Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

They raised the release out of Cannonsville by about eighty-five CFS  and the river was again filled with algae in suspension. Hopefully the  worst of it will be washed out by tomorrow  so that weekenders can  enjoy the river.  Fishing today required that you fish dry flies only  and that you cleaned the green slime off your fly after EVERY cast. I fished an ares above Hale Eddy that I hadn't been in since last  year.  Started about three and found summer sulfurs hatching and a  fair number of fish to throw to.   They were spooky in the bright  light and a poor cast or a refused fly put them down.  The hatch waned  about four-thirty and a dead period ensued where there was nothing but  hot sun. About seven-thirty the sulfurs started again and a few fish began to  feed.  It was easier to get them to eat with the  bright sun off the  water but once hooked the algae became your opponent.  Lost four fish  that broke off due to the weight of the algae on the line and on the  fish. About

There were more fishermen on the river today than earlier this week  but there were still plenty of places where you could fish alone.  The  upriver hatches remain meager with the summer sulfurs still absent  from the mix.  The fish are feeding but very carefully.  They seldom  eat more than a couple of flies at any one time and often change lies  between feeding spells. Down river the summer sulfurs are going, in some places in the  afternoon and in others not 'til late evening when there are also  olives, isos and spinners in the mix.. Fished my new flies again today.  Had a refusal on the first cast and  then a take on the second.  Thought I was in for a  great day but I  ended up getting more refusals than takes. Five fish ate the fly,  all  upriver.  When I went downstream for the evening fishing, the fly was  ignored.  It is apparently taken for the emerging "big sulfurs".  Am  going to tie some on smaller hooks to match the size of the summer  sulfurs. Monday and T

Stung by two tough days on the river, I got out early, determined to  teach those fish a lesson.  Fished what I think is one of the better  runs in the river from nine-thirty until eleven fifteen.  What did I  get?  One rise by a fish that said "no thank you" to my offering.  At  least I was smart enough to quit when I did, go home , eat lunch and tie some new and different flies. Almost passed up the afternoon "sulfur hatch"  but  decided to give my my  new flies a try. The hatch was the same as it has been with a mix of  big flies but no summer sulfurs.  The fish, absent anglers (there was  no one fishing anywhere) were rising.  Hooked and landed the first two  fish I threw at and continued to get looks from almost every fish. The  action got hot and heavy whenever a cloud blocked the sun and slowed  to a crawl when the bright sun shone on the river. By five o'clock,  when the hatch had ended I had hooked nine fish and landed eight.  The  fish were mostly two

At four o'clock there were no cars at the lower game lands lot and  just two cars at the upper game lands.  At seven o'clock there were no  cars at the power line pool  and one car at Long Flat. No one is fishing - because? No one is catching any fish.  The "fluff"  reports notwithstanding. Today I fished a run in the middle section of the WB from ten in the  morning (I've done very well in the morning the past two weeks and  expected to do well today) until four in the afternoon.  Saw one other  wade fisherman and two boats. One of the boats was rowed by a guide  who I consider to be the best on the river.  We were both there  because the run is full of fish and the bugs have been going good  there for two weeks. How'd I do?  During the six hours I was there I rose three fish, none  of which ate my fly.  I hooked one of them in the side and landed "the  fish of the day" - a foul hooked fifteen incher. By comparison the evening fishing on the upper E

After two weeks of very good fishing it was bound to happen. Drove  down to the river after lunch, arriving at two-forty five to find  almost no one in the river. Donned gear and got fishing.  At three  there were no bugs or risers.  The bugs did come, a modest hatch of  big sulfurs, cahills, isos, olives and a few caddis.  The summer  sulfurs?  no where to be seen.  The fish, if you looked closely were  eating - on top - but boy you had to look close. There were half a dozen good fish working and I was able to more from  one to another for over two hours.  They were eating duns off the  surface and each one looked at my fly on several occasions, sometimes  with an open mouth - I never hooked any of them. Left at five and drove to the camp,  unpacked, put the food in the  fridge and set out again around seven.  With no trailers at Stockport  and only three at Shehawken it was a good time to fish the lower  river.  Started at a spot above town where there was a nice mix of  bugs on the