September 21, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 21, 2013

More summertime fun out on the water Friday, with bright, HOT sun, and temps into the 80s (if you weren’t in the shade!). Many of the bugs could care less, and were hatching during the day – including some smaller olives. The fish on the other hand, were not that impressed with the hatching, and laid fairly low until the sun started to drop in the afternoon, when they started paying attention, and fed well on the Lower West, and in places on the Main Stem. Big changes are afoot today insofar as weather is concerned, with rain predicted throughout the day, as well as some pretty windy conditions at times as this warm front moves out of the area. Sounds prime for Olives, but I would fully expect to see Isos and Stenos kicking around as well, river-wide.

Steno….. mmmmmm yummy! Photo: Bart Larmouth

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 20, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 20, 2013

Mixed bag out there yesterday, with some folks having lots of luck, and others seeing really picky, annoying fish. Regardless, there were plenty of bugs to be found, on every river. The fish were not too keen on the bright sun on the Main, but there were some steady fish rising on the lower West in teh heat of the day. Tricos did fall later than usual (noon), and those out in Methodist Pool seemed to see the majority of them. Today we are looking at more of the same – bright sun, and Indian Summer weather – highs around 77! We will see what that does to the fish today, but it should make for good evening fishing, as there is not supposed to be a large temp drop once the sun goes down.

Dark-thirty pictures are tough, but not as tough as this big Rainbow Doug Ewing landed last night! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 19, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 19, 2013

Another beautiful day out on the river Wednesday, and the bugs definitely showed themselves again. The fish were not as enthusiastic in the bright sun as they have been lately, but as it dropped in the sky, they certainly became hungrier and active. There were good numbers of Isos on the Main, as well as olives and the occasional hebe and steno. Today we’ve got a warmer day predicted, with similar amounts of sun expected. Yesterday, that brought decent trico action in the morning, and I would suspect the same today. Hopefully the fish have acclimated to the slightly lower levels in the West, and will be looking up for a tasty treat in the mid-day sun.

Rich Baker with a colorful Main Stem fish! Photo: Bruce Miller

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 18, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 18, 2013

The bugs were out in force yesterday, especially as the day wore on into evening. Plenty of smaller stenos on the main, olives on the West, with some brown caddis (#16) popping out, but the fish did not seem to key in on them. We had a very cold overnight, which brought our river temps right back down, and today we expecting another mostly sunny day, but a bit warmer – in the low 70s. If the sun does stay out and bright, there is a good chance for flying ants this afternoon as well – there were a handful reported on the lower West yesterday, so there is always hope! Otherwise, the tricos should come when the morning sun burns through the fog, and get things rolling for the day.

Stu Baker with a monster rainbow caught this weekend with Bruce. Photo: Bruce Miller

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 17, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 17, 2013

Not bad out there yesterday, so long as the wind stayed out of your way. When the clouds were around, the olives made themselves known, and even the isos made an appearance here and there. Acivity slowed towards dark, as the temps began to drop. It also looks like our release on the West has dropped to 375 cfs for the time being – I’m looking into it, but it should not adversely affect the fishing, being such a small change. Today, we’re looking at bright sun, with highs in the mid-60s. With the water starting of very cold this morning, the sun should not be a deal breaker, and you’ll likely see some activity right in the middle of the day, especially the hebes and stenos.

James Lewis releasing a beautiful rainbow from this weekend. Photo: John Snipes

What’s Hatching:

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Sporadic

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Ephemerella lata – Dark BWO – #18

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 16, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 16, 2013

It was a great day out on the river yesterday! Aside from a lull right around lunchtime, there were bugs and fish pretty much throughout the day. It started with good streamer action, turned into nice trico hatches (depending on where you were), and finished with olives and stenos throughout the day and into the evening. Today is a BWO enthusiast’s dream – overcast skies, spitting mist and light rain all day with very little wind to speak of. Temps are slated to be in the mid-60s, and we are starting off in the mid-50s, so it definitely feels a whole lot more comfortable this morning than it did yesterday. The tricos will likely start a bit earlier (10AM or so) with this warmer start, so drink that coffee, and head on out there!

Almost to scale (kidding) – size 8-2XL caddis – Platycentropis radius. While there are plenty of these “October Caddis” kicking around, the fish typically aren’t as interested in them as they are on other streams. Photo by: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Sporadic

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Ephemerella lata – Dark BWO – #18

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 15, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 15, 2013

It has been awhile since the weathermen were as off as they were about yesterday. The day started off cold and overcast, and it stayed that way for the duration, so I guess we can’t complain! There certainly was a breeze in the afternoon that would shut the hatching down a bit, but overall it was a pretty decent day. The streamer bite was on in the morning, and the olives came out strong throughout the rest of the afternoon, on into evening. This morning we are starting off very cold (38F), but we are supposed to reach up into the low 70s before all is said and done. There will still be some decent cloud cover to keep our olives happy, and the sun will warm up the water a bit as well, getting those fish nice, active, and happy a bit earlier today. Watch for hebes and small stenos as well – they made a brief appearance yesterday and we’ll likely see more as the month progresses.

We have been seeing some olives that could be  the younger brother of this guy – the Cornuta. Similar colors, just a bit smaller! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14 – Sporadic

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Ephemerella lata – Dark BWO – #18

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 14, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 14, 2013

Definitely a mixed bag out on the water yesterday. Tricos were spotted pool to pool throughout the morning (i.e. one would fish, another wouldn’t), and then there were good but sporadic olive hatches throughout the day on the West, tapering off in evening once the air temps started to drop. We had a cold overnight last night, which means our bugs will not likely show until later on in the morning today, and with “partly cloudy” skies predicted, we’ll likely be seeing more hebes and stenos in the mid-day than olives. The Isos are starting back up, so they are definitely a threat as well! River levels are steady, and very wadeable, with great clarity out there (just a hint of color!). Looks like it could be a fantastic start to the weekend!

Bruce Miller holding a great fish caught by his buddy Joe Dsole Thursday. Photo by the angler

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 13, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 13, 2013

Happy Friday the 13th! I hope you aren’t a triskaidekaphobic! We certainly did get quite a bit of rain during the day and overnight, but the good news is that river levels (at least on the West) remained pretty steady – we’re up around 800, but with very little color in the river at all. There was  a good streamer bite on, with olives and some hebes thrown in for good measure. Today we’re looking at more scattered showers, which means nice, cloudy skies and (finally) cooler temperatures. The air pressure looks to be stable, which is always a good thing for hatching, which means we definitely should have good olive hatches, and maybe even a spinner fall or two, as well as Tricos early on. The 13th is a lucky day afterall, right?

Jim holds a nice, thick West Branch Brown he recently caught! Photo: Rich Buerman

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 12, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 12, 2013

Talk about stormy weather! We had some serious thunderstorms roll through starting yesterday afternoon, and not letting up until well into the night. There was a bit more of a sound and light show than torrential downpours, but we definitely did get a good chunk of rain, which bumped up the West, which has already dropped back down again, with very little color in the river by the club at this point. Those that braved the storms (huddling on shore during the lightning) saw very active fish, as well as great hatches of Olives, sulphurs, and Isos. Unfortunately the safe times were few and far between. Today, they are calling for more thunderstorms and severe weather as the day progresses. As per usual, I am skeptical about how bad it will get, but regardless, be prepared out there, and don’t wave a big graphite lightning rod in the middle of the river whilst the sky is flashing!

The fall colors are getting better! Photo: Bob Lewis

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 11, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 11, 2013

12 years ago our world changed – please take a moment to think of all of those who selflessly put themselves in harm’s way for our sake.

Well, this random summertime weather definitely affected the fishing yesterday, with late in the day FOG being the primary culprit. You know there is a ton of humidity when even the Main Stem gets all foggy and hard to see in the evening! Aside from that, there were decent hatches of olives, stenos, and Isos early in the day, waning as the sun came out, then coming back as evening set in. Today we are looking at a high of 92(!!!!), with plenty of humidity, and the scattered thunderstorms associated with it. The low pressure should be a boon for bugs, especially as the clouds thicken throughout the day, so be ready for olives and fish actively eating them!

Iso Parachutes = trout crack!  Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions:

September 10, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions September 10, 2013

It turned out to be a pretty good day out there yesterday, despite the sun baking the water for the majority of it. Tricos did come out, and those on the bigger pools had good luck with them, and as the clouds rolled in yesterday evening, we had some great Olives coming off, as well as sporadic spinner falls that both fish and fishermen were happy to see. Today, they are calling for an AM thunderstorm, and mostly cloudy and humid – perfect bug weather! A little bit of rain won’t hurt either, as it will definitely keep our water temps down where we like them, revitalizing the East and the Main (which should start to fish again in the very near future). Some pressure changes throughout the day will likely mess with the hatches some, but the heavy moist air should balance it out nicely!

Dave Price holds a nice brown aloft that he caught this past weekend – they are getting colored up for the spawn! Photo by the angler.

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16 & #18 – starting to wane

Epeorus vitreus – PED / Pink Lady – #14

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

Stenonema species – Various Light Cahills – #14

Pseudocloeon species – BWO – #22 – sporadic

Heptagenia hebe – Olive Sulphurs – #16

Current Flow Conditions: