May 22, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 22, 2013

Well it was definitely a scorcher out there yesterday, with blazing sun, high humidity, and very little breeze. A typical August day on the Delaware, basically. In typical summer fashion, the water temps rose dramatically throughout the day, “shocking” the fish into a bit of a lull until the sun dropped behind the mountains. While there was some pretty good hatching activity towards the evening, the fish did not go crazy in response. That being said, plenty were still taken on March Browns, some tan caddis, and even a Hendrickson or two way up river on the West Branch. Today we’re looking at another smoker of a day, but hopefully the thunderstorms that have been predicted will actually materialize in the PM, and bring us some cooler water into the system.

Al Mikalaukis (left) poses with a nice chromed-up Rainbow, and guide Bob Lewis. I will let you guess which one is the fish! Photo: Bill Kracht

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 21, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 21, 2013

A bit of a split personality day out on the water yesterday. The heat and sun definitely warmed things up, but the bugs and fish cooled down quite a bit on the Main Stem and the East Branch. However, those who took to the West had a pretty spectacular day despite the sun beating down, with March Browns showing up in droves for the first time, and big fish coming up to eat them. We also had some small, black “bugs” working on the West, which were possibly some diving caddis, but reports definitely vary. The rain / thunderstorms predicted never materialized, so our water levels are still decreasing. We are definitely expecting a warm day today (in the 80s), but clouds should be present and hopefully we’ll get this rain that is continually predicted but never actually appears!

A trophy of a different sort! A beautiful baby brown, which shows us that our Brown Trout population is still self-sustaining! Photo: George Scott

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 20, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 20, 2013

It was certainly a bit of an oddball day out there yesterday. The weather was perfect (for hatches) with overcast skies and a slight drizzle throughout the day, but only certain areas of the river had the type of bugs one would expect. The Main was one, and sections of the West as well. Unfortunately, the East had a bit of a shut-down yesterday, with very very few bugs, and just as many fish. Definitely strange! Today we’re looking at a warm, cloudy, humid day, with a chance of some good thunderstorms in the afternoon. Let’s hope they bring the water levels back up a little bit!

George Fielding with one of his chunkier fish from Sunday. Photo: Kevan Smaracko.

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 19, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 19, 2013

Mother Nature certainly provided the cloud cover yesterday which in turn yielded some decent hatches depending on the stretch of river you fished. The Main and West saw a few March Browns, and even some Sulfurs later in the evening. Although there were some dortheas in the mix, do not fret, the majority of the bugs were Ephemerella invaria in a size #14. The fish were a bit apathetic to much of the hatching at times, but definitely turned around a bit in the evening, with some nice fish caught towards dark. Today, more clouds are called for, and hopefully the fish will decide to be a bit more cooperative!

Lou Gauci with a great Rainbow from the East Branch! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 18, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 18, 2013

It was a toughie out on the water yesterday, with bright sun bearing down on the water for most of the day, and a nice stiff wind early on just to make things interesting. That being said, certain areas lit right up in the evening, with decent hatches of tan caddis, as well as March Browns and the start of the Ephemerella invaria – Light Cahills. Out front in Home Pool, we had several nice fish feeding consistently, and in true Delaware style, it was nearly impossible to figure out exactly what it was they were eating! People had success on drowned caddis as well as the trusty Rusty Spinner in a size #16. Today, we’re expecting some cooler temps, very little wind, and hopefully a bunch more cloud cover to entice those olives to pop!

Mark Li does it again, finding fish taking March Browns. Photo: Mike Phillipe

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 17, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 17, 2013

We certainly had a bit of a strange day out there yesterday. There were strong yet sporadic hatches throughout the afternoon on the entire system. In some areas it was dictated by the wind, in others your guess is as good as mine! The evening brought some PERFECT hatching/spinner fall conditions, but aside from an insanely brief flush of bugs around 8:30, none was really to be had. Today we are expecting some more clouds and slightly cooler temps, which should (in a perfect world which I know we do not live in) have a bit more consistent mayfly activity throughout the day, and hopefully the spinner fall that we were denied last evening!

Geoff Adams holds an OBESE Brown Trout! Photo: Bruce Miller

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 16, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 16, 2013

While we had a cold start yesterday morning, the sun came out and warmed the water up quite a bit in the early afternoon. Unfortunately, it did bring some pretty significant wind gusts throughout the day as well, adding a little degree of difficulty to everyone’s casting. There were decent hatches of March Browns on the Main and East, but the fish were a bit spotty on them, preferring some caddis in certain areas. Today, we are expecting a MUCH warmer day, so water temps should rise quickly back into the 60s, and our hatches should start off right with them. It is certainly going to be bright, so we are not expecting to see many olives out today, and there will be some wind with the sun as well, so be ready for some opposite shoulder casting!

Drew holds his first Delaware trout! A beautiful Main Stem Rainbow! Photo: Bruce Miller

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 15, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 15, 2013

The cold weather definitely affected the activity yesterday, with a slow start to the hatching (mid-afternoon), and a quick stoppage to it as well (early evening) when the air temps plummeted much deeper and faster than expected. There were decent rising fish to be found, but their feeding behavior was definitely spotty at times, even though they did not seem to be all that picky over all. The good news for today is that we are starting with some warmer water temps, so the bugs should start earlier today, and the warmer weather predicted should also help keep the hatch going well into the evening, getting us right back on track!

Ron McKnight holds a SLAB of a Brown caught yesterday afternoon. Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 14, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 14, 2013

Yesterday went just about as expected with the wind and extremely cold temperatures (Mother Nature threw a couple of flurries in just for added effect) – not a ton of dry fly activity, but the fish were still hungry once the water temps started to climb in the mid-afternoon. There were some risers here and there, but no real, good, steady fish to speak of. Today, we’re looking at a warmer day, but our water temps are  back to early April numbers, with the Main starting under 50 for the first time in several weeks. All this means is that it will take a little while for the river to heat up, so I wouldn’t rush to get out there until the afternoon. That being said, the predicted sun should heat up the rivers pretty well, and that always gives us a chance of great hatching once it does.

VICTORY! Tony May celebrates his first Brown of the year as Jeff White holds for the pose. This nice fish definitely put on a show as he was brought to the boat, complete with dives under the deck! Photo: Nate Eckhaus

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning)

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 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 13, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 13, 2013

Man, windy and cold yesterday – it felt more like a March fishing day than it did May, that much is for sure. It was cool and damp as well, so while there were a few bugs hatching, we had no real reliable reports of decent spinner falls towards evening. Like a typical March / early April day, fishing seemed to shut down right as the water temp peaked for the day, around 5PM or so. Today we are also looking at cooler temperatures, but the wind should mercifully lay down a bit. A “bit” as in 25MPH gusts as opposed to the 35+ we saw in places yesterday. The sun is supposed to show up at some point, which will definitely aid the fishing a little bit, but I am not optimistic about good spinner falls. Water temps should get warm enough to wake the fish up a bit, so they will hopefully be active later in the afternoon.

Good friend of the shopgot an unwanted piercing the other day, which was NOT wind-related, from his fishing partner. Photo by:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14

Brachycentrus species – Apple Green Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 12, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 12, 2013

Happy Mother’s Day! Yesterday was definitely interesting on many levels, with rain throughout the day, heavy at times on the West, but barely bringing us up, while the East jumped dramatically after dark. Both fished fairly well, although the activity was spotty throughout the day, a likely result of all the crazy air pressure changes we were experiencing. People were still seeing some Blue Quills (Paraleps) as well as Hendrickson spinners and even some Baetis thrown in for good measure. Today the air temps drop, and we are expecting a bit more wind as well, with the possibility of some afternoon showers or thunderstorms. If the cloud cover stays, expect a pretty decent day on the West, and likely the Main as well once it begins to clear.

Mike Philipe stands a bit off center in this pic of a nice Brown taken between showers! Photo: Mark Li

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14

Brachycentrus species – Apple Green Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions:

May 11, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 11, 2013

Our friendly neighborhood weathermen did it again. What started as 1.10″ of rain predicted slowly fell throughout the day as the storms that were supposed to roll through never materialized. Instead we had nice slow, steady rain throughout the night, which unfortunately did not equate to significant increases in river flows at all. I won’t look the gift horse of flow stabilization in the mouth, but it would have been nice to see a big surge from the feeder streams to help us get through the weekend. All of that being said, the fishing was a little bit spotty yesterday, with some folks finding good pods of rising fish early, and others seeing the bugs disappear as the day progressed, possibly due to the change in atmospheric pressure. Today we are looking at a slightly cooler day, with the possibility of more rain and some occasional thunderstorms in the area. The good news is the cooler temps and heavy cloud cover should yeild some decent hatching throughout the heart of the day.

John Wakelee holds a nice Main Stem Brown – one of his FIRST on the Delaware, always a big deal! Photo: Jeff White

What’s Hatching:

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14

Brachycentrus species – Apple Green Caddis – #16 & #18

Chimarra species – Charcoal Caddis – #16 & #18

Epeorus vitreus – PED, Pink Lady – #14 – Getting Started

Baetis species – BWO – #16 & #18 – Very sporadic

Paraleptophlebia adoptiva – Blue Quill – #16 & #18 – Waning, spinners still around

Current Flow Conditions: