It's better to have hooked and lost, than never hooked at all.

Returned to the big river hoping to convince the caddis pupa eating 'bows that Hendricksons were more nutritious and tasted better.  After three hours I had landed four fish.  Not bad you say?  Well, the rainbow was a nice one (fish of the day at 18.5"). (The other three were fall fish).  Turned my back on the pupa eaters and walked back to the car.  Met a fisherman coming down for the "epic spinner fall" he was sure was going to happen.  He said that there was a heavy hatch of Hendricksons in Deposit and that there were lots of big fish up.  When I went over the WB on Rt 17 at 2:00 I saw one fisherman and no boats - just sayin'.

Drove downstream on the BR hoping to get out of the caddis.  I did but I also got out of the Hendricksons.  There are lots Hendricksons and caddis still on the BR but the action is now at Buckingham and above.  The lower BR and the BEB are going into the doldrums (that dead period between Hendricksons and March Browns).  The Beaverkill is probably also entering the doldrums but I  haven't been able to get fifty feet of stream there to fish.

With the water dropping on the UEB, I headed there, hoping to find less boats, more bugs and feeding fish.  I did!  I've been out of sync with the fish this year and have to admit that I had my doubts about leaving the BR with an "epic spinner fall" on the agenda.  There was a car or two at almost every pull off I went by on the UEB and I saw some boats (most ethical guides leave the UEB to the wade fishermen when it drops below 500 cfs). Picked a spot with no fishermen and no boats in sight (only two went by).

There were Hendricksons and caddis on the water and fish actually eating them ON TOP!  How'd I do?  Not so well.  I hooked a dozen fish, which is more than enough to make it a good day, but I started out two for eight losing fish in more ways than you could imagine.  Finally settled down and had a chance to get back to 500 when I hooked a fish on a spinner late.  Didn't happen.

The fishing- If you come down, the action is now on the UEB and the WB.  Probably higher up for the Hendricksons with the apple caddis a little farther downstream.

A word of caution.  Does are dropping fawns and abandoning their yearlings.  The yearlings are out and about at all hours of the day and have no idea how to cross roads.  Had to brake for one that came out of the old Heckingers Mall at 11:00am this morning.  The yearling ran across all four lanes of traffic, went between two buildings and ran up the hill out of sight.  On the way down 81, I saw two guys dragging a dead yearling back to their deer damaged car. It's expensive meat and probably not very tasty this time of year. 

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