Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Trout fishing outside of NJ
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Rusty Spinner
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Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by Rusty Spinner » Wed Apr 18, 2018 8:10 pm

It looks like the Hendrickson hatch is back to normal the last year or two in the Catskills, and that I should be knee deep in that hatch in two short weeks. This is my 18th year with a crew of anglers, liars, and world class whiskey drinkers that ascends on the upper D each year, settling along the banks of the West Branch. I will be up the entire week of May 1 through Sunday the 6th. My favorite hatch because it means trout are feeding on top for several more months.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

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Twism86
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by Twism86 » Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:44 pm

Enjoy the trip! I have yet to catch anything over 8" on that river but I know one day I will make it up there for a few days and hopefully land something of a decent size!
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abitskrewd
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by abitskrewd » Thu Apr 19, 2018 1:25 pm

i'll be up there the first week of June. hoping that the water levels are a little lower than last year.

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by Rusty Spinner » Thu Apr 19, 2018 5:19 pm

Twism86 wrote:
Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:44 pm
Enjoy the trip! I have yet to catch anything over 8" on that river but I know one day I will make it up there for a few days and hopefully land something of a decent size!
In all my years going up there, I'm not sure I ever caught one that small. :D
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

troutfishing4life
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by troutfishing4life » Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:45 am

Hopefully you will finally get a good trip with the bugs you want and not crazy high water like last year

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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by thedirtynympher » Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:10 pm

I'll bring the...
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NJpatbee
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by NJpatbee » Thu Apr 26, 2018 10:23 am

Good luck on the West Branch. I have not fished there in quite a while, but the dry fly fishing was great all day and when there was a hatch it was insane.

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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by Rusty Spinner » Mon Apr 30, 2018 12:51 pm

Bringing the sit on top fishing kayak to fish the West Branch. Beamoc should be wadeable soon or by Wednesday at the latest. Floating in drift boats Thursday and Friday. Either way, an 18th annual trip with 20 good buddies will be an excellent time even if I forget my rod, reel and waders. :lol:
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

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cappy
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by cappy » Mon May 07, 2018 1:28 pm

Rusty...How was the fishing? Will be heading up this month, just not sure when, may need to travel for work.
Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by Rusty Spinner » Mon May 07, 2018 2:58 pm

cappy wrote:
Mon May 07, 2018 1:28 pm
Rusty...How was the fishing? Will be heading up this month, just not sure when, may need to travel for work.
It was tough all of last week due to high flows and cold water. The Beaverkill finally got above 50 F for several days and the Hendricksons poured off each day, but the trout never rose or seldom rose to them. The West Branch never reached 50 degrees during my trip which ended yesterday, so it never turned on and streamer fishing was definitely not what it had been in even higher, off-colored water. The mainstem had some bugs hatching, but was not turning on. My best day was a float on Saturday on the upper East Branch from Corbett to Oxbow. We had a decent Hendrickson hatch with a smattering of blue quills (Paraleps) and some random caddis, and that got some noses poking through the film. But this week that upper Delaware system will bust wide open. And nobody has yet to be able to wade the West, so that river is grossly underfished at the moment. But it remains just over 2,000 cfs, so wading is at least several days if not a week or more away.
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

MR.MCR
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by MR.MCR » Mon May 07, 2018 4:19 pm

So does that mean the "Trout Whisperer " got skunked..........
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Rusty Spinner
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by Rusty Spinner » Tue May 08, 2018 8:33 am

MR.MCR wrote:
Mon May 07, 2018 4:19 pm
So does that mean the "Trout Whisperer " got skunked..........
Oh Hell no, it just means I struggled mightily all week to land a few fish, but all on dries and all fish being wild. Thankfully, I didn't have to catch 100% stocked rainbows like here in NJ.....
"A sinking fly is closer to Hell" - Unknown

MR.MCR
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by MR.MCR » Tue May 08, 2018 11:37 am

Rusty Spinner wrote:
Tue May 08, 2018 8:33 am
MR.MCR wrote:
Mon May 07, 2018 4:19 pm
So does that mean the "Trout Whisperer " got skunked..........
Oh Hell no, it just means I struggled mightily all week to land a few fish, but all on dries and all fish being wild. Thankfully, I didn't have to catch 100% stocked rainbows like here in NJ.....
LOL tried to get you going........
www.estatesalesbyolga.com 908 272 4857 WE CONDUCT ESTATE SALES WE BUY AND SELL ANTIQUES AND VINTAGE ITEMS

908 868 8236 MIKE

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cappy
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Re: Annual West Branch Delaware trip early May

Post by cappy » Tue May 08, 2018 2:35 pm

Sounds like you had a fun trip. I'm sure good times shared with friends and fish.
Until one has loved an animal a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
Anatole France

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