June 19, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 19, 2014

We are starting off this morning with some precipitation that varies from a light mist to very light rain- a perfect way to start the day.  It hasn’t amounted to much so far and the rivers are still dropping and are wadeable and floatable.  We should keep the cloud cover until the afternoon and thankfully the air temp should stay in a comfortable range today.  We are still seeing a mix of sulphurs, stenos, tan caddis, and the Isonychias.  Nymphing should be good this morning with the cloud cover but I wouldn’t be surprised to find some fish rising, especially in the larger pools.  If it doesn’t look like anything is on the water but the fish are rising sporadically take a close look for steno spinners left over from last night.

Delilah with her first fish on a fl rod on her first day casting! Photo by Bob Lewis

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 18, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 18, 2014

We did get hit with some rain last night but overall the system looks fine this morning.  Hale Eddy is still climbing but so far the water looks perfectly clear out front and is wadeable.  The Stilesville flow didn’t budge and remains at 494 so the water above most of the feeders remains unchanged from yesterday and should fish well too.  It looks like intermittent clouds today and maybe a brief thunderstorm, nothing to be concerned about.  We’ve been seeing a mix of Isonychias, Sulphurs, Stenos, Pseudos, and some tan caddis.  While most of the Green Drake activity is over we are leaving them on the hatch list since some of the guys are still talking fish into eating them.  If the sun pops out nymphing the riffles or blind casting Isonychias seems to be the best bet for landing fish.

Bill Redington put this nice one in the net over the weekend!

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 17, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 17, 2014

The rivers are continuing to drop and should level off over the next few days.  We had a brief rain shower last night but the river remain clear and the levels are great for floating and wading.  Today looks warm with air temps in the high 80’s until more thunderstorms move in this evening.  According to Accuweather we are looking at light winds during the day dropping in the evening = perfect!  It doesn’t look like we will get enough rain to bump the rivers but the clouds will be a welcome sight.  During the day look for caddis in the riffles and blind casting Isonychias is beginning to pay off.  As evening comes we are seeing a mix of sulphurs and stenos into dark..  Nymphing the riffles with smaller pheasant tails and Copper Johns has also been bringing some fish to the net.

The fish are in great shape this Summer! Photo by Bob Lewis

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 16, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 16, 2014

With the bright sun yesterday, the streamer bit was ok and the bugs started around 3pm on the lower river.  Among the mix were dorotheas, isos, invaria, green drakes, pseudos, and even some March browns still! With the dropping water levels, the fish are becoming more active in the afternoon and today should be fairly similar to yesterday.  The West Branch is wadable nearly everywhere and so is the Upper main.

Jordan found a few little guys to take his green drake.

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

FLOWS AS OF 8:00 AM:
West Branch at Stilesville, NY	494 cfs @ 44º
West Branch at Hale Eddy, NY	773 cfs @ 50º
East Branch at Harvard, NY	292 cfs @ 54º
East Branch at Fish’s Eddy, NY	1540 cfs @ 56º
Mainstem at Lordville, NY	2860 cfs @ 60º
Beaverkill at Cooks Falls, NY	917 cfs @ N/A

June 15, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 15, 2014

By yesterday evening, the water had cleared up enough to produce some decent dry fly fishing.  Sulphurs, iso’s, and some small olives were among the hatches yesterday.  Many places are now becoming wadable, and more should become available by this evening.  With these higher water levels, the fish should be less cautious and the hatches more plentiful.

A great fish taken just before dark!

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 14, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 14, 2014

We asked for water, and we got water….but we are currently still off color.  The West branch peaked at almost 2000 cfs and is now dropping at about 100 cfs an hour.  We should expect decent fishing tomorrow into next week with the higher water.  The water at Stilesville, above Oquaga creek, is wadable and starting to clear.  The lower river should start to clear by this afternoon.  In the meantime, I hope everyone is enjoying the World Cup and tying flies.

Hopefully we will clear up so I can stop posting bug pics.

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 13, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 13, 2014

We finally received some well needed rain and the West Branch is starting to rise!  There is currently a light tint to the water, but that will clear up by tomorrow at the latest.  Yesterday the river displayed hatches of sulphurs, cahills, epeorus, and of course those miniscule pseudocleon.  With no fierce gusts of wind today, we should have a repeat of yesterday with more rising fish.

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 12, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 12, 2014

With clouds and light rain, today is starting to look like a typical BWO day.  So make sure to carry some small olives, #18 -22. Despite the gusting winds, yesterday yielded more green drakes, isonychias, and sulphurs.   Nymphing has been productive with small pheasant tails and hares ear patterns.  If you head out today, don’t forget your raincoat!

Iso’s are starting to show themselves! Photo by Jordan Davenport

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 11, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 11, 2014

The March Brown, Gray Fox, and Green Drakes are waning but are being replaced with decent Sulphurs, Pseudos, Stenos, and my favorite mayfly- the Isonychias.Today looks cooler with some much needed rain (not enough but we’ll take it).  It should be a good BWO day with Pseudos and hopefully some of the deficiens mixed in.  They were defintely on the water yesterday so today should be a continuation of that hatch.

Jordan with a self shot picture from yesterday

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 10, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 10, 2014

We had good cloud cover for the most part yesterday but the bugs didn’t cooperate like we expected.  There were enough fish working to keep it interesting.  The evenings have been fishing well and a lot of action happens right at dark and into the night.  There are still some Green Drakes around with the Coffin Flies coming at night.  Sulphurs are providing the most consistent fishing at this point and we are having our best success with a half and half emerger pattern.  The weather looks good again today with some clouds and maybe a thunderstorm.  We are on a warming trend with our air temps so hopefully some of these T storms drop some rain on us.

Hatching:

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Tiny Blue Wing Olives #22 – 26 – Pseudocloeon sp.

Slate Drakes #12-2xl – Isonychia bicolor

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 9, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 9, 2014

While we had clouds for most of yesterday we actually had fewer bugs.  The fish were happier though and we saw more consistent risers during the day.  A lot of bugs came off in the dark and the fish responded.  The front that moved in also dropped the air temperature which usually means slower bug activity.  Today looks good for fishing with some clouds, maybe a few quick storms, and air temps in the 70’s.  Last night’s rain was helpful but most of it was soaked right into the ground.  The Beaverkill  is still rising slightly this morning but looks fine on the USGS graph.

Joel finishing the day. Photo by Jeff White

Hatching:

March Brown #10 – 2xl  – S. Vicarium

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

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.

June 8, 2014

Delaware River Report / Conditions June 8, 2014

The bright sun for most of the day made the fish very shy and the fishing very tough.  There were a lot of one and two time risers that never seemed to come back up.  There was an okay mix of Green Drakes, Stenos, small olives, and sulphurs but the fish never really got going until the sun dropped.  Once the sun left the water the fish found the sulphurs and played nice right into dark.  Some spots had coffin flies and other spots were all sulphur duns.  The weather looks a little better for today with some clouds rolling in late afternoon and some showers tonight with a 1/4 inch of rain.

Hatching:

March Brown #10 – 2xl  – S. Vicarium

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

Sulphurs #16 -18 E. dorothea

Light Cahill #14 – E. Invaria

Pale Evening Dun #14 Epeorus vitreus

Green Drake #8-2xl E. Guttalata

Tan Caddis #16 – 18- Hydrosyche sp.

Charcoal Caddis #16-18 – Dk Brachycentrus sp.