June 11, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 11, 2013

Despite all the rain throughout the day and night yesterday, the West Branch is still flowing nice and clear. We did bump up about 100 cfs,  but we are still below the 1,000 cfs mark, which is great news for all those waders out there. The East and Beaverkill are another story, however. It seems the storm hit that basin a bunch harder than it hit here, pushing the Beaverkill up over 2,000 cfs, and it is still rising. That will likely peak today, and drop quickly. As for the fishing, the “middle” West Branch (between Barking dog and Hale Eddy) was the place to be for the majority of the day, with thick sulphur hatching starting at 4 PM (once the water warmed up a bit). The lower experienced another good evening hatch with both sulphurs, Isos, and even a small spinner fall towards dark. As for today, the weather is in a bit of limbo with thunderstorms in the future, along with some mixed clouds and sun throughout the afternoon. Temps will be in the low 70s, and if the cloud cover holds, it could be another great day for the little yellow bugs!

Matt Fedrizzi with his first Delaware Rainbow! Photo: Billy Rivellini

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 10, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 10, 2013

For a change, yesterday pretty much went according to plan! The upper West fished well early on in the day, even in the bright sunshine, then quited down towards evening, when the lower west really started to shine. HUGE flurries of Dortheas were making their way down river, but the fish keyed in on the big (12-2XL) Isos that were hatching as well. Towards dark the fish switched over to the little yellow guys, but proved pretty picky overall. Right at dark there was a big sulphur spinner fall, with tons of fish up and feeding well into the pitch black. Today, we’re already getting the rain that has been predicted, which may get heavy at times. There is a chance it will really bring us up – so we will play the ‘wait and see’ game!

Nate Eckhaus showing you the business end of a big brown! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 9, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 9, 2013

Yesterday definitely panned out to be similar to Friday in many ways, especially in the areas that fished (or did not). The Upper West fished well from 2PM on, with cloud covers helping both the fish and the bugs be active. Below Hale Eddy the dry fly action was quite slow, but there was definitely a good streamer bite in full effect throughout the day. During the evening however, the whole river lit up with everything from Sulphurs to Isos to a great Coffin Flies. It all depended on where you were! Today, we’re looking at warmer temps and more sunshine, which will likely mean the hatching will be pushed back to late afternoon / early evening. But if last night was any evidence of what to expect, it’s going to be a fun evening for sure!

Sam Dennis showing the fish some love! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 8, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 8, 2013

Well the rain that much of you received yetserday (and called me about) never really materialized up here, with maybe 3/4″ falling throughout the whole day and into the evening. This made for some great olive fishing in spots, and the streamer bite was incredible throughout the day as well. Dry fly action in the evening seemed to be limited to the upper reaches of the West Branch for some reason, with not a ton going on in the stretches below Hale Eddy after 5PM. Today, we’re looking at a slightly warmer air temp (72F), with morning clouds giving way a bit in the afternoon. There are chances of some scattered storms, so don’t be caught in the middle of the river with a big graphite lightning rod in your hand if one shows up!

Tony May (left) celebrates with Jeff White on a nice fish caught on a great day! Photo: Jim Swift

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 7, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 7, 2013

Nice, overcast and slightly wet up here yesterday.  The majority of the rain missed us (yet again), so there was no real bump in the flow, and we are still running nice and clear. We did not see as many of the bugs in the earlier part of the day yesterday as expected, but they definitely showed later, in FORCE- our dortheas made a big appearance, and the fish were definitely up and on them. Isos were hatching, as well as olives and caddis in droves, but the little yellow snacks were what the fish were most interested in. Definitely the great kind of fishing you would expect from a day like yesterday. Today we are looking at 1/4″ of rain throughout the day, with little to no wind. Definitely could be another great one out there!

These! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 6, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 6, 2013

Interesting day on the water Wednesday, depending on where you were wetting a line. Interesting, but productive for those with patience. The day was brighter and sunnier than predicted, so it certainly started off as a typical summertime day, with a few bugs and fish popping here and there. Fish were active on streamers during this time, despite the sunshine. As evening approached, so did the bug soup. Green Drakes, Grey Fox, Isos, caddis, and of dorthea in droves on the West Branch at dark. Most would take a coffin fly, but others were definitely choosing one bug to feed on, so you had to have it right! Today we have cloud cover and rain in the forecast, with just a little bit more of a breeze (15 MPH gusts) expected. This could make for one heck of a day out on the river, let’s see what it brings!

The cloudy rainy days can be the best! Photo: Norm Price

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 5, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 5, 2013

Apologies on the late post, internet has been more than a little bit spotty today. Regardless, we are starting to love this high water, along with the cooler air temps we have been experiencing. It has brought us some decent hatching throughout the day, and some good streamer action as well! Today, we’ve got some clouds rolling in, not quite sure how many, but that should be enough to get us some mid-day dry fly actions.

<<Imagine a  nice, beautiful Brown Trout here – uploads seem to be a luxury today>>

What’s Hatching:

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 4, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 4, 2013

Boy do the bugs love some cloud cover! Folks out on the water yesterday were treated to some nice daytime hatching, mostly sulphurs and smaller olives, with a decent spinner fall at night, depending on where you were on the system. Coffin Flies are still around, as are the first batch of Isonychia spinners. The cool night helped us out as well, keeping the spilling water from Cannonsville from getting too hot. Today, we are expecting some relief from the heat, with temps in the mid- to high 60s. Mix in a little cloud cover, and we could have a great day out there!

The streamer bite has been on with these high waters! Photo: Steve Shen

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Isonychia bicolor – Iso – Slate Drake – #12-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 3, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 3, 2013

Another “summery” day yesterday, with bright sun early, and patchy clouds throughout the hot, humid afternoon. The predicted 1.5″ of rain turned into about .015″ of rain, as we only had a few brief, passing showers. There was not much for hatching during the day, aside from some sporadic Iso and Sulphur action in shady areas. However there was a great Coffin Fly (Green Drake) spinner fall on the lower West Branch last night. Emphasis on “night,” as it happened about 5 ’til dark-thirty. The fish were certainly into that buffet, and several very nice fish were taken right at the buzzer. As far a as conditions go, there is still quite a bit of water spilling over the dam, which is mercifully keeping us full as our release has been cut back to 275 CFS. Yet again, Mother Nature saves our bacon. Imagine 275 and this heat we’ve been having? There are some things I just don’t want to think about. As for today, we are looking at some more cloud cover and slightly cooler temps moving into the area, which will hopefully trigger some daytime hatching and earlier spinner falls – hopefully when we can still see them!

If you are wondering why Theo May looks a bit like a drowned rat, that is because he decided whilst fighting a fish to take the creature on in his own turf. Wet wading at 3000 cfs over the side of the boat? Not recommended. Watch out for those gunwales next time Theo! Photo: Jeff White

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drakes – #8-2XL

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Hydropysche species – Tan Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerella invaria– Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 2, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 2, 2013

UPDATE: The Release from Cannonsville Reservoir has been dropped to 275 CFS, and we are still at the lowest Table (4a). Please do not try to apply logic in this situation, it won’t work.

It was definitely a summertime day yesterday – except for the part where we have oodles of water, of course. Bright sun, hot air temps made for a slow day of dry fly fishing, but the streamer bite was incredible! That being said, as we approached evening, there were good hatches of Dorthea and Isos, as well as psuedos and Green Drakes. Even in the heavy current the fish were coming up and eating – even more so in the slower back eddies and shallower flats. The DEP is still releasing 1,000 CFS as best we can tell (they have not updated the notification), as our temps are definitely lower on the West. The “1.5 inches” of rain predicted for today has evaporated, but we are still expecting some thunderstorms to roll through in the early afternoon. The additional cloud cover is welcome, and will do nothing but help the fishing overall!

Paul and Samantha Chain show off a nice MS Brown. Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

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

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerellainvaria- Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

June 1, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 1, 2013

There is certainly water everywhere, and we saw something rarely seen – over 50+ miles of the river system all at the same temperature – about 59F, which is fantastic considering the blistering heat we felt yesterday. The bright sun kept the streamer bite down a bit, until it lowered into the hills. By then we did have rising fish in the slower water and back eddies, with fish taking Isonychia and (believe it or not) Pseudos – tiny blue wing olives. How they could see them, I have no idea! But, the water has cleared tremendously, and now the powers that be have decided to release 1,000 cfs out of Cannonsville. Don’t ask me why, or on what regulation, as the most water we were supposed to get was a 525 release. This will cool down the water coming over the dam, and defintely help to further clear the West Branch. All that being said, today should be a great day, if we get the cloud cover predicted – clear, high, cool water always = good bugs, and good fish!

Jim Swift getting it done in the rain the other day! Photo: Billy Rivellini

What’s Hatching:

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

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerellainvaria- Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

May 31, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 31, 2013

As much as we beg, plead, and pray for water, Mother Nature has certainly given it to us in spades. While both the West Branch and East are high, it seems as though they have peaked, and out front the West is already looking much cleaner than it did yesterday. The sudden influx of color (i.e. mud) was from the high flows hitting the dry banks. Now that we’ve peaked, the water is going to drop, and be continually clearing. Since we are at 3,000 cfs this morning, wading will be dangerous pretty much anywhere aside from the bank, until we drop down under 2,000 cfs or so. That being said, those with boats are in for a treat, as we already have seen alewives in Home Pool, and the streamer bite is likely to be spectacular in the short term (provided our cloud cover holds). The dries are certainly still there, and the fish will be looking up for them, but only in the slack water on the rivers’ edges, as we saw last night. This makes for some fun drifts – like the kind where your fly lands where you want, then magically goes upstream instead! Regardless, the water is a definite boon with the hot weather we are having, and will definitely extend our day-time dry fly fishing further into June. No complaints there.

MIke Chain, Sr. with a chunky MS Brown. Photo: Bruce Miller

What’s Hatching:

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

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Ephemerellainvaria- Sulphurs – #14

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions: