Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

Despite yesterday mornings success I passed on another morning of fishing. Had several items on the to-do list and I just might have been a little tired from yesterday's double header. Had to do the end of season dump run, fill the wood stacker, shoot the bow and reorganize my two spinner boxes. This entailed sorting out the ones no longer able to pass muster, steaming the hackles on the ones I put away in a hurry and inserting the half dozen newly tied ones into the boxes. Also had to stop at Marino's to get my archery license on the way out fishing.  Left the fishing camp about 3:00 and by the time I got to Buckingham (a dozen trailers in the lot) it was evident that my fishing plan had to be changed. Headed east only to find that the guy with the white pickup truck was already fishing my fall back location (he's there often). Did another route recalculation, as my GPS likes to say, and went to a place I haven't fished since before Covid. It use to be a regular stop w...

Despite Tuesday's debacle this has been by far my best week in September. Why? Water temps and water levels levels are both low enough that I can fish where I want to, not where I have to. Monday it was on the UEB, Tuesday the BE, Wednesday the BR and today I was on both the BE and the WB. Decided to get out early this morning and give it a try before the bright sun got a chance to quiet things down. Was on the BE as the fog burned off. Saw a total of three rises all morning (each one of the risers refused my fly). Blind casting was a different story. As the sun warmed things up there were brown caddis in the air. The fish were unimpressed with mine. What they did like were my spinners. Hooked a dozen fish (mostly 12/16 inch rainbows), landed only five of them but had lots of action in less than three hours of fishing. Went out again at 4:00 and tried a different place on the BE. There were some good fish making boils that wouldn't give me a look but I hooked six rainbows blind...

  Today was one for everyone who enjoys nature.  Didn't get up until 7:30 and was out on the porch checking the temp when I heard the noise a hummingbird wings make. She acted like I'd invited her for breakfast, sat right down on the feeder and took a drink, then sat and drank at each of the other three "flowers" on the feeder. When she was done she rested for a couple minutes on a limb of the apple tree and then took off south across the yard climbing as she went to get over the ridge on the other side of the river. Jean and I always leave the feeders up for a few days after the locals leave as somehow, travelers seem to find them and refuel on their long journey south. Finished breakfast and looked out the sliding glass doors to see two adult does come together and start licking one another's heads and ears. It went on for a good five minutes. My best guess is that they were trying to get rid of ticks or lice that they themselves couldn't reach. Their gentle...

  Just a quick apology for my somewhat over the top reporting of yesterdays fishing. Those days just don't happen very often in fall fishing and perhaps I got a little carried away. I promise not to let it happen again. Was up early this morning (6:15), it was just starting to get light but the deer knew I was back and were waiting to greet me outside the back porch. Kept an eye on the hummingbird feeder all morning but they're gone. There were two still at the feeder Friday which is the latest I've ever had them stay. Didn't see them Monday afternoon and today was the clincher. Mowed half the lawn, worked on the blue bird boxes, (need to buy three 8 foot pieces of rebar as the old posts are shot). Tied half a dozen flies and at 2:30, despite the bright sun and north wind, I couldn't wait any longer. Made the usual PA side drive up river and found decent olives floating by the Buckingham launch site unmolested. Sat glassing the river (apparently the waxwings have fo...

  Didn't get an early start this morning and had several stops I had to make on the way down. Arrived just before noon and by the time I unpacked, put things away, and had lunch, it was time to go fishing. Drove up the PA side, there were bugs at Buckingham but no risers. Shehawken had a row of fishermen (perhaps a fishing class) in the water at the takeout, but no bugs. Did see  "Black Boat" being driven out of the parking lot and later into the Hancock Hotel lot???  From Hancock I drove east, which was not my original intention, but with yesterday's rain, I decided to forego my planned BR fishing for a day or two to let the water get back down to a river crossing level (which for me gets lower every year). The fishing - I don't wear a watch and I once again left my cell phone home (more on that later), I was probably in the river by 2:30 which turned out to be too early. With water temps in the high 50's and low 60's I had hoped to see afternoon isos; di...

It's Sunday morning. Watched Syracuse's win over Purdue last night so I didn't get started on answering your questions until this morning. Black Boat had me going again with his Casey Kasmiri, thought he was equating me with a famous Indian fly fishing savant that I'd never heard of. Casey Kasem I remember well.  Dennis asked about white flies and Hebe's. White flies (Ephorons ) are a very prolific warm water fly that hatches in late summer and early fall. They hatch, molt, mate and die all within a couple hours around sunset. The spinner falls can be spectacular. Because of the cold release water the best hatches on the Delaware occur below Hankins. Hebe's are a small, big winged lemon/olive fly that hatches in the fall usually after the daily iso hatch is over. They don't taste good and I've never caught a fish on one. Darryl Bogart asked about the "Pay Side" which for me, is a fictional side of the A-119 fishing reports where paying customer...