Some days the fish just like your fly.

Left camp early with a list of things to do before the mid afternoon Hendrickson hatch.  Made a dump run.  Then stopped to see an old friend to confirm that I could still access the stream from his land.  It was about 11:00 and I still had plenty of time to pick up gas for the lawn mower.  Stopped for a look at the river and there were risers - gas can wait - went fishing!

It wasn't my original plan but I fished the Upper East (UE), The Beaverkill (BK), the West Branch (WB) and finally at 7:30 put my waders back on to catch the fish of the day in the Big River (BR).

The weather -  Everything I write (even if its in permanent ink) may be washed out by Saturday.

The wading - It's getting better every day.  The BK is now wadeable.  You still can't reach all the fish but you can try.  The UE is still high but you can get in it in places and you should.  The WB is still a bit high.  Look for levels below 2000 CFS before filling up the game land lots.  The BD is out of the question.  People who know the river don't wade levels above 3500 CFS.

The bugs.  IT'S ON!!!  The UE had bugs at 11:00 this am (paraleps, Quill Gordons, and Hendricksons, with fish up.  The BK has Hendricksons, paraleps and some Apple Caddis, with fish up.  The WB (at 5:30 had paraleps and caddis, with almost no fish up.  The BR at 7:30 had Apple Caddis spinners.  With a few fish up.  The BE (which I did not fish) had paraleps, Hendricksons, and Apple Caddis (duns and spinners).  Don't know about the fish.

The fishing - If I said I lost 7 fish and didn't care, it would be all you need to know. I caught fish in the UE, BK, WB, and the BD.  Until 7:30 a matched pair of 20 inch BK browns were a lock for co-fish of the day. Stopped at the BR, not to fish but to check out the Apple Caddis hatch.  Saw a trout rising within casting range and put on my waders and had at 'em.  Hooked and landed a 20.5 inch brown just as the DEC survey guy came down to the stream.

Plan on coming this weekend.  If it gets blown out, cancel and take your wife out to dinner.  If you can get in the BE or the BD fish the Apple Caddis spinner fall.

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