2018 - the drift boat year.

Nobody enjoys fly fishing anymore than I do and not many people fish as much as I do -  most years.  This one is different -  way different.  There was too much water to wade comfortably until May 15th.  We then had good water levels and good fishing for a six week period that ended the the first week of July when the arrival of the first of four heat waves shut things down.  The last week of July the rains came and they haven't let up since.

The reservoirs filled and overflowed.  NYC was forced to maximize the releases which made wading difficult even when it didn't rain.  The downpours have resulted in a Hazmat trail derailment and an unending flow of muddy water from the tributaries.

With the threat of Florence having gone by NYC had begun the systematic reduction of the release from Cannonsville and this weekend offered the promise of at least a chance to fish the West Branch. (The release from Pepacton has remained unchanged at 700 CFS).

And then - the quarter of an inch of rain that was predicted to come with the frontal line that brought fall to the Catskills morphed into another gully washer that has turned the entire system into a high, muddy and unwadeable mess once again. It will take several days of dry weather for the water to reach wading levels even if the reservoir releases are cut back to normal flows.  Just so you know - more rain is forecast for early next week.

The outlook ?  For me not so bad.  As previously mentioned I'm heading out to the San Juan for a week. Will be departing the 28th and will be back Oct 6th.  By then the Isos will be about over and the only dry fly fishing will be from pseudos.  The brown caddis will be on their endless upstream  flights (they never land) and the Catskill leaves will be approaching their peak colors.

Fall is a beautiful time of year but I can't help thinking that this year it will be better spent sitting in a tree with my stick and string than trying to fish the Delaware.

Hope I'm wrong.

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