May 21, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 21, 2014

We had great Hendrickson spinner falls last night and most of the system fished very well into dark.  The wind wasn’t bad for a change and the fish were happy and willing to eat on the surface.  Along with the spinners was a healthy mix of #16 Hendrickson duns, olives, and caddis.  The weather looks good today with light winds, overcast, and just a shower or two in the afternoon.  The rivers are still dropping and the water temps are great for fishing.  Wading is still difficult but there is definitely some opportunity on the Beaverkill.  Our flows over the next few days are totally dependent on the predicted rain.  We’ll have to wait and see if the weatherman is correct this time.

Sam showing the results of Hendrickson spinners in the dark. Photo by Bob Lewis

Bruce with a classic Delaware rainbow

Hatching:

March Brown #10 – 2xl  – S. Vicarium

Gray Fox # 12-2xl – S. Vicarium (formerly fuscum)

Small Dark Hendrickson #16 – E. X

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 20, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 20, 2014

Carlo with a nice brown. Photo by Bob Lewis

Tony landed a nice brown. Photo by Kevan Smackaro

The rivers are still slowly dropping and the clarity is greatly improving daily.  The hatching has continued with a great mix of Hendricksons and caddis.  We have found more fish rising every day since the rain.  Yesterday the action started mid afternoon and continued until dark.  Wading is still tough on most of the system.  There are spots on the Willowemoc and Beaverkill that are okay right now but drifting is still the best option.  Streamers have been productive in the mornings through mid day.

Hatching:

March Brown #10 – 2xl  – S. Vicarium

Gray Fox # 12-2xl – S. Vicarium (formerly fuscum)

Small Dark Hendrickson #16 – E. X

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 19, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 19, 2014

The rivers are slowly coming back down.  The clarity is improving and both the EB and WB began to fish better yesterday.  There were lots of caddis on the water yesterday, and a surprisingly heavy hatch of Hendricksons and “X’s” on the West Branch starting around 2 pm  It just took the fish a while to realize they were there, but when they did quite a few fish were found feeding on the surface. As water levels continue to drop the fish should just keep getting better and better.  Although this flow is too high wade, drift boats make for a great method of transportation. This high water event may be a blessing in disguise, giving us a great outlook for flows and fishing for the next 2-3+ weeks. As soon as the Main Stem drops to a fishable level expect to see the start of the big bugs. (March Browns, Gray Foxes, Sulphurs etc.)

Pat working the high water. photo by Bob Lewis

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 18, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 18, 2014

The rivers have settled and are slowly dropping back.  We are clearing slightly but it will take a while to get back to where we were and none of the rivers are currently wadeable.  There were fish rising sporadically in some of the long flat pools yesterday but the majority of the fishing is big streamers right now.  The system should improve during the week and begin to fish better as the water falls and clears.

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 17, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 17, 2014

So we had some rain yesterday.  A lot of rain.  The wall of water has started to come over Cannonsville so even though Hale Eddy is dropping this morning it will rise later today.  Stilesville is still rising from the spill.  The color is okay in Stilesville.  The color on the lower WB is manageable for fish to eat streamers but not pretty.  The lower EB and MS are chocolate this morning.  As you move below the USGS gages figure the water is higher due to the feeder creeks coming in pushing a lot of water.  Wading is definitely not an option today.  The rivers should crest and begin to clear sometime today.  Most people that fished yesterday just got wet.

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 16, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 16, 2014

The system fished well yesterday in between the wind gusts and in the evening when it finally calmed down.  A decent mix of hendricksons, olives, and caddis had the fish up and happy.  Nymphing and swinging wet flies also produced fish.  There were some hendrickson spinners mixed in throughout the day so take a close look at the water when fish are working.  It seems like most of the predicted rain missed us last night so the rivers are in good shape this morning.

Conner with a nice brown. Photo by Steve Shen

Ted coming through in the wind yesterday

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 15, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 15, 2014

The wind.   We had decent hatches of hendricksons, olives, and lots of caddis yesterday.  I’m tired of the upstream winds that are double what the weatherman predicts.  Despite the wind or at least in between gusts the fish were up and happy.  The steady risers weren’t picky but the intermittent fish were tough.  A few March Browns floated by so hopefully by the weekend the fish recognize them as food. Cannonsville is 100.6% capacity with rain in the tonight’s forecast.

Jim with a nice fish in the sunshine. Photo by Steve Shen

Mike with a followup brown. Photo by Steve Shen

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 14, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 14, 2014

Yesterday fished well in between wind gusts with a mixture of Hendricksons, olives, and caddis.  When the wind was blowing there were white caps out there.  When the weather calmed down in the evening and the caddis in the air looked like snow the fish were a lot more friendly.  Hendrickson spinners also helped bring them up.  Today looks like a mix of clouds, light intermittent rain, and maybe a thunder shower.  If the weatherman is correct today I would call the winds “medium”

Joe getting it done on the WB Photo by Steve Shen

Brent following up with a WB Brown. Photo by Steve Shen

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 13, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 13, 2014

We saw decent hatching throughout yesterday afternoon with plenty of fish rising.  Sections of the system had most fish feeding subsurface on caddis pupa and hendrickson emergers with an occasional eat off the top.  Other sections had fish eating off the top most of the day.  Luck of the draw.  Wet flies worked okay on the subsurface fish.  Today looks great with a little rain, possible thunder shower, and cloud cover all day.

Ty with a nice brown Photo by Steve Shen

Steve Shen holding Dave’s brown.  Photo by Ty

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

May 12, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 12, 2014

Yesterday the bright sun made fishing a little tougher than it has been but there were still fish rising throughout the day in sections.  A good mix of Hendricksons, some Blue Quills, and lots of caddis in the evening seemed to make the fish happy.  Some people reported fish rising all day while others found only occasional risers until the sun dropped.  Today is going to be very warm with a possible thunder shower in the afternoon.  Some cloud cover would definitely help but the bugs will come and the fish will rise.

Nick with a great WB Brown. Photo by Steve Shen

Nick with another great fish yesterday. Photo by Steve Shen

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

Tiny Black Stoneflies #18 – Capniadae sp.

Early Black and Brown Stoneflies #14 – 16 Taeniopteryx sp.

May 11, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 11, 2014

Despite a few downpours yesterday fished very well throughout the system.  Hatches Hendricksons, Blue Quills, Blue Winged Olives, and both light and dark Brachycentrus caddis had the fish very happy.  The Hendrickson spinners throughout the day were the icing on the cake.  Lots of fish were eating and lots of fish were landed on dry flies.  It looks like the rain has increased the spill from Cannonsville overnight.  The flow at Hale Eddy is dropping and should level off this morning.  We have slight color but it’s still clear enough for dryfly fishing.  Today looks good with warm air temps and sun.

Life is good for Mark on the West Branch. Photo by Steve Shen

Life is better. mark with another fish. Photo by Steve Shen

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

Tiny Black Stoneflies #18 – Capniadae sp.

Early Black and Brown Stoneflies #14 – 16 Taeniopteryx sp.

May 10, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 10, 2014

Despite the weatherman being incorrect on his wind gust estimates the river fished very well yesterday.  Hendricksons, Blue Quills, Apple Caddis and Dark Brachys all brought fish to the net.  The hatching started mid afternoon and we still had fish picking junk up until dark. m It was a great classic Delaware day.  The rain early Friday morning did bring the rivers up and muddied the East.  The flows throughout the system are dropping and the WB looks great this morning.   The weather today looks the same with a little more wind, and sun.

Jim holding a fat brown yesterday – they love the rusty spinner. Photo by Steve Shen

Hatching:

Light Hendrickson #12 – E. subvaria

Dark Hendrickson #14 – E. Subvaria

Blue Quill #16 – Paralep sp.

Apple Caddis #16 – Lt Brachycentrus sp.

Blue Winged Olives #16 – 18 – Baetis vagans

Quill Gordon #14 -Epeorus pluralis

Little Black Caddis #18-20 – Chimarra sp.

Tiny Black Stoneflies #18 – Capniadae sp.

Early Black and Brown Stoneflies #14 – 16 Taeniopteryx sp.