.  The wind should be way, way lower today.  We had a cold night that has really helped the water temperatures on the Mainstem, Lower East Branch, and Lower Beaverkill.  They had quite a drop in temp and look pretty good this morning.  The cooling trend will continue through the weekend.  It finally feels like Fall again.  We should have some clouds today so carry your dry fly boxes.  There is a 20% chance of some light precip but we’ll likely see some sun this afternoon.

Ed working in the wind

Ron with another yesterday

Hatching:

Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 28, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 28, 2017

The heat has finally broken and we are at 56 degrees this morning.  I actually feels like Fall.  Air temperatures should peak in the low 60’s today and actually drop into the high 40’s overnight.  We should have some cloud cover this morning giving way to sun this afternoon.  The release from Cannonsville is 1,075 cfs this morning.  There is still color on the West Branch making it look good for streamer fishing.  Bring a dry fly rod too just in case you find fish in the slower pools.  The high flows on the West and low flows on the East make the Mainstem a decent level for wading.  The Main is also your best option for nymphing and dry fly fishing.  We are still seeing tiny olives, a few cahill / stenos, a few isonychias, and heptagenias.  There may still be a few white flies around in the evening depending on the section you are fishing.  The cold water from the West is keeping the Mainstem in check but the water temps on the lower East Branch and lower Beaverkill are climbing too high for trout fishing.  Hopefully that will change over the next few days with the cooler air temperatures.

Ron with a chunky West Branch fish yesterday

Hatching:

Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 27, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 27, 2017

The release from Cannonsville has been increased slightly and now sits at 1,027 cfs.  The cold water release is keeping the Mainstem temperatures in great shape despite the sun and heat.   There is some color on the West Branch still and it looks good for streamer fishing.  Wading is definitely better on the Mainstem although there are a few wadeable spots on the West.  Small nymphs and wet flies worked the best in yesterday’s bright sun.  Luckily today is the last day of the heat wave.  We should be back to more normal weather tomorrow with air temps in the 60’s.  We even have a chance of some light rain on Friday.  The cooler air temps, clouds, and light precip should help the dry fly fishing over the weekend.  The lower East Branch and lower Beaverkill have both been too hot to fish.  Hopefully a few days of cool weather and clouds will cool those rivers off.

Hatching:

Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 26, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 26, 2017

We have heavy fog on the river this morning with comfortable temperatures.  The release from Cannonsville has been dropped back slightly to 990 cfs.  We are looking at another hot, bright, sunny day so if you have the opportunity hit the river early and late.  The West Branch still has some color from the release so streamer fishing has been decent.  You can pick up fish in the sun but the action definitely picks up in low light conditions.  Wading is still easier on the Mainstem and fortunately that’s where the better dry fly fishing is happening.  Again concentrate on low light consitions.  We’ve been seeing a mix of tiny olives, white flies, some cahill / stenos, with a couple of isonychias mixed in for good measure.  Be patient.  Mid day concentrate on nymphing or swinging wets in the riffles.  Dry dropper combos have also produced.

Bob Lewis in Montana yesterday. You don’t need this awesome a hat on the Delaware yet.

Hatching:

Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 23, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 23, 2017

The release from Cannonsville is now 953 cfs.  We were looking forward to writing that the release has been steady for a whole 12 hours but our dreams were dashed just after midnight.  This is one of those perfect situations where the powers that be could release 500 – 600 cfs from Cannonsville and the remaining water needed from Pepacton.
There is color in the West Branch but it is fishable.  There was quite a bit of algae in Deposit yesterday but it flushed out enough to keep the lower sections fishable.  It sounded like very few bugs on the WB but the fish were chasing streamers.  There was better hatching on the Mainstem with small olives and white flies mixed with cahills / stenos and just a handful of isonychias. As people left the water at dark their boats, oars, and waders were covered with brown caddis.  It may be a good time to swing wets or fool around diving egg laying caddis patterns.  We are looking at another warm day with sunshine.  If you want to find fish on dries the best advice seems to be to find a shaded bank on the Upper Mainstem and be patient.  Very patient.

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 22, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 22, 2017

Update:  The Cannonville release will be increased on the following schedule today

8 AM – 755 cfs

9 AM – 856 cfs

10 AM – 890 cfs

The release from Cannonsville peaked at 815 cfs around 5 PM last night.  This morning it has been dropped back a little to 654 cfs until further notice.  The increased cold water release should help the Mainstem temperatures during this heat wave.  Lordville peaked over 70 degrees yesterday so this is a welcome relief.  The Montague Flow target is at least partially responsible for the release since they have cut back the release from Lake Wallenpaupack for the weekend.  While the additional cold water is certainly welcome it made for tough fishing yesterday.  The increased released colored the upper river and let loose the normal algae we see when the water rises.  It hit the lower river by early evening bringing some color and increased debris but most of the algae filtered out up top.  We did have quite a few tiny olives out in the evening.  It took a long time for the fish to get happy and there was finally some rising towards dark.  Today should be better provided they keep the release steady and don’t pull any Yo Yo moves.  There were a few Heptagenia hatching but they never really seemed to get going.  The increased cold water will also open up more water on the Mainstem where the isonychia hatch has been stronger.

Jim working the wet flies in the rising water

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 21, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 21, 2017

Update.  The release from Cannonsville is being increased on the following schedule:

9 Am – 453 cfs
10 Am – 554 cfs
11 Am – 654 cfs
12 Pm – 755 cfs
1 Pm – 815 cfs

Yesterday was another day of sunshine.  There were a few light clouds around in the afternoon but they never amounted to much.  Nymphing or fishing small wets was the best daytime bet again.  There were some small olives with a few heptagenia later in the afternoon into evening.  Definitely heavier on the tiny olives.  They did not change the release overnight so we are starting off roughly where we were yesterday.  Conditions will also be similar with air temperatures in the high 70’s and moderate winds.  We’ll have the sun during the day again.  There have been some fish eating olive spinners in the morning if you get on the water before the fog burns off.  If you don’t see fish eating don’t waste a lot of time.  Drive around or walk to a different pool until you find them.  The lower East and Main water temperatures have been heating up in sunshine with the low flows.  Check the temps with a thermometer if you’re fishing in the afternoon.

Find the cold water on the West and upper East

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 20, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 20, 2017

We began yesterday with a 240 cfs release from Cannonsville.  By noon they were increasing the release and it finally settled at 570 cfs around 5 pm.  Before midnight the release was dropped and sits at 353 cfs.  Interesting is the nicest word I can think of to describe the releases over the last five days.  Yesterday was tough in the bright sun with tiny olives and a few heptagenia hatching towards dark.  We had a cooler night plus the air temperature should stay in the high 70’s today.  It still seems warm for mid September but it definitely feels cooler than the previous few days.  We should have a partly cloudy sky today which really means sunshine.  There may be some olive spinners on the water before the fog burns off.  Once the fog is gone look for shaded banks or nymph the deeper drop offs.  We’re still finding the best success with smaller nymphs.  Evening should be the same as yesterday with a mix of olives and heptagenias.

Jim and Samantha working wets on the shaded side of the river

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 19, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 19, 2017

The Cannonsville release was dropped to 225 yesterday.  This morning it was brought up to 240 cfs.  The low water and bright sun spiked the water temperatures on the lower West Branch and Mainstem.  Definitely check the water temperatures today before you fish the West and we should avoid trout fishing on the Main altogether.  Unfortunately this situation seems like total unnecessary political posturing as the decree parties try to come to a flow agreement.  While we’d love to see an agreement signed that is mutually beneficial to all river users, putting the downstream ecosystem in peril to prove a point seems reckless and spiteful.  The current storage for the NYC Reservoir System is 84.4%.  Normal storage for September 18th is 76.6%.
Please let the principles know that protecting the river ecosystem is much more important than some political posturing / power play:

Here’s the contact information for the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court Decree Party Principals/Designees :

Paul Rush (NYC): prush@dep.nyc.gov, 845-334-7107
Mark Klotz (NY): mark.klotz@dec.ny.gov, 518-402-8233
Jennifer Orr (PA): jeorr@pa.gov, 717-772-5633
Dan Kennedy (NJ): dan.kennedy@dep.nj.gov, 609-292-4543
David Wunsch (DE): dwunsch@udel.edu, 302-831-8258

We should have cooler weather today but that is relative since we’ve been in quite a heat wave.  The air temperature will peak around 78 degrees.  We should have sunshine for most of the day.  We do have some heptagenia and olives on the buildings this morning.

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 18, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 18, 2017

The afternoon storms never really appeared so we had sunshine until a few clouds rolled in around 7 pm.  It felt like summer out there by late afternoon.  There were sporadic fish working but the most of the action happened after the dun dropped behind the hills.  White flies, olives, plus the normal cahills / stenos, and heptagenia.  Add in the oddball flying ant and you were covered.  The best action was underneath nymphing small patterns or swinging small wet flies in the riffles.  Despite the conditions some nice fish were landed so stick with it and be patient.  Today will be very similar with cooler air temperatures.

Theo and Clem with a nice rainbow yesterday. Photo by Jared Makowski

Chris with a nice brown over the weekend. Photo by Jared Makowski

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update:

September 17, 2017

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 17, 2017

So the release from Cannonsville has been cut back and it looks like we are back to 300 cfs this morning.  We peaked just under 700 cfs last night.  This doesn’t seem like the most spectacular move in the history of river management.  This seems like a good opportunity to try ramping the flows up and down. The higher release added color to the West Branch and knocked loose a lot of algae on the upper section by mid afternoon.  We should clear up today and have way less junk in the water as it all filters out.  The flow at hale Eddy is still dropping this morning but should level out soon.   The flow on the lower Main is still rising this morning but we should see that peak and drop this afternoon.  Yesterday was a mix of flying ants, some olives, cahill / stenos, and heptagenias in the evening but the bugs were spread out in the higher flows.  Nymphing seemed to be the best option.  smaller nymphs and wet flies seem to be working best matching the size of the olives and heptagenias.  Today should be another warm one with a possible storm in the afternoon.  Precipitation should be light under 1/10th”.

Jim found a dark rainbow this week. Photo by Bob Lewis

Hatching:
Slate Drake #12 – 14 – Isonychia bicolor
Light Cahill – #14 – Summer Sulphurs, Stenocron spp.
Little BWO – #22 – 26- Pseudocloeon sp.
Blue Wing Olives – #18 – Baetis sp.
Olive Sulphur – #18 – 20 – Heptagenia hebe
Little Tan Sedge – #16 – 18 – Glossosoma sp.
Green Caddis – #16 – Ryacophilia sp.
Tan Caddis #16 – 18 – Hydropsyche spp.

Click on the gauge below for the most recent update: