Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

 Resolved to stop driving up the price of gas by spending several hours each day going from stream to stream just to look at water with neither bugs, nor rising fish. Did take a short trip up to East Branch to see if there was anything happening in 200cfs of water in the UEB, (there wasn't). Also took a drive over to Deposit to buy floatant and line cleaners, (I get 5% off at the Troutfitter). At 3:15, sensing the angst in my guest, (created at least in part by my refusal to stop at rest rooms), I pulled over at one of my secret spots and we fished. There were a plethora of bugs, (caddis, olives, and Invaria), with quite a few fish rising. We quickly chalked up enough refusals to give Denny a run for his money, landed a few small fish, and when the boats started to arrive, we reeled it in and left. Moved to a place that was above the boat traffic but lacked both good bug activity and rising fish, we managed to land a couple more fish. At 6:30 it was time to fish or cut bait. We fis...

 Left the Lordville Estate before11:00, hoping to find bugs and rising fish. Fished the EB, BK, EB, (again), and  the WB, without seeing  bugs or risers. Used the last of our timeouts to stop the clock and eat our sandwiches, during our lunch break, was reminded by the windshield wipers that one of the fishermen in the group forgot his raincoat, and returned to the fishing camp for it.  The trailers - During the never ending search for rising trout one of the copilot's jobs is to keep track of the number of trailers at the various takeouts. The trick in a crowded parking area is to count one side of the lot on the way in and the other side on the way out, our trailer counting procedure still needs work. Suffice to say Buckingham's trailer total was down about 20% from yesterday, Stockport was up 11%, and Shehawken appeared to be unchanged. The bugs - Were nowhere to be seen until about 4:00 when the March Browns made a wind swept entry and exit on the lower WB. About...

 Launched Mark's boat early enough to lead the parade down river from Buckingham where there were wade fishermen casting at rising trout. We saw almost no flies hatching or spinners on the water but there were fish rising. Hooked a nice rainbow and several fall fish in the slow water pools. There were trout willing to eat a fly along Frisbee Island until about 12:45 when the bright sun shut things down. Rowed down to Lordville and took out there a little after 3:00. Spent the afternoon doing yardwork, tying flies, and maybe closed my eyes for a minute or two while doing a crossword.  About 6:30 we set out, this time in the car, to again look for a good fly hatch and rising fish. In that endeavor we failed miserably. Checked the BR, finding the Buckingham lot filled with trailers, but neither fish rising nor bugs hatching out from the launch. Stockport roadside parking was also filled with both trailers and cars. At Shehawken there was not a bug to be seen on the water. Didn't ...

 The river system is a time bomb, I just don't know when its going to explode.  Left the fishing camp about 12:00 and drove up the PA side hoping to find bugs and rising fish. There were March Browns hatching and fish rising at Buckingham but the boats already launched and several wade fishermen had them well covered. The WB at Shehawken had nary a bug to be seen. Drove along the river below Deposit and saw neither bugs nor risers from the town bridge to the Men's Club. Picked up my new fly line from Dave at the Troutfitter who said there have been risers below the town bridge in the morning, (Hendrickson spinners?), he also mentioned that there were still Hendrickson hatching in the Deposit area. Mark is back, has never fished the Red Barn and I said he should give it a try. Dennis plays golf on Tuesday so I fished his spot. Mark hooked three and landed two, (both 19 inchers), and was quite pleased with himself. Made sure he didn't get overconfident by placing him in spots...

 Returned to the Lordville Estate today not having missed fishing in 45 degree rain one bit, until I heard reports of heavy Hendrickson hatches in Deposit, March Browns all over the UEB, and March Browns,  Invaria, and rising fish on the BR.  Got the food in the fridge, the clothes put away and headed up the PA side where a string of boats heading down river from Buckingham all had people up and casting. There were fish rising in all the pools, and then the sun came out. Drove east and stopped at a place on the BE, saw a few fish rising, put on the waders and gave it a try. Hooked two fish right away on a rusty spinner and with visions of a replay of last Friday dancing in my head, headed for the next rise, and the next, and the next. Never got a sniff from any of them. Got one indignant refusal on the way back to the car.  Drove up rte. 30 all the way to Shinhopple without seeing a bug on the water or a fish rise. Picked a spot that was partially shaded and fished....

For the past week or two reports have been posted about sightings of Gray Foxes, Invaria, (spring sulfurs),  and Isos. Yes, I've seen a few Gray Foxes and Invarias on the freestones but nothing that would constitute a hatch occurred where I was. Thursday in the lower WB the hatch was of Hendricksons. As to the Isos, I have seen none. I also haven't seen the big hatch of dragon flies that precedes the hatch of the aforementioned bugs by a few days, (the dragon flies feed on the big mayflies).  On my drive home Saturday morning I saw one small roadside patch of Ragged Robin, the precursor of the Drakes, that lines the interstate ditches with pink blooms during the drake hatch. Let me remind you that we had a very cold winter with ice covering the river system except for the very top of the tailwaters. Yes, we had a burst of warm weather in April and last weeks 90 degree days, but this weekends weather has been more the norm.  We will most likely still have Hendricksons hatc...