Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

Headed out at noon today with a fresh batch of sulfurs  that I had put on the car dash to cure the water shed I put on them. Usually an hour in the hot car and they are dry as a bone, not today, with a heavy cover of Canadian smoke the sun couldn't do it's job, shrugged and headed for the WB.  Arrived streamside at about 12:30 with sulfurs all over the water and the fish up. Suited up, left the new sulfurs on the dash to finish drying and went fishing. Picked a pool that I hadn't fished yet this year and for about an hour I wondered why I hadn't. Hooked six fish, landing four when I noticed things slowing down, fewer bugs and fewer rising trout. At 2:00 I was walking back to the car past another angler who said "the waters too cold, no sun", and the light came on in my head. Without sunshine the water often stays below the 52 degree temp the sulfurs love to hatch from. Drove both up and down stream and saw neither bugs nor rising fish. There was not a single w...

 On a day like today with air temp in the 90's, the best place to be was in the water, and I that's where I was. Started at noon with Sulfurs already on the water and fish on them. Hooked a couple of fish early, then went through a couple of frustrating hours with fish boiling all around me but taking nothing on the surface. I'm sure the bright sunlight in a nearly cloudless sky didn't help things, the fish just don't like the bright sun. Moved from where the bugs were hatching to where they were just floating along on a quiet pool. Managed to hook a couple more. At 3:00 I used one of my timeouts and retreated to the Troutfitter where I rehydrated and talked with Dave and Matt, (the guide who works out of the shop).   Left about 4:30, and could have fished wherever I wanted to, (most people are smarter than me). There were sulfurs, (from now on, know that it's Dorotheas I'm talking about), in the air and on the water, but the fish had had enough of the brigh...

 Last week I carried a magic wand wherever I went. I walked into good hatches, had lots of big rising fish and they were happy to eat my flies. Today, not so much. Fished a pool where I have probably caught more fish than any other pool in the WB. Last year I caught but three fish there, this year, in two trips, none. Hooked two fish and lost them both, neither fish was over 13 inches. Pricked five other fish when they refused the fly and had numerous other fish turn up their noses and refuse whatever I offered. Never saw an adult fish, most were yearlings or two year olds. They are probably there because there aren't any big fish there to eat them. Don't expect to visit the pool again this year. There have been 100cfs surges the past three nights. The cold water usually slows or stops the hatch. With the temp expected to reach the mid to high 90's tomorrow I felt sure the surge would be increased to a point where wading would be difficult and the evening  hatch would proba...

 Left for home about eleven this morning, stopped at the Troutfitter to put my small bag of trash in the dumpster and to talk with Dave, then decided to swing down along the river "just for a look". Stopped to chat with two river friends and wouldn't you know it the bugs started up, and the fish began to rise. It wasn't a hard decision, put on the waders and vest, grabbed my rod and headed for the river, which is when it started to rain. Went back to the car, put my raincoat on over the vest and waded in.  The fish were up feeding and I saw a nice one not 20 feet away in a quiet seam, busy eating sulfur duns. He ate half a dozen more real ones before he ate mine and then the fun began. My landing net was on the back of my vest with the raincoat over it. I detach it when landing a fish by reaching back over my shoulder and pressing on a small lever with my thumb. Couldn't get to the lever under the raincoat without using both hands, put my rod between my knees unde...

 With Dorotheas on the water from before noon until dark, (yes there was a lull from 4:30 until 6:30, but there were always a few on the water), no one should have had trouble finding rising fish to cast to. Hookups for most anglers are a challenge. If you are getting fish to come up to your fly but refuse it, (no you didn't miss them), you are close, but something just isn't right. Drag is probably the number one cause, but the fish are looking at the fly from no more than an inch or two away when they make their final decision. Do your flies look like the flies floating down the river? Are they too big, (Invarias no longer cut the mustard where the Dorothea hatch is in full bloom), size down and you should do better. Pick up a Dorothea off the water and actually compare it to the flies you are using, most are far too bulky. Trim them down with a scissors or clippers and see if it makes a difference. The Fishing - For me very good. Have had lots of refusals the last two days b...

There are still Invaria up at Stilesville being attended to by unprecedented hoards of anglers. Just a historical note and suggestion. When the little Stilesville lot was purchased the farmer complained when cars were parked along the road, and no parking signs were put up, which was fair, (the State could have come up with more money for a bigger lot). This year anglers are again filling the Stilesville lot and parking down the road, some almost half way to the Red barn pool. Many are walking down the road and entering the Red Barn pool through the open gate and of course fishing without paying. If you are fishing above the riff, fine. If you are parking on the road and walking down to save five dollars please consider paying the five dollars and parking at the barn. No parking signs would eliminate access for a lot of fishermen. Just a thought. Based on what I've seen so far the Dorothea hatch looks to be a good one. There are bugs hatching both afternoon and evening from the 17 ...