Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

  It's that time again.  Andy didn't like the killing of fish just to determine their age when most of them can be aged using scales. Have put a call in to the DEC's marine biologist in part for clarification of the killing and part to get a feel for the trout population mix by year class. Have not heard back, will follow up this coming week. Chris Z. - Flymps. I'm a DFO guy. Tom - I feel your pain. Came here in the late 80's with well over 30 years of experience and got my a-- kicked. Halfway through the Hendrickson hatch every fish has been hooked, by now most have been hooked over a dozen of times. Threw at rising trout yesterday afternoon for an hour and was refused by  over fifty trout. Caught one 12 inch rainbow. If you get a room at the Troutfitter you have to wait in line for your time on the redemption bench (when you get skunked). I say fishing the Delaware for a new fly fisherman is like putting a little leaguer in at short for the Yankees. You will no do...

  I've said many times that the Delaware River System is home to many of  the best fly fishermen. It only makes sense. If you fish here and want to consistently catch fish, you have to become a student of the game, constantly trying to improve your skills in every aspect of the sport. Because so many anglers have bailed on what has been a difficult month of fishing, I've run into several of the good ones this week. How do I know? Somehow you can just tell. You meet them walking out a little known trail in the pitch dark. They still wear a fishing vest and it's dirty and worn with a fly patch covered with flies. Their car is parked in a spot you thought only you knew about. You won't see them crowding into a heavily fished "A" pool, during the hatch, but you might see them there late in the evening when most sane people are enjoying dinner. Chatted with three of them this week. They all acknowledged that the fishing has been difficult, but I'm sure that non...

  To be honest, I've just go nothing to say. Tried a couple places in the morning (15 minutes each) caught one yearling 'bow. With the wind over 15, I skipped the afternoon fishing, opting to spray the fruit trees, trim the dead branches off the apple tree and patch the porch roof. Left camp about 6:15 this evening with the radar showing that all of the T-Boomers were passing to our north. They didn't. Back and forth to the car dodging lightning strikes and downpours. Took a downstream ride right into a storm and a ride back upstream to fish (30 minutes) in the fog with sulfurs on the water and fish rising. Caught several 7 inch wild browns and one 11 inch hatchery fish. Returned to the Lordville Estate to find six deer standing along the road  as if to welcome me back. I don't know  how hard it rained in Lordville, but it rained, and the porch was dry.

  On September 30th last year I wrote a piece on mortgaging the future. I said this year would make most people happy because there would be more big trout in the WB than ever before, and there are. I also said that there would be fewer fish in the river this year and I believe that is true. Also said it will get worse before it gets better as the 2018 year class of browns treats bugs as hors d'oeuvre's and yearling trout as the main course. Haven't talked to the DEC marine biologist yet, (hoping he returns my call tomorrow) but based on my personal experience in the last two weeks fishing the WB, the proportion of big fish is way out of line. One of the reasons the fishing is so hard is that there are very few two (11/12 inches) and three (14/15 inches) year old fish in the river. In my six days of fishing (three last week and three this week) 18 of the 41 fish I have caught (44%) have been over 17 inches long. For the individual fisherman who want to catch a "lifer...

  Unless you want to hear about my struggles trying to keep the deer from eating my tomato plants and peaches or how nice the yard looks after todays mowing, I'll keep todays report on fishing? Why? Because today there was something to talk about. First of all its, been since fourth of July that DRC has been able to adorn their daily report with a trout and they don't require the fish to meet a minimum size for the photo. I mention this, as I do most every year, not to embarrass the DRC or their guides who as good as any, but rather to show how difficult the fishing has been. On a personal note, I play a best of five match with the trout each week. If I catch ten fish I win the day, if not the trout win. Today was my first win in July! The fishing has been a real challenge since the middle of June. The afternoon fishing - Left the Lordville Estate at 1:30, in time to see a few sulfurs and no risers at (you guessed it), the Hale Eddy Bridge. Drove up the PA side seeing neither b...

Got an early start from home today and was in Lordville by 10:30, unloaded the car, put things away and it still wasn't time for lunch. Ate anyway. Made a roast beef sandwich, opened the potato chips and a Pepsi and went out on the porch to eat. There were two fawns in the yard, one laying down, the other eating tomato leaves through the "deer fence" surrounding the garden. Watched the blue birds visit the box to feed their young, listened to the cat bird sing to his mate on their nest in the flowering quince, and out of the corner of my eye (do eyes have corners?) caught the doe coming down from the hill to nurse her two fawns. Right behind her came her two yearlings (both does). She clearly is the best mom in the area now having raised two sets of twins with no losses to predators. The fishing - First the good - There were sulfurs hatching at the Hale Eddy Bridge today at 2:00. Now the bad - There wasn't a rise to be seen. I've been stopping at the Hale Eddy Bri...

  Was up early this morning as our visiting family members had six am departure times at the Syracuse airport. It has been a busy week of graduation parties and 21st birthday celebrations. Always fun when they are here, followed by a long exhale from tired grandparents as they pull out of the driveway. With flood watches posted by the NWS for Delaware County, any predictions as to fishing are folly. Keep your eye on the weather forecasts and USGS flows for the system. I'm hoping to be able to get in a full week of fishing but it's raining in Hancock as I type and the forecast for the next two days isn't good. With time on my hands, I'll try to answer questions. Dennis2 - You encountered a big, smart old fish that knew you were there from the first cast. Most fish will stop feeding or move to another lie when they encounter a fishermen but there are some fish that are confident in their ability to go right on eating while you are casting. In a heavy hatch they will often...