It was a nice day for a picnic

Despite knowing that there were Hendricksons hatching in good numbers on local streams and that no part of the Delaware River system was even remotely wadeable, I filled my SUV with gas and took a long drive.

In almost six hours of driving I saw eight drift boats (all on the West Branch) and one fisherman  in neoprene waders standing on the bank of the Beaverkill.

Were there bugs?  My windshield says yes.

Were there fish caught?  Who knows.  The DRC's fish of the day picture hasn't had a fish on it since April 15th.  At about 4:30, however, most of the boats I saw had a fisherman standing in the bow casting.

My journey took me along the Delaware, the Beaverkill and as far as the Neversink where there was "only" 600 cfs spilling.  The river was "stained" and (during prime hatch time) there was not a bug to be seen.

The rivers are slowly dropping. the water temps have risen, (due to the warm spill water) the Forsythia are in full bloom and some Dandelions (Hendrickson precursors) have appeared.

Without rain it will still be a few days before wade fishermen can wet their feet.

Lurking ominously in the weather forecast, however, is the prediction of nearly another inch of rain on Friday.     

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