Stream Reports and Hatch Information
Last Update posted -
October
13, 2011
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Al with a Delaware River
Rainbow
River
Report - October 13, 2011.
All branches continue to drop to reasonable flows. the WB release
continues at 1550 due to the unpopular FFMP release plan. Hopefully,
we will get a better plan installed before the 2012 season, one that
will include a 600 cfs min. release at Cannonsville on the WB
from April 1 through Sept 30. Due to the high flow and murky water
there is little hatching activity and dry fly fishing on the WB but
streamer fishing is fair to good.
The EB is clear and continues to drop, however, it is still a little
high for good fishing for this time of the year with the light Fall
hatching activity. The lower the water the more effective the hatching
for dry fly fishing when hatches are light.
I was on the river yesterday with my friend Dave and we hooked 4
rainbows, 2 decent ones. The relatively high water diluted the hatches
of Psuedo's, Iso's and small Stenos, so that the rises were few
and far between. Hopefully, this will increase as the water drops
further, hopefully this weekend.
The Main Stem conditions are somewhere in between the 2 branches with
sporadic hatching and occasional rises. Light rain is predicted for
the next few days, hopefully it won't raise the river much.
Click here to learn how to tie
a Hi Viz Isonychia parachute
Current Flows and Temps - (scroll down for links to the gages
and
reservoir levels)
West Branch at Walton -452 cfs (Reservoir Inflow)
West Branch at Stilesville - 1550 cfs 58 - 59 F
West Branch at Hale Eddy - 1720 cfs 58 - 61 F
West Branch at Hancock
58 - 60 F
East Branch at Harvard - 877 cfs 47 - 50 F East Branch at Fishs
Eddy 1470 cfs 51 - 54 F Mainstem at Lordville
- 3350 cfs 57- 59 F Mainstem at
Callicoon - 3480 cfs
57 - 60 F Beaverkill at Cooks Falls - 430 cfs
temp unavail.
Note: see all the pertinent flow gages on the upper Delaware River
system listed below, as well as the current percentage of the
reservoir capacities so just click on!
Hatches:
Slate Drakes #12, #10 (Isonychia bicolor)
Little Blue Winged Olive #22, # 26 (Pseudos)
Smaller Stenos #16, #14
Charcoal Caddis #16-18 (Dk Brachycentrus sp))
October Caddis #8 - #10
Heptagenia hebe #18 - #20
Various small Ephemerella species, mostly slate
wings and dark bodies #16-22
For more information please refer to:
Al Caucci's Online Match the Hatch Chart
Click here for my 2011 Delaware River Trout
photos.
Click here for my 2010 Delaware River Trout
photos.
Click Here
for Al Caucci Fly Fishing photos from around the world.
Click here to learn
about guided fishing packages on the Delaware
Fish with your thermometer to find the best hatching temperature. The size of these fish make the West Branch one of the top wild
trout rivers in the world for dry fly fishing.
Please Support Friends of the Upper Delaware to help the
sustain the wild trout that we all love.
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HOW TO FISH THE WEST
BRANCH AT VARIOUS FLOW RATES
200 - when the river drops below 200 cfs, floating is not possible
and wading is easy. Fish the areas of moving water as the slow pools
can get difficult. The lower stretches can get warm on sunny days.
200-400 - This is a nice level as wading is easy and there is
enough flow to keep the river moving. Floating can mean a lot of
dragging too. Look for fish in the tails of riffs and in the deeper
stretches of pools. Lower stretches can warm up on hot, sunny,
summer days.
400-700 - Great wading and floating along the entire river. The
whole river stays cool and usually fishes nicely. Look for active
fish throughout the river system.
700-1000 - This level is the best of both worlds. There is plenty
of water to float and you can wade the river nearly everywhere. At
this level look for fish out of the main current.
1000-1500 - At this level floating comes into its own. Wading is
still possible in some areas, but floating is easy and gives you the
ability to reach all the working fish. You will start to find fish
along the banks at this level. The fish will look for slower water
in which to position themselves.
1500-2500 - the river really changes character at this level.
Wading is really not possible, but floating the river can yield
really nice fishing. Fish can be caught on streamers and you need to
find surface feeding fish along the banks and back eddies. At this
level big browns can be active during the day and will take
streamers.
2500+ - At this level floating is possible and fishing can
be good. Wading is not possible and is dangerous. Streamers cast to
the banks will take fish. Dry fly action is limited.
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