Hot, low conditions day one on the upper WBD with very few bugs. Got run off twice by T-storms. Tough fishing. Thursday was cold and windy and again no bugs on upper WB. So Friday, we floated Balls Eddy on WB down to Buckingham on the mainstem and got rained on hard all day. We caught a few, but we were all so soaked and cold (43 F was the high) that we pushed past risers later in the day to get off the water before hypothermia set in. Saturday was our breakout day. We floated Fireman's Park on the lower EB in Hancock down to Buckingham. This time we had bugs as soon as we hit Junction Pool which is the beginning of the mainstem for those that may not know the river. We got to Lake Lenore and stayed for hours, taking turns casting to heads. We had dorothea, invaria and Light Cahills for sulphurs, a couple different BWOs, brown and green drakes (most brown drakes I've ever seen), March Browns/Grey Fox, Isos, and at least three different caddis. Much of the water was covered by these bugs all day long, and the magic fly was the March Brown dun. There was no nymphing or streamer fishing due to the heavy rains the night before and all the green snot in the water.Fishybig wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 5:53 pmHow was your trip rusty?? Synopsis?Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 9:31 amTemps for both air and water continue to drop up there. The B-kill is the "worst", but has 63 degree water. The West at Hale Eddy is a chilly 48F. Rain is coming along with mostly cooler temps day and night. Good luck up there!
Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
- Rusty Spinner
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:35 pm
- Location: Flanders, NJ
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Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Fri Jun 04, 2021 10:14 amHot, low conditions day one on the upper WBD with very few bugs. Got run off twice by T-storms. Tough fishing. Thursday was cold and windy and again no bugs on upper WB. So Friday, we floated Balls Eddy on WB down to Buckingham on the mainstem and got rained on hard all day. We caught a few, but we were all so soaked and cold (43 F was the high) that we pushed past risers later in the day to get off the water before hypothermia set in. Saturday was our breakout day. We floated Fireman's Park on the lower EB in Hancock down to Buckingham. This time we had bugs as soon as we hit Junction Pool which is the beginning of the mainstem for those that may not know the river. We got to Lake Lenore and stayed for hours, taking turns casting to heads. We had dorothea, invaria and Light Cahills for sulphurs, a couple different BWOs, brown and green drakes (most brown drakes I've ever seen), March Browns/Grey Fox, Isos, and at least three different caddis. Much of the water was covered by these bugs all day long, and the magic fly was the March Brown dun. There was no nymphing or streamer fishing due to the heavy rains the night before and all the green snot in the water.Fishybig wrote: ↑Thu Jun 03, 2021 5:53 pmHow was your trip rusty?? Synopsis?Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑Wed May 26, 2021 9:31 am
Temps for both air and water continue to drop up there. The B-kill is the "worst", but has 63 degree water. The West at Hale Eddy is a chilly 48F. Rain is coming along with mostly cooler temps day and night. Good luck up there!
Awesome !!! Sounds similar to what I had on the beaverkill all weekend.....decided to stay there once water conditions improved.....saw almost all the same bugs you saw on the bigger water....
- Rusty Spinner
- Posts: 1235
- Joined: Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:35 pm
- Location: Flanders, NJ
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Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Some pix. Other than the one of me, the other guy is Fredy from this site although he hasn't been active here for some time....
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Sounds like some pretty dicey weather conditions! Those bugs are big-no wonder the trout grow to good sizes up there!
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Glad you got into fish on the mainstem, that last one is a bruiser.
Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
Anatole France
Anatole France
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Yeah-how long/how many pounds do you reckon that last one was? What size tippet did he come in on? I imagine a fish like that in big water will work the drag some.
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Junction pool always holds some nice fish. Have caught a few monsters on the opposite side of the parking lot. High fishing psi thou
Was known as Troutman1
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Fished last Thursday- Saturday on the BK, Willow and East Branch. Didn’t catch a ton of fish but most fish were big and healthy. Very few dinks. We had olives in the morning, then sulphers. Caddies were almost always present. Spinners were effective. Had sporadic March browns and green drakes but mostly they drifted by untouched. Great trip.
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Fished Sunday and Monday morning. Sunday very hot and nothing happening during the day on the Beaverkill until about 8:30 when we were able to catch a couple during a sulphur hatch. Monday fished the Willow and caught a bunch all in the 12-14 range all caught on a sulphur spinner during a olive hatch..
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Will be heading north in a few hours after my nieces high school graduation.....conditions aren't the best but I'll be putting time in during the early morning and evening hours...reports to follow
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Last evening....two small browns....fished over a pod of nicer rainbows that were subsurface feeders, lost one on a small rusty...today is a new day!!
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
At least you have located the fish-I am not sure what is more frustrating-blind casting and not being able to hone in where the fish are, or knowing exactly where they are but not being able to hook them. Such is the fisherman's dilemma! Good luck and I am sure with persistence you will make it happen today!
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Finding them is easy on the West Branch just look for full parking lots
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Sat mornin 8-10 am...first spot had 3 spin guys taking up most of the run, caught one 14" brown up in the riff on a iso emerger....next spot just up river, missed a few and landed a 19" brown on a sunken ant...once the sun got on the water they were counting thread wraps so I quit....sat evening missed a couple, then the rain pushed me off early, bout 730.....sunday morning , zero bug life , missed 2 just fishing the water with iso emerger and a small flying ant....They need water up there in a major way.....
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
finding the trout in the west branch is easy. just follow the cold water. Theyll be there waiting for youmartalus wrote: ↑Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:08 pmAt least you have located the fish-I am not sure what is more frustrating-blind casting and not being able to hone in where the fish are, or knowing exactly where they are but not being able to hook them. Such is the fisherman's dilemma! Good luck and I am sure with persistence you will make it happen today!
Was known as Troutman1
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
the closer to the reservoir dam you are the colder the water. The colder the water the more trout it will be holding
Was known as Troutman1
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
I mite have been 1 of those spin guysFishybig wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:12 amSat mornin 8-10 am...first spot had 3 spin guys taking up most of the run, caught one 14" brown up in the riff on a iso emerger....next spot just up river, missed a few and landed a 19" brown on a sunken ant...once the sun got on the water they were counting thread wraps so I quit....sat evening missed a couple, then the rain pushed me off early, bout 730.....sunday morning , zero bug life , missed 2 just fishing the water with iso emerger and a small flying ant....They need water up there in a major way.....
Was known as Troutman1
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Which river were you on??Troutman wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:05 pmI mite have been 1 of those spin guysFishybig wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:12 amSat mornin 8-10 am...first spot had 3 spin guys taking up most of the run, caught one 14" brown up in the riff on a iso emerger....next spot just up river, missed a few and landed a 19" brown on a sunken ant...once the sun got on the water they were counting thread wraps so I quit....sat evening missed a couple, then the rain pushed me off early, bout 730.....sunday morning , zero bug life , missed 2 just fishing the water with iso emerger and a small flying ant....They need water up there in a major way.....
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Fishybig wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 5:30 pmWhich river were you on??Troutman wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 4:05 pmI mite have been 1 of those spin guysFishybig wrote: ↑Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:12 amSat mornin 8-10 am...first spot had 3 spin guys taking up most of the run, caught one 14" brown up in the riff on a iso emerger....next spot just up river, missed a few and landed a 19" brown on a sunken ant...once the sun got on the water they were counting thread wraps so I quit....sat evening missed a couple, then the rain pushed me off early, bout 730.....sunday morning , zero bug life , missed 2 just fishing the water with iso emerger and a small flying ant....They need water up there in a major way.....
Was known as Troutman1
Re: Five days on the upper Delaware coming up
Wasnt you unfortunately....would've picked your brain as I mostly spin fish jersey trout....only fly fish jersey when the hatches are poppin and the water is cold enough...