Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

  My plans for an early start this morning went out the window when dawn didn't crack for me until  8:30. Was on the road by 9:45 and had light traffic all the way down, arriving at 11:50. Decided to mow the lawn before lunch and was done and ready for lunch by 1:15. Drove up to Deposit and was casting at rising fish by 2:00. Fished from then until 6:00. Had rising fish the entire time. Feeling a bit tired but hopeful of a couple hours of good freestone fishing, I drove over to the EB and once again fished to rising fish for another two and a half hours. The bugs - If there is anywhere else you can do what I did today, I don't know about it. Had apple caddis and the little Hendricksons in Deposit. Quite a few caddis and enough Hendricksons to get the fish up and eating them. In the evening I was treated to a plethora of bugs, march browns, gray foxes, isos, caddis, sulfurs, and yes, green drakes (both duns and coffin flies). The entire array of "big bugs" was present ...

  It was not the day I expected at all.  Finished turning over and breaking up the soil in the garden, pruned some limbs off the flowering quince, talked myself into waiting until Saturday to mow the lawn (will be at granddaughters graduation tomorrow), had lunch and was ready to go fishing. Allowed myself two hours for the afternoon, and another two hours of evening fishing with a power nap in between.  Walked out on the town bridge in Deposit at about 1:00 and the same boat that has been anchored there Tuesday and Wednesday was there again today. Mike said they are there by10:00 and never move. Well, they do move, when they saw me walking up the shore one guy jumped out and sloshed 75 feet upstream to apparently protect their spot, did the same thing as I was walking back downstream almost three hours later (no one has seen them catch a fish yet). The bugs - After seeing almost no bugs in the chilly water yesterday, todays bright sun had both apple caddis and size ...

  There's no question I tried to do too much yesterday. The proof? Was up about six this morning did a few little chores and at 8:20 I went into the bedroom to wait for Jeans 8:30 call. Hung up from the call and maybe just closed my eyes for a minute, woke up at 12:15, just in time for lunch. Spent a couple of hours driving around up in the Deposit area, it was windy, but fishable. Saw boats anchored on the pods and wade fishermen everywhere. Never saw a single rod bent. There were some of the little Hendricksons on the water about 3:30 and while I was talking to a Troutfitter regular a few fish began to rise. Got back to camp and checked the water temp which, with the heavy cloud cover, never got up into Happy Hendrickson Hatching range.  The fishing - Put myself on a two hour limit. Left the house just after 7:00 and was back home at 9:30. Probably hit the allotted time on the nose.  How'd I do? Crammed almost every emotion you are likely to experience in a days fishing...

  Drove down to the camp this morning - uneventfully. When I left on the 13th the grass needed mowing, the apricots on one of the trees were about the size and shape of a prune pit, there were lots of baby peaches, the apple blossoms were falling and the whole river system was wade able and exploding with bugs.  This morning the grass was 12 to 16 inches high, thankfully without any rain it wasn't lush (except around the winter deer turds). There were so many kinds of grass seed (all on tall wiry stalks) I could have opened a seed store. It took four hours get the entire lawn into a semblance of order. Took a walk around the yard and found that last weeks freeze killed the apricots, the apples seem to be fine, the peaches seem to have had some loss but there will still be plenty. The orchids which I left hanging out on the roofed in porch seemed no worse for the 10 days without water. I was tired and took a nap, awoke at 5:30, felt reasonably good and decided to drive east and...

   Davit from the Troutfitter called the other day and said he was sick of answering questions about A-119's health. He suggested I do a medical update but to leave out the details. A-119's medical report - I have basically been in a bed next to the john for the last eight days. I'm in no pain,  am much weaker, have lost 10 lbs., was unable to eat solid foods until yesterday, and have had a fever about 2/3 degrees above normal until this morning when it broke. Exercise - Believe me, its been no problem. I run about 30, five second dashes from the bed to the john daily and then cool off with a leisurely stroll back a minute or two later. The fishing - Don't need to be told what I've missed, but I ask you, Would you put your brand new Simms waders on and wade out into the WB, if you were me?  Thanks to all for the get well wishes and the fishing updates. The reports help keep me connected.

  While it certainly isn't time for another Wind Knots & Tailing Loops page, I'm still back home in Lafayette suffering from an intestinal malady which has required me to be not more than 15 feet from the loo.  Thought I would try describing the hook removal procedure which I rely on for removing hooks from various parts of my anatomy. Depending on the hooks location a second person is always nice to have around. To remove the hook you need a loop of line. The butt section of your leader is ideal and it's sure to be near by. Loop the line and slide it under the eye of the hook and gently pull it tight against the bend in the hook shank just above where it enters your skin. Next, you get the fly upright and press the eye of the hook down against your skin. Take a deep breath and give the loop a sharp yank straight back away from the eye of the hook. There is no pain whatsoever and if your leader is still attached to your fly you are ready to cast again. Saw the hook remo...

  Back home attempting to cross items off a to do list that has filled the page due to my extended stay at the Lordville Estate. At the moment I'm taking a break in the recliner with my feet up and the PC in my lap. Seems like a good time to tackle the questions that have come in since my last WK&TL effort. John H. wanted to know what to expect when he arrives for a two week stay starting around the 22nd of May. Wish I knew. The high water of the past two weeks, coupled with unusual and unpredictable cold water releases (or lack thereof) makes predicting hatches a literal crap shoot. For what it's worth - The only chance to still fish Hendricksons will be in the upper reaches of the WB and that will be dependent on no spill water and cold releases. The freestones (BK, EB, BR) should be coming out of the doldrums by then with evening hatches of March Browns, Gray Foxes and spring sulfurs (Invaria). You might also run into morning hatches of big olives (Cornuta). The tan cadd...