Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

Just so you know, I read and learn from the comments. I have heard of numerous encounters with stripers this year following the two months of high water. Butch's post about someone catching 5 is still unsettling. Hopefully anyone catching one above Callicoon makes sure that it has eaten it's last trout. Congrats to Ed S. who caught two nice fish on sulfurs after taking a bath in sub 50 degree water. My hands would have been shaking so hard I couldn't have tied on a fly.  Max, was encouraged by your report and enjoyed a nice night because of it. If you are still in Sylvan Beach in mid August, drive up to McConnelsville and check out the Ephron hatch. The West Branch of Fish Creek was one of my old haunts and the hatch is incredible. From McConnelsville to Blossvale is quite remote and has some big fish. (Now everyone knows why I can't comment on comments and congratulate successful anglers.) Decided to take in the sulfur hatch on the UEB, left at 1:30, drove up route 30 ...

  It's been three weeks since the groin pull and last night was the first full night's sleep that I've had. It felt great. After yesterdays yard work blitz I decided to concentrate on the back porch. Vacuumed up dead bugs, filled the wood pile and prepared things for the "Home Defense" spray I'll do tomorrow. One spray in the fall and another mid-summer keeps the porch spider free, reduces the spiders inside and keeps the carpenter ants under control. The bugs - I've mentioned before that I usually turn on the three spotlights that light up the back yard when I get home from fishing.  If I don't, the bugs find a way to get onto the porch and are attracted to the slider because of the lights in the kitchen. Sometimes I leave them on all night to see what bugs are hatching on the BR. Except for possibly some tricos, the only bugs to be seen anywhere on the system during daylight hours are the sulfurs and olives in the zone. Last night, within 30 seconds ...

  Got up early today, in part because the ache from the groin pull makes it hard to sleep and in part because I wanted to do the yard work before it got too hot. Had the peach tree remains stacked up under the porch before 8:30, pruned the Holly tree and the two red buds and disposed of the trimmings before ten- thirty, and was on the lawn mower shortly thereafter. Finished up the mowing just before noon, got cleaned up, had lunch, made a couple of calls and it was one-thirty.  Just the right time to drive up to Deposit and fish the afternoon sulfurs, but I just didn't want to do that today. Sat down and tied a half dozen flies, did a crossword puzzle, read the news on the pc, and was lost for something to do. Against my better judgement I got in the car and drove up to Deposit. What did I find?  Up in Stilesville there were Cedar Waxwings, sulfurs, fishermen, (well spaced), and a very few rising fish, spaced much farther apart than the fishermen. Two boats at the Red Bar...

  Spent an hour this morning cutting down the cling peach tree that succumbed from a combination of the harsh winter and the ravages of brown rot. My lack of knowledge about the need to prune full sized peach trees didn't help either. Came in hot and sweaty and made the decision that it would be better to soak my groin pull in an ice cold trout stream than risk a setback picking up the cut up tree. Associate Editor Ed Smith said he would be fishing at the Red Barn today. At about 1:30 I made the drive up route 8 and then down River Road to the Red Barn. His car was in the lot, but I would have had trouble picking him out, (fishermen don't wear jerseys with numbers on 'em), from among the dozen or so fishermen had it not been for the fact that he had spotted my Mercedes GLC with the custom Angler119 plate and called my cell. Of course I was also trying to call him. Took a minute or two but we finally got connected and agreed to meet at the Troutfitter at four. That settled, ...

  There has been considerable grumbling this season about having to fish in the fog. I've written about it as recently as June 30th. My only complaint about the fog is that it seems to negatively affect my depth perception and hence the accuracy of my casts. I did my best to dispel that theory tonight, more on that later.  With both Lafayette and Lordville on flood watches for the past two days I had very little hope of getting to fish today. Looked at the stream flows at breakfast this morning and was surprised to see that the WB was spared yesterdays onslaught. Hopes not dashed, I assembled my freshly washed clothes, patched waders, food that Jean prepared, and headed for Lordville. Stopped in Deposit to confirm that the river was running clear and at a fishable level, (it was), and then motored on down to the Lordville Estate.  By the time I'd unpacked my clothes and food and put them away, the skies had darkened and the thunder had begun to rumble. When the rain start...

  For about a week I was content congratulating myself on yet another perfect report, not a single one of the Grammarian's terse comments, (listing the days typos or spelling errors), was to be found). Then reality sunk in. On June 27, the second T was added to Corbet. Not a single correction has been made since. I reread some of the reports and found errors, thus confirming my suspicion. The Grammarian who has upgraded the finished product here at A-119 since March 28th of 2024, without missing a day, is no longer on the job, having left as silently as he appeared. Since I have no other means of doing so, I'm taking this opportunity to thank you for your contributions to the reports. You are of course welcome should you choose to return, but needn't feel any obligation to do so.  Steve - I haven't seen a rattle snake since the two road kills in downtown Lordville back in May.  The failure of NYC to comply with FFMA regulations requiring them to maximize the drawdown af...