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:

May 30, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 30, 2013

What a difference a day can make. With the heat and humidity, the air felt just plain thick yesterday, and the patchy sun definitely kept the bugs down for a good chunk of the day. There was decent action to be found, depending on where you were fishing, but definitely slower than it has been for the previous few days. The spinners (Coffin Flies in particular) are starting to fly out over the water, but no real large falls at this point. The Dragonflies were out in force, mowing down mayflies and caddis like the little Apache attack helicopters they are – always cool to watch! Also, there is pretty big spill-off coming from both reservoirs now, coloring up the East and Main, while blowing quite a bit of the dreaded “green slime” downstream from Deposit in the West Branch. This will eventually settle out, but until then expect times where your Sulphur will turn into a BWO.

Last Minute Note: The crazy thing just brought to my attention is the fact that Walton (the inflow into Cannonsville) is at 6,100 cfs this morning, meaning the spill will continue for quite awhile.

Mike Chain, Jr. holds a THICK Main Stem 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:

May 29, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 29, 2013

Plenty of bugs out on the water yesterday at times, but the fish were not as crazy about eating them as you would expect. Maybe they were full after the last few days? Regardless, there were some nice fish taken, and some very cool hatches seen, including a full-fledged Iso hatch on the West Branch. Warmer weather and thunderstorms today could affect what has been happening, as well as the fact that both Cannonsville and Pepacton are currently spilling over warmer water. This will also likely flush some of the “green stuff” from up by Deposit on to us here downstream. With significant cloud cover however, we could also see some of our first real heavy spinner falls resultant from last week’s epic hatching.

Ken Gates shows off a fish that has definitely been eating well as of late! 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:

May 28, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 28, 2013

Well those clouds I expected yesterday certainly never appeared! The bright sun definitely hampered things more than a little bit, at least in the early going of the the day, but the bugs were still on the surface. While the sulphurs tended to be the primary insect seen, there were definitely plenty of Grey Fox and Green Drakes around to keep the day interesting. Today cooler temps are called for, along with some rain showers here and there. If that ends up producing serious clouds, they today could be another banner day, especially with the lack of wind! Spinner falls, here we come! Also FYI – Pepacton Reservoir is currently spilling, we’re waiting to see if the same is true at Cannonsville with the large influx from above near Walton. Stay tuned!

This Brown Trout bought tickets to Adam Johnson’s gun show. Photo: Steve Shen

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 27, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 27, 2012

It was definitely a different story Sunday versus Saturday, that is for sure. With the winds being much more intense, and bright sun throughout the day, the fish were not exactly motivate to feed on the surface. There was still a ton of insect activity, with plenty of sulphurs coming off –  both dorthea and invaria, as well as some Coffin Flies (Green Drake spinners) flying over the water in places. Green Drake duns were also popping here at there, along with March Browns and Grey Fox. Today, we are looking at temps in the 70s with (thankfully) less wind, and supposedly some decent cloud cover. With the sheer number of insects hatching over the last few days, this could mean some excellent spinner falls in our future!

Sam holds a fantastic East Branch Brown caught Saturday. Photo: Bob Lewis

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 26, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 26, 2013

Wow. Simply WOW. Yesterday was one of the strangest yet amazing days I’ve even heard about on the Delaware. We started with frigid water temps, which were never helped by the cold, biting wind and rain. That soon developed in to some of the most prolific mayfly hatching many have ever seen. March Browns, Grey Fox, Green Drakes, Hendricksons, Paraleps, Pseudos, Rotunda, Dorthea, Invaria, Vitereus…..all hatching simultaneously and en masse. This varied a bit based on where you were located system-wise, but the onslaught of bugs was definitely felt everywhere. Even better? The fish were up and eating them in between the heavy bursts of wind. It looks like I will have some great pictures to share over the next few days, just as a result of all that craziness. Today, we’re looking much warmer (the fact that into the 60s is warmer on Memorial Weekend is pretty crazy), with a break from the rain and sleet. Water temps are starting low again, so the action likely won’t begin until the afternoon. Let’s hope for a repeat of yesterday’s performance!

NIck Christon holds a piggy from yesterday! Photo: Steve Shen

What’s Hatching:

……yesterday? EVERYTHING.

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 – Getting Started

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

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning – Upper West Only)

Current Flow Conditions:

May 25, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 25, 2013

Is it May? It definitely felt more like late March yesterday (and still does in a way). That being said, despite the cold air temps, stiff wind and occasional rain, it was bug soup out on the Main Stem, and the fish were definitely eager to eat. With March Browns, Grey Fox, Sulphurs of every variety, and last but not least – GREEN DRAKES hatching, it was a virtual smorgasbord for the fish willing to come to the surface. While we did get some rain, the level in the West only rose slightly, and we are still low and clear. The Main and East still have some color in them, but are not blown out. The frigid overnight temps (dipped into the 30s) have dramatically lowered our water temps, so it is likely we won’t see a ton of action until mid-afternoon when they increase. Some rain is predicted, and the wind will be the real story today, with big gusts predicted throughout the morning and afternoon. Let’s hope it will be like yesterday, and the fish / bugs just won’t care!

Piers MacDonald holds a nice Main Stem Brown while daughter Paige looks on approvingly! Photo: Bob Lewis

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 – Getting Started

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

Ephemerella subvaria – Hendricksons – #12 & #14 (waning – Upper West Only)

Current Flow Conditions:

May 24, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 24, 2013

I swear there is some sort of force-field around the West Branch Basin that is keeping water out of our river. While there were some crazy storms out an about yesterday, none of them decided to drop rain on us. The East did receive some of the rain, and is still going up a little bit this morning. That being said, Home Pool lit up last night, with tons of fish and up and feeding – primarily on junk. That would be basically anything that floated over top of them, if presented properly. Definitely NOT something to complain about! Today, they are calling for much cooler temps and a little bit of rain. We will see what actually transpires. The lower pressure is definitely a boon, so we should see some great hatching as the day progresses. PS – Green Drakes are starting!

A March Brown making friends! Photo: Norm Price

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 23, 2013

Delaware River Report / Conditions May 23, 2013

Rain! While we definitely had some pretty substantial storms yesterday, the majority of the water fell on the East Branch basin, and the West yet again missed substantial refill. As a result, the East and Main are definitely off-color but clearing quickly, while the West remained clear, and is definitely wade-able. We are starting at 348 at Hale this morning, and it appears to be fairly steady. Outside the club, we are closer to 600 cfs (rough estimate) which is a great level. The only issue we see currently is water temperatures – the rain was warm, and as such we are starting already at 57 degrees at Lordville – let’s hope that sun stays hidden through the day today! More rain is forecast, so we should see passing showers throughout the day, which should not affect us too greatly (in theory). The low pressure is definitely a boon for both fish and bugs, so it could be a great day for everyone out on the water for sure.

Pat McPartland holds a GORGEOUS Main Stem Brown! Photo: Bob Lewis

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 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: