Picked up a "White gloved howdy" spinner off the water above Hale Eddy tonight.
The fishing report need not be long. The sun came out about noon and dried the grass, which needed cutting. Made my departure from camp of 3:15 about two hours too late. With every drift boat east of the Mississippi fishing between Balls Eddy and Callicoon it was an easy decision to fish the river with the most fish and fewest fishermen (the WB). Found only one car in the coveted two car slot on the upper WB and promptly stopped there. Found fish going on a mix of Cornuta, sulfurs, olives, caddis and possibly a Hendrickson or two. Fished from four until the first shower at 5:15. Did good.
The rain, heavy at times, lasted until 7:00. Moved downstream (still above Hale Eddy), waited for the rain to stop and the fog to begin (they both did). Fished from seven until nine and landed three fish none bigger than 10 inches. Of note: last time I fished there 17 boats went by me. This time one boat and three wade anglers who had walked up from Hale Eddy to Dream Catchers and were walking back. The rain shut everything down, no bugs and no risers.
This morning I did the stat work on April and May. April finished 8th out of 28 in number of fish caught. May finished tied for seventh . Number of fish over 17 inches was well within norms as was the % of fish over 17 inches (30%). Caught a large number of 19 inchers last year but it hasn't translate into a larger than normal number of 20 inchers so far this year. There is a very large year class of two year olds especially browns. 2018 was the wettest summer I can remember on the Delaware and perhaps the high water made the work of predators more difficult.
Tip of the cap to Ed Smith for his prompt and correct answer to the question: Who sang - "Just a dream, just a dream"? It was Jimmy Clanton. The more serious question is where did I ever come up with Ersel Hickey? I swear, if I ever knew his name it was not given a thought in the last 60 years! Yet when I wondered who sang Just a dream, just a dream his name popped right up. Had to google him to see if he really was a person and yes he was a rockabilly artist with the hit "Blue birds over the Mountain". Just so you know, people who searched Ersel Hickey also searched Werly Fairburn. Not a word of a lie. I'll stop now.
The rain, heavy at times, lasted until 7:00. Moved downstream (still above Hale Eddy), waited for the rain to stop and the fog to begin (they both did). Fished from seven until nine and landed three fish none bigger than 10 inches. Of note: last time I fished there 17 boats went by me. This time one boat and three wade anglers who had walked up from Hale Eddy to Dream Catchers and were walking back. The rain shut everything down, no bugs and no risers.
This morning I did the stat work on April and May. April finished 8th out of 28 in number of fish caught. May finished tied for seventh . Number of fish over 17 inches was well within norms as was the % of fish over 17 inches (30%). Caught a large number of 19 inchers last year but it hasn't translate into a larger than normal number of 20 inchers so far this year. There is a very large year class of two year olds especially browns. 2018 was the wettest summer I can remember on the Delaware and perhaps the high water made the work of predators more difficult.
Tip of the cap to Ed Smith for his prompt and correct answer to the question: Who sang - "Just a dream, just a dream"? It was Jimmy Clanton. The more serious question is where did I ever come up with Ersel Hickey? I swear, if I ever knew his name it was not given a thought in the last 60 years! Yet when I wondered who sang Just a dream, just a dream his name popped right up. Had to google him to see if he really was a person and yes he was a rockabilly artist with the hit "Blue birds over the Mountain". Just so you know, people who searched Ersel Hickey also searched Werly Fairburn. Not a word of a lie. I'll stop now.
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