Stream Reports and Hatch Information
Last Update posted -
Feb/March River report
Daily River Reports
will begin on April 1st
Click here
for our latest newsletter

Big wild trout like this are
in eminent danger from the low FFMP releases
River Report
Current Flows and Temps - (scroll down for links to the gages
and
reservoir levels)
Daily Reports will begin on April 1
West Branch at Stilesville
- West Branch at Hale Eddy - East Branch at
Harvard - East Branch at Fishs Eddy -
Mainstem at Lordville - Mainstem at
Callicoon - Beaverkill
at Cooks Falls -
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:
As the weather warms and we head into March, with the current river
levels, you should start to see Tiny Black Capnia stoneflies hatching
on the West Branch, East Branch, and Mainstem. On those rare mild
afternoons when the water temps reach 40+ degrees you may see some
sporadic dryfly activity on the surface. Around mid-March some of the
larger Taenioptera stoneflies, Early
Black Stone and early Brown
stone, will start hatch and they will go into early April.
Nymphing the riffles and stripping streamers slowly through the pools
will offer you the best opportunity of landing some fish in the waning
days of winter. Winter flows were great, so I expect the fish to be
healthy and strong this Spring, with a lot of
big fish.
Current Hatches Feb/March
-Tiny Black Capnia stoneflies #18-20
- Early Black Stonefly #14-16
- Early Brown Stonefly #14-16
- Pheasant tails #14 through #20
- Hare's Ears #14 through # 20
Streamers can move, hook and land large trout,
zonkers and other weighted streamers (and unweighted small streamers)
in white, black, olive and yellow have worked well on the high water.
Sizes #2 - #6Important - Take a few
minutes - help improve the upper Delaware Fishery!
The lower WB and Main Stem continue to
deteriorate in the warm weather due to low and erratic (yo-yo)
releases called for in the existing FFMP Release Plan. The
current increase in releases the Cannosville and Pepacton reservoirs
are temporary and available only during the Delaware Aquaduct Repair.
All parties, including the "watercrats" who wrote the FFMP plan,
realize that the FFMP is not acceptable for the trout fishery or for
flood mitigation, yet they insist on keeping the destructive plan in
effect until they see fit to change it (And they will only increase
"releases" with pressure from folks like you). Meanwhile, the trout
fishery, habitat and the local economies that depend on it, continue
to suffer.
Aside from the noble effort by the
Friends of the Upper Delaware River (FUDR), board members,
and it's affiliates, there is little being done to improve the
releases in the WB and Mainstem Delaware! Recent
support from the Pa. Fish and Boat Comm. for much
higher releases on the West Branch has been welcomed and encouraged!
To my knowledge, it is the only government agency, except for the
NJDEP that has come out to the public with statements for much higher
releases out of Cannonsville reservoir to protect the WB and Main
Stem, at least to Lordville. Let's hope that they are not side tracked
by the weak stance of the NYSDEC on the upper Delaware fishery issues.
If you are concerned by the fact that the
lower West Branch and Main Stem fishery are extremely vulnerable with
the existing FFMP low releases during the April through Sept. period,
you can do something about it by calling or e'mailing the leaders of
the state agencies below. Tell them that
"the West Branch needs a
minimum releases of 600 cfs from April 1 through Sept 30 - that's what
it takes to keep the West Branch and Main Stem fishery, and
aquatic insect populations, viable from the Cannonsville reservoir
outlet at Stillesville to Lordville, on the Main Stem, with water
temperatures under 68F degrees"!
And it takes a 200 cfs release to keep the East
Branch system healthy during the same period. Both release regimes are
necessary to mitigate floods through the entire Delaware valley by
reducing reservoir levels. See below to find the
email list of politicians and agency folks that you should write to,
or call, and be sure to copy as many as you can or all - The
fishery will not be safe without your help!
The Friends of the Upper
Delaware River (FUDR), together with 7 other river advocate and
flood mitigation groups and more, have put forth a
plan to NYC (below)and the parties of the
decree in April 09 for a steady 600 cfs release plan. It is a
comprehensive document based on science. FUDR's Plan does not increase
the risk that NYC will not be able to meet its water supply need!
The science shows that there is plenty of water for the fishery
and flood mitigation without jeopardizing NYC and downstream
users water!!
SEE LINKS, click here for the FUDR plan!
Click here for my 2009 Delaware River Trout
photos.
Please Support Friends of the Upper Delaware to help the
sustain the wild trout that we all love.
Click here to find out more or e-mail
info@fudr.org
to receive the latest alerts and updates.
Check out our 2009 River Update Photo Gallery
here.
Check out our 2008 River Update Photo Gallery here
The size of these fish make the West Branch one of the top wild
trout rivers in the world for dry fly fishing.
Click Here
for Al Caucci Fly Fishing photos from around the world.
Politicians to contact for Delaware River Issues
(Please copy and paste):
|
Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC )
|
|
|
Carol Collier, executive director
|
carol.collier@drbc.state.nj.us
|
|
Bob Tudor, deputy executive director
|
Robert.tudor@drbc.state.nj.us
|
|
Jack Markell, gov. Delaware
|
jack.markell@state.de.us
|
|
Jon Corzine, gov. New Jersey
|
ed.mcbride@gov.state.nj.us
|
|
David Patterson, gov. New York
|
governor@state.ny.us
|
|
Edward Rendell, gov. Pennsylvania
|
gov@state.pa.us
|
|
New York City Department of Environmental
Protection (NYCDEP):
|
|
Paul Rush, deputy commissioner
|
pzanetti@dep.nyc.gov
|
|
Tina Johnstone, dir of ops west of Hudson
|
tjohnstone@dep.nyc.gov
|
|
New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation (NYSDEC):
|
|
Pete Grannis, commissioner
|
pgrannis@gw.dec.state.ny.us
|
|
Jim Tierney, assistant commissioner
|
jmtierne@gw.dec.state.ny.us
|
|
Chris Amato, assistant commissioner
|
caamato@nr.dec.state.ny.us
|
|
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection (PADEP):
|
|
John Hanger, secretary
|
johnhanger@state.pa.us
|
|
Cathy Myers, deputy secretary
|
cathymyers@state.pa.us
|
|
John T. Hines
|
johnhines@state.pa.us
|
|
U.S. Geologic Survey and River Master
|
|
|
Stephen F. Blanchard, River Master
|
sfblanch@usgs.gov
|
|
Gary N. Paulachok
|
gnpaulac@usgs.gov
|
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.
For more information please refer to:
Al Caucci's Online Match the Hatch Chart
|