Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

After five days of trying to wade fish  the high water in the Delaware system, with poor hatches and a lack of feeding fish, the prospect of having to contend with the plethora of drift boats and other personal flotation devices sure to be on the river today, made it the perfect day to give the Neversink a shot. For those who don't know, it's the "forgotten"  Catskill tailwater.  The home water of Hewitt and LaBranch is now under the reservoir but the cold water releases grow bigger trout than either of them probably ever caught.  Why isn't it fished more?  Well, New York City loves the Neversink water as much or more than the Delaware's EB.  As a result the releases are kept at minimum levels and the stream heats up during the summer months. Because of the low releases it's an easy stream to wade but too shallow to float.  I've been told that the fly hatches are prolific. (Last year I went to the Neversink twice and never saw a bug hatch or a fish...

Water levels are coming down.  Water temps have finally gotten into the 50's (except for the WB).  Hendricksons have made their appearance on the BR and on the BEB (there were even some apple caddis hatching on the BEB where I was fishing).  The dandelions (this is the last time I give them any ink) were in full bloom in everybody's yard. The bugs: From 3:00 until 5:00 there was a modest hatch of Hendricksons (with the air temp again pushing 80 they didn't stay on the water long).  I was in the BK and UEB from 1:30 until 3:00 and never saw a bug or a rise.  Stopped on the BR about 5:15 and whatever went on there was over. The fish:  There were rising fish on the BEB.  The rises were all the splashy caddis type.  For the most part the fish that did  rise only came once or twice.  If you tried to mark them and head to where they rose, you never saw them again.  The two or three fish that came up more than once within casting range...

After four days home crossing items off my todo list, I drove back down to the camp in mid 80 degree sunshine.  The last three days have done wonders for the river system.  Water temps have been in the fifties on both the big river and the Big East (EB below jaws).  The grass on lawns has turned green.  One of the Red Buds in the back yard has turned pink.  There are Rose Breasted Grosbeaks at the feeder.  And, yes, there are Hendricksons on the BR and the BEB.  I'm sure the're also hatching on the Beaverkill (warmest river in the system), but my arrival there coinsided with the arrival of one of the late afternoon showers and I couldn't see anything.  There was also a good rain shower in the upper East Branch valley and I didn't make the drive up rt. 31. Stopped at the WB on the way down about 2:45 and there were paraleps hatching.  The hatch has been going on for about a week but I have yet to see a trout rise.  I left the WB short...

"Can turn a man into a liar".  I won't do that to you.  There's just too much water to wade and too few bugs to get the fish up.  Today's predicted high is 43 with the possibility of snow!  Tomorrow's forecast isn't much better. I'm heading home. Starting Tuesday, however, things are supposed to turn around.  Highs in the 70's and lows well above 50 should finally get things underway on the river.  Unfortunately I have obligations elsewhere and won't be back on the river until Thursday.  If you fish leave a few of the dumb ones for me cause,  "too much of nuthin can make a fella mean".