Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

With  the warm nights and  daytime sunshine the areas of thermal concern all hit temps in the low 70s today.  While there may yet be periods of cooler temps and cloudy days when you can fish anywhere in the system, on most days the BK, BE (below confluence with the BK) and the big river below Stockport will be too warm to fish after early morning.  The trout will begin congregating at thermal refuges and should not be fished! Both the UEB ( EB above the confluence with the BK to Downsville) and the entire WB are fine to fish as long as releases are not reduced. The big river section to Stockport should be checked for temp before fishing (especially in the evening). It was good while it lasted but summer is here and the area where we can consistently fish without endangering the fish has shrunken to a "mere" 30 to 35 miles.  Not many rivers offer that much fishing water anytime.  Respect other anglers and the fish and enjoy that portion of the fishery th...

Buoyed by my success the last two days I again set out for the EB in the morning.  Fished a riff/run where I had success early in the year and had a big zero the second time around.  Today turned out to be sorta in between.  There were no olives (or any other bugs for that matter) nor were there any (alright I saw one) risers. Started with an olive and later switched to an iso. How'd I do?  In three hours of blind casting I rose 12 fish,  hooked (and landed ) four.  Never got a single one of the refusers to look at a second fly.  Saw one drift boat (courteous) and no other fishermen. After my mandated rest period I set out to fish the BR.  What was I thinking?  It's Friday and anglers were as thick as maggots on a road side kill, filling up parking lots , rowing upriver in pontoon boats, and carrying kayaks over the RR tracks to launch and paddle across the river (to where I intended to fish).  After three false starts, I pulled the ...

It was just 12 days ago that I was in the midst of rising fish, green drakes and 18 boats.  Just a week ago I saw my last coffin flies of the season. Today I did not see a boat or for that matter another fisherman.  The pictures of "fish of the day" on other sites have been replaced by pictures of the USGS water flow graphs.  Some sites are reporting M-W-F, while other reports have become intermittent or sporadic. Me?  Happier than a hog in a sty full of slop.  While the river temps are creeping up to the danger zone and some of the river system will soon be off the table,  I have found delightful (and productive) fishing early mornings on the BE and late evenings on the BR.  Olive duns and their spinners have been the catalyst triggering most of the feeding.  The fish are very careful about what they eat but they are feeding and every once in a while they can be fooled. Not having boats going by with sports throwing at your fish and guides an...

I split the day again.  Fished above Hale Eddy in the morning.  Bright sunshine, cold water, no bugs or risers.  As I was wading up to where I intended to fish I saw a nice fish out on a gravel bar.  Made a poor cast that landed two feet to his left and he swam over and ate it.  This at least gave me hope, in about two hours of fishing I rose six, hooked five and landed four. With the bright sun and breeze I was content to eat lunch, do yard work and take a power nap. There were no afternoon sulfurs on the UEB yesterday and there has been no mention of them on the WB either.  Without the sulfurs there is little incentive to spend the afternoon on the water. About six I got in the car and drove around looking for a sign that said I should be fishing - there wasn't any.  Was headed back to camp when I decided to give the big river a try.  With water temps climbing the season on the big river is drawing to a close.  With the big bug hatches ...

According to the people who keep track of such things today is one second longer than tomorrow will be.  Tomorrow the pendulum begins its long swing back to a cold gray November day when it won't be light until after 7:30 in the morning and will be dark again by 4:30 in the afternoon.  I savor the hour and a half of additional sun light we get upon our arrival in Florida in late November and secretly rejoice when we gain our first minute of sunlight back the first week of January. I don't like it that tomorrow the days will start to get shorter.  You don't notice it at first but its there.  I got back to the car tonight at 9:55.  By this time in August I'll be driving home by 8:30.  The fishing didn't even start until after 7:30 tonight.  In October it'll be dark by 6:30. When you are self employed one of the fringe benefits is the ability to celebrate holidays no one else does. Opening day of trout, pheasant, duck and grouse seasons were always ho...