Finding joy down low.

 It was an olive kind of day right from the get go, dark overcast sky and a steady rain almost all morning. Was in no hurry to get on the river as olives are notoriously late sleepers. Set out at one thirty with the knowledge that I didn't need to go back to the UEB and that I had no desire to fish the "Sulfur Zone. That left the  BR and the lower WB.  

Drove up the PA side of the BR  and stopped at Buckingham to look for bugs and risers, saw none. There were a couple of guys loading their drift boat onto the trailer.  Asked how they did. "Caught both trout and walleyes, saw some rising fish and lost a really big fish we never got a look at." They had put in at Shehawken early and were soaked by the time they got to junction pool.

Based on their report I tried the BR, in two hours of fishing I hooked the only fish that rose within casting distance (a 15 inch fall fish).  Moved to a riff/run on the lower WB. Didn't see the first olives until almost 4:30 but from then on there were fish to throw at. The olive hatch wasn't heavy and you had to walk along looking for a riser but when you found one and made a good cast HE ATE!

About 6:30 it was time to head back to the BR. There were olives and a few rising fish. Made the most of the opportunities and landed four nice bows. Had just reeled it in and was heading for shore when the rain started in earnest. For once I stopped, took off the vest and then raincoat, put the vest under the raincoat and walked back to the car with dry fly boxes.

As I write this the near term outlook for the river is uncertain. The weather reports indicate that Fred who first threatened our Florida home is now bearing down on the Delaware River water shed with as much as five inches of rain. The flood watch last week was a false alarm.  We need this one to be the same. Check the flows before you go.

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