Angler 119's Delaware River Fishing Report

 I'm sitting on the back porch with my Perfect Manhattan and a bowl of kettle corn listening to the rain pound down on the roof. The mini spike and his sister with her fawn are bedded down on my neighbors lawn, (the grass is longer and perhaps softer). The deer have had a hard time keeping up with the apples, but by morning the day's drops are usually gone. There are two apples just out in front of the porch that haven't been touched. Noticed them Tuesday and they are still there tonight. If the deer take a bite out of an apple and leave it, the bees descend on the part where the skin has been removed. The uneaten two apples have neither bite marks nor bees. Don't have a clue why they remain uneaten. With a 100% chance of rain today, I was hopeful of a good olive hatch. Set out at 1:30 and gave the Lordville riff a try. It was bugless, riseless and within half an hour, fishermanless. (Left the porch lights on last night, the screens had about a dozen Pumpkin caddis on t...

 It was the day of the Associate Editors annual meeting, (the fourth, I think), which was scheduled for 1:00pm at the Troutfitter. I spent the morning planting grass on some of the remaining bald spots from last year's grub invasion, gave a thought to cleaning out the bluebird houses, but that's on the shut down list and I didn't want to start on that quite yet. Drove up to Deposit, picked up the meatball subs that everyone ordered and delivered them to the pavilion at the Troutfitter where the meeting took place. Once again there was perfect attendance. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously passed exempting all of us from sitting on the bench of redemption until it has been refinished as it presents a clear and present danger to keisters in its present condition. There being a reluctance to talk about religion and politics, a motion to adjourn was unanimously by voice vote. Knew in my heart that if I went back to the places where I fished yesterday I'd face the r...

 I'll admit it, my confidence has taken a hit. Ever since I quit the Sulfur Zone back in mid- August I have struggled to find and catch fish. Have had two or three good trips on the BR, but when the only reliable hatch you can find is on the UEB and the fish of the day doesn't make it to twelve inches you just might begin to doubt yourself. Awoke to 44 degrees on the porch and 67 in the fishing camp.The water on the entire system was in the 50's and I was hopeful that that would get the bugs hatching earlier in the day. Left the estate at 2:30 and headed up the PA side. No bugs at Buckingham, but five trailers and six cars in the lot. Stockport had both cars and trailers parked roadside. Shehawken was busy with boats both putting in and taking out. Sat down on my high water rock, (had my shoes on), and actually saw some olives, (some is NOT a big number but way better than none). Alas, there were no risers. Drove up to Balls Eddy and it was also busy with drift boats depart...

 Had several chores to do this morning before heading for the fishing camp. Met with the guy who brought in stone to level the site for our new shed, sprayed Roundup on the patch of Knotweed that has, so far, survived our efforts to kill it, continued work on the bass pond restoration project, and drove down the road a couple of miles to pick up two five gallon pails of apples. By 9:00 I was soaking wet, took a shower, packed the car and headed for Lordville. Sometime after my departure the first genuine fall front pushed through. A stiff northwest wind of at least 15 had the wind turbines spinning and cooled things down, dried things out, and put space behind the hills. The drive down was slowed by the repaving project between Castle Creek and Binghamton. I was in no hurry and by the time I arrived in Lordville the cool dry air had the grass ready to be cut.    With the wind blowing like it was Hendrickson time, I mowed the lawn, puttered around the yard, came in and tri...

 Bright sun and warm temps may work for summer sulfurs but they sure don't help the olive and iso hatches. I don't think it got as hot temperature wise today as the weatherman predicted but the bright sun heated up the water well past where the olives and isos are comfortable hatching. I saw one iso and considered myself lucky after talking with guides and fishermen calling it quits between six and seven tonight. If you're thinking about coming, think again, and wait for cooler temps, (especially at night). Nighttime temps in the low forties will get bugs popping. Hot sunny days for fall fishing are not the fisherman's friend. Look for an extended forecast of cloudy, cold, rainy days and book a room. If you're here now, talk to whoever you're renting a room from and get the name and directions of a "fisherman's bar", there will be both guides and fishermen there that feel your pain, (it's important not to be alone). The bugs - Just will not hat...

 Today was to be cloudy, (it was), and rainy, (it wasn't). I was hopeful of seeing a few bugs and rising fish before the last hour or two of daylight, and I did.  Here's the story. Had a date with Vicky at her unisex salon in Deposit at 12:30. Arrived five minutes early and got the seat with the scissors, no waiting. Finished up by 12:45, (the top takes almost no time at all), and stopped to chat with David at the Troutfitter. The motel business has been good but the fishermen have abandoned the tailwaters in favor of the freestones and the shop business has slowed as a result. Drove down to the Men's Club seeing but one boat anchored at the sewage treatment plant and not a single wade fisherman. It was dead at the Hale Eddy bridge and there was nary a boat or wade fisherman to be seen on my drive down 17 all the way to Hancock. At four o'clock I decided it was time to fish or cut bait. Waded out into the Lordville riff knowing that isos have been hatching there for abo...

 If you are planning a late season trip to the Delaware expecting to catch some of those big browns everyone was talking about during the sulfur hatch you should probably trim your sails and lower your expectations. Why? The summer sulfurs started to wane about the middle of August, and the big browns that had been feeding on them all summer abruptly stopped rising. The olives that usually begin hatching in earnest as the sulfur hatch fades have so far been a disappointment, making their appearance no more than an hour before dark. The fall Isonychia hatch, (like this years spring hatch), has also been a disappointment. With mid September fast approaching the outlook for catching big browns on top is not good. They will soon be moving to their spawning grounds and have other things on their minds than eating size 20 olives. What to do? Fish for rainbows! Why? For one, they aren't concerned with spawning this time of year. Second, they love to eat flies, and any significant hatch of...