Delaware River Report / Conditions May 24, 2012

I thought summer unofficially started on Memorial Day? We’ve still got a few days left until then, but it already feels like “official” summer has started. The predicted cloud cover yesterday vaporized by lunchtime, creating some tough conditions out there, at least as far we fishermen were concerned. Those looking to get a tan were in GREAT shape. That being said, the occasional cloud or piece of shade did yield hatching bugs (still a bug soup of everything below) and rising fish, with some pretty decent catches being made both during the day and at the magic hour in the evening. Today we are looking at more “clouds and sun” according to the all-powerful weathermen, with a passing thunderstorm or two. It will be warm, in the mid-70s, but so long as the sun is broken up (so they say) the water temps should stay pretty decent, and hopefully we’ll have a bit more activity than yesterday.

Tony Mortimer with a CHUNKY Main Stem Brown. Photo by: Bruce Miller

Hatches:

Stenonema vicarium – March Browns – #10-2xl

Stenonema fuscum – Grey Fox – #12-2xl

Ephemerella dorthea – Sulphurs – #16

Ephemerella invaria – Large Sulphurs / Light Cahills – #14

Ephemerella cornuta – Light BWO – #14 (sporadic)

Ephemera guttulata – Green Drake – #8-2xl

Baetis species – #18 & #20