Let Me Tell You Where It's AT - - -Note See Morning Update Below

 

If I was asked to describe todays fishing in one word - Dreadful - would do just fine. It might well have been a "great day to be on the river", but where I was at least, swinging wets would have been far more productive than dry fly fishing. Fished two different places on the BR, there were no bugs in the morning place and only a few little olives in the pm spot. Never fished to a rising fish in the am, in the evening I fished down a big flatwater pool and got shots at half a dozen one-timers. Even the fall fish weren't feeding. Caught two two-year old browns in the am, one 14 inch rainbow and a fall fish, in the pm.

It's September, if you haven't noticed, and the releases from both reservoirs are supposed to be cut back, UNLESS the River Master calls for additional releases to meet minimum flow at Montague. With Wallenpaupack currently not generating power the River Master has called for releases from Cannonsville that are now up to somewhere around 850cfs and if we don't get significant rain, will go higher. The water beneath the thermocline in Cannonsville is gone and water being released in now both warmer and some might say "off color". At the present levels the upper WB is wadeable but the sulfur hatch is pretty much over. There are olives, but few rising fish. The middle section which is wider and has clearer water is probably the best place for wade fishermen to fish, olives have been hatching there. The lower river, (think below Balls Eddy), is narrower and at levels close to 1,000 cfs, is difficult to wade, there were very good olive hatches there last week. 

The UEB is low and clear, the September cutback reduced the flow from 145 to 135. At these levels it's like the ski runs with black markers - experts only. If you choose to go there, please do not be the second person in a pool. Two people fishing a pool on the UEB at these levels ensures that neither fisherman will catch any fish.

The BK, EB, and Willow - The temps have come down to a point where, except for the hottest part of the day, the water is below 70, most of the fish that inhabit these rivers have either been in thermal refuges all summer or have left the rivers and will not return until there is a significant  rise in the water. Wait for a good rain that raises the water significantly, the fish will then return to their home pools and will be fair game.

The BR - Maintaining water temps below 75 at Lordville has created a huge thermal refuge for big river fish. They do not stay in Lordville all summer, but they  find refuge in the water from Buckingham all the way up to Junction Pool. The water temperature has been at acceptable levels for almost two weeks, the bug hatches have, (where I've fished), been non existent, (except for the ants yesterday). It will take a good rise in the water to redistribute the fish into the river below Buckingham. The water from Buckingham up in the BR is quite clear, there are fish, all you need is bugs.

Wallenpaupack is apparently planning on running the generators tomorrow as the release from Cannonsville is being cut back.  

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