A day on the West Branch

With Cannonsville no longer spilling and the release cut back to 275 cfs it was time to spend a day on the WB.  With the low water there were sure to be fewer boats and the wade fishermen probably  wouldn't  come in numbers until the weekend.

My morning fishing was above Hancock.  It's a place I fish a couple of times a year.  It's a good long walk along the tracks but there is seldom anyone there. Saw two anglers, one across the river and one in the distance.  When a drift boat appeared I had already turned around and was headed for the car. There were no bugs hatching and probably saw no more than half a dozen rises that were not to my fly. Rose a dozen fish hooked a handful of hot rainbows and landed four of them.

The afternoon fishing didn't go as well. Fished a piece of water below Hancock.  In the first half an hour six boats went by me and an angler appeared out of no where and followed me upstream no more than a long cast away.  Again no bugs and no risers.  Rose four fish, hooked two more hot 'bows and lost them both.

 Was planning on fishing the lower game lands in the evening but the nine cars in the lot kept my foot on the gas (as did over a dozen cars in the upper lot).  Ended up in Deposit where I ran into three Troutfitter regulars, two just leaving (too soon) and one just arriving. It was windy and there was little bug or fish activity. When the wind died down the bugs and fish got going and we had rising fish until it was so dark we couldn't see.

The abrupt drop in the water from over 1,500 cfs to the present level undoubtedly threw both bugs and fish off schedule.  The fish are fat and sassy, get here while the water is still cold and try your luck on one of the Delaware's hot 'bows or big browns.

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