Change of strategy brings better results

Love to fish the big river - but with bright sun, air temp over 80 and water temp pushing 70 any action there is limited to the last fifteen minutes of light. Buckingham trailer count went from twenty-one down to eight. (Eight hours out in the hot sun for fifteen minutes of fishing is no bargain). The big East Branch and Beaverkill are much the same with low water flow and high water temps.  The upper East Branch is on Green Drake alert and there are too many fishermen for the low water level to accommodate.

That leaves the algae laden West Branch.  It's too low for floating - it's cool enough for the fish and the big bugs (green drakes) are starting to hatch.  The downside - ALGAE - the green slime coats your fly - wraps around your legs and turns one pound fish into three pound globs of slime before they are landed.

Decided to fish early and late and leave the heat of midday for chores (or a nap). It worked like magic. In the morning there were rising fish to cast to and both the air and water were cool and comfortable. You also had your choice of where to fish (saw one other angler). In the evening I fished a run on the lower WB  (saw one pontoon boat) and had rising fish from 7:30 'til dark (some even ate my fly).

If you are coming down for the weekend - you can still bring your golf clubs - Go fishing early - play nine - and go fishing again the evening.

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