A nice day for a drive.
With yesterdays increases in the reservoir releases (WB to 900 CFS, EB to 700 CFS) added to the already robust flow from the rain swollen tribs, drift boaters were in their glory. Wade fishermen not so much. Those who fished were soaking fly boxes and cell phones just trying to get far enough off shore to make a back cast. By 2:20 the Sulfur Zone had bugs (lots of them) all the way down to Hale Eddy.
Left Lordville in a thunderstorm which I drove out of half way to 97. From there to Hale Eddy the road was dry. The rain started at the 17 rest area and by the time I reached Deposit the streets were flooded and the rain had stopped. Oquaga? It was pouring muddy water into the WB, as were all the other feeders around Deposit. Drove down the back side and the road was dry before the bottom of the "No Kill", but the damage was done. At 1400 CFS there are but a few safe places for wade anglers. The additional muddy water would further limit options. The middle portion of the WB can be waded at those levels but there were no bugs there and by evening there would be muddy water.
Turned back to Hale Eddy and decided to give the UEB a look. Road was dry all the way to East Branch and the River was high (1000CFS ) but clear. First hint of trouble came at the Harvard tributary which was high and a little off color. At Shinhopple the tributary was raging orange mud into the river. Crossed the Corbett bridge and looked down on high gray water. The trib coming in from the Corbett side was fine. When I turned around and recrossed the bridge I saw a 5 foot wide rush of angry water cascading down what is normally a dry ravine. Must have been a real good one north of the river.
With thunderstorms still hitting the area I may well be on my way home tomorrow. If the water clears a bit and doesn't get any higher there are a few places to fish. If the storms do any more damage someone with a drift boat will have to do the blog.
Left Lordville in a thunderstorm which I drove out of half way to 97. From there to Hale Eddy the road was dry. The rain started at the 17 rest area and by the time I reached Deposit the streets were flooded and the rain had stopped. Oquaga? It was pouring muddy water into the WB, as were all the other feeders around Deposit. Drove down the back side and the road was dry before the bottom of the "No Kill", but the damage was done. At 1400 CFS there are but a few safe places for wade anglers. The additional muddy water would further limit options. The middle portion of the WB can be waded at those levels but there were no bugs there and by evening there would be muddy water.
Turned back to Hale Eddy and decided to give the UEB a look. Road was dry all the way to East Branch and the River was high (1000CFS ) but clear. First hint of trouble came at the Harvard tributary which was high and a little off color. At Shinhopple the tributary was raging orange mud into the river. Crossed the Corbett bridge and looked down on high gray water. The trib coming in from the Corbett side was fine. When I turned around and recrossed the bridge I saw a 5 foot wide rush of angry water cascading down what is normally a dry ravine. Must have been a real good one north of the river.
With thunderstorms still hitting the area I may well be on my way home tomorrow. If the water clears a bit and doesn't get any higher there are a few places to fish. If the storms do any more damage someone with a drift boat will have to do the blog.
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