Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

With the weatherman calling for three 90 degree days in a row and the water temp at Lordville 66 degrees I gave the BR one last shot. Fished part way up to Stockport where the temp read 64 on my arrival and 65.5 on my departure. There were a few olives and some spinners, I caught rainbows on both (two each). Was wringing wet by the time I got back to the car at 10:30. Worked around the camp until 3:30 when I just needed to get into the car and enjoy the air conditioning. Drove up to the UE fully expecting a replay of last nights massacre, which of course didn't happen. Bright sun, a meager hatch of olives and a lot of kayaks saw to that. Was chatting with another UE angler who also had sulfurs last night (5 miles upstream from where I was) when the thunderstorms rolled in. There was more thunder than rain but I had to keep changing pools to dodge the storms. Even a breathable raincoat gave me no joy. The sulfur hatch never happened but the fish fed on sulfur spinners in the fog ...

Today I split time between the WB and the UE. Fished the WB between the game lands and monument. It was foggy with some drizzle, an olive kind of day. There were olives, not a big hatch where they cover the water but enough to get fish rising. Fished from 1:15 until 4:30, saw one boat and one other angler. Did I catch trout? You betcha. Now ask me how big they were? Not very. Early I rose several good fish that didn't take. As the hatch progressed there were more big fish up but I never saw a nose come out of the water. They all were feeding below the surface. Was able to get a bunch of yearlings and a couple of two year olds to eat my fly but most ignored my offerings. Drove over to the UE which was shrouded in fog with a steady drizzle. Olives again I thought - never saw a one. It was sulfurs that were hatching and the fish were up and eating - on top! I was barely in the water when I saw a good fish eat two duns. Threw the olive I was using on the WB at him and he never ro...

With the rain eliminating lawn watering responsibility what was I to do but go fishing. Tried the upper reaches of the BR that was, with the aid of the thermal release, in the low 60s on the PA side. Fished with a spinner, iso and steno for an hour without seeing a rise. Saw an olive float down the river and then a couple in the air. Put one on and was immediately into fish. Lost them (6 straight) as fast as I hooked them but at least there was action. Quit in time for lunch without landing anything but yearlings. With the forecast calling for thunderstorms starting at two and continuing the rest of the day, I decided to tie flies. At exactly 2:00 the rain began and it rained most of the rest of the afternoon. At about 5:30 I was bored enough to get in the car and drive up to the UE in the pouring rain. There was no one to be seen on the river so I had my pick of the pools. Hooked a good number of fish in the rain, which did not let up until about 8:00. There was never a heavy hatch ...

Went out early this morning in search of Tricos. I found some. Not nearly enough to interest the fish but it shouldn't be long. They sent another thermal release down the WB and after the last time I wasn't going to be suckered into waiting for the bugs to hatch and fish to feed. Back at camp by 10:00, I spent the rest of the morning completing the deer proof fortress around my $7.00 plum tree. Wire fencing, fence posts and tie downs came to $137.95. The deer had a good time eating the tree and are currently not speaking to me. Declined to go out in the hot sun this afternoon (last night's leg cramps still fresh in my mind). Left the house at 6:30 in a gathering gloom with distant rumbles of thunder in the background. Drove up the river to Deposit through several downpours. The fog on the WB was so thick you couldn't even see the river. Turned back down 17 toward Lordville and it was black as night (didn't discover that I had my sunglasses on until I got back...

If anyone wants to fish the Upper East in total solitude the time is now. Except for the two cars parked in the Thayer Hollow pull off (perhaps a tryst) there was no one on the river. You can also rest assured that you won't be bothered by bugs (there weren't any). Fished there in three different pools, two of which required long walks, and caught one 14 inch hatchery brown for my efforts. My log books say there should be afternoon sulfurs and olives in the cold water section up river from Shinhopple. They lie, there are none. All of the anglers that filled every pool during 4th of July week have fled for good reason. After a bug and rise less (but productive) evening on the WB yesterday, I headed back there tonight. For some unknown reason even I don't understand I, decided to fish a series of three pools and riffs below Balls Eddy which require a long and arduous journey through woods, over fences, down (and back up) steep slopes and about a mile of wading. It was just...

Returned to camp this afternoon primarily to water the new grass. At 7:30, with everything watered down, I decided to see if I could find a few rising fish. Tried a riff in the lower WB that I hadn't fished yet this season. There was one angler on his way back to the car when I got there and I never saw another fisherman. I also didn't see any bugs or rising fish. Had several fish eat blind casts and just before dark found a couple risers in the pool below the riff that happily ate my fly. Given the complete lack of surface feeding it turned out to be a good night of fishing. Sections of the river that are devoid of boats and wade anglers are usually that way for a reason. BUT - the fish are still there and are more relaxed and easier to catch than their friends up river where the action is. If you have confidence in your blind casting ability, you will have a good chance of getting fish to eat. If you are just looking to cast at risers - go up river. This and that: Both th...