Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

With the entire river system at it's lowest flow level in years, now is a good time to get to know it better.  The big river, which is sometimes intimidating to anglers, will probably hit an all time low today.  The temps remain ok for the fish and you get a chance to learn where the main channels, deep pockets and fish holding structures are located.  The fish will be concentrated and may even be willing to eat a carefully presented fly. The manner in which the flow was  dropped will no doubt adversely affect the insect population as some have limited ability to follow an abrupt reduction in stream flow.  The saving of water over a gradual step down is minimal compared to the loss of stream life but that has been NYC's manner of doing things and it apparently isn't going to change. If you do plan on going, check the release at Stilesville as the flow will no doubt be bumped back up as soon as the Wallenpaupak draw down ceases. It would sure be nice if Matthew wandere

Arrived at the Beaverkill at 1:15, just in time for the pseudo hatch (they forgot to show). Found a pool with no fishermen and six good fish rising.  Tried to figure out what they were eating but there wasn't anything on the water that the human eye could see. Perhaps they were just practicing but it was exciting - - - until I tried to catch them.   The first one ate and I rose the other five and got several other looks, but never touched a second fish.  Quit after about two hours (it was clear long before then that they were better at what they were doing than I was at what I was trying to do). Drove up the upper east intent on fishing a low water pool that I have tried to fish two other times lately only to find someone else there first. There was a car at every pool I drove past (except Long Flat and Power Line which are usually the two most heavily fished pools). When I got to "my pool", sure enough, there was a guy up to his elbows right in the middle of it. D

It's been a week since I promised you sporadic/intermittent reports. So here goes one. The West Branch release continues to be adjusted almost daily to meet minimum flow requirements down river. Thankfully PPL is drawing down Wallenpaupak so it can perform a dam inspection and routine maintenance. Without the additional flow from the Lackawaxen the West Branch releases would be up around 1,500. The fishing remains very difficult. Got a report from a group of the Troutfitter's more experienced Delaware River fishermen who spent Sunday fishing the WB and main stem. They saw no risers and caught no fish. Fish have seen so many stream that fishermen are left counting swirls rather than hookups. The fly hatches have been consistently poor and very few fish are taking on top. The main stem and presumably the East Branch are full of shad fingerlings making their way to the ocean. They offer hungry trout an ample food supply and perhaps cut down on the number of fish trying t