Upper Delaware Fly Fishing Report
TUESDAY
All Upper Delaware Rivers are high and cold at this time. There are perfect trout fishing conditions throughout the entire river system. This morning the water temperatures in Callicoon on the Main Stem Delaware are at a chilly 58 degrees. It is rare to be able to trout fish the entire system in the month of July.
Right now we are having about the best fishing of the season! I have been out every day and recently the action has been pretty fast and furious. Both the Streamer and Dry Fly fishing is very good. There are lots of insects and the trout have been feeding well.
Over the Holiday weekend all of our guests had great fishing. We had anglers out on the East Branch, West Branch and Main Stem over this time. All of our guests had steady action!
Below are a few photos from my last few trips
The Next photo is from last night on the East Branch. I had Charlie from NJ out for his first ever float trip in the Upper Delaware. We had rising Trout from start to finish. Below is his first East Branch Brown caught on the Dry Fly!
July is not typically a busy month for us so we have some openings if you were unable to get a date with us during the prime spring fishing period. This coming week we have several opening for both full and half day float trips. Give us a call today at 607-290-4022
Isonychia have been pouring from the rivers recently and the dry fly action has been lasting for several hours each day. Over this time period we have put some real big trout in the net! With the high water conditions the Trout have been easier to approach and not nearly as selective as they would normally be.
At this time anglers should note that both Pepacton and Cannonsville Reservoirs are full and spilling over. There is a very heavy bottom release from Cannonsville at this time. These conditions should continue for the near future. The East Branch is fishable by both boat and on foot. The West Branch is best fished by Drift Boat at this time as is the Main Stem Delaware. The Beaverkill and Willowemoc are in tremendous condition for summer. Anglers should get out and take advantage of the abundant water.
Current River Flow Table
Beaverkill 434 cfs.
Wilowemoc - 305cfs.
Upper East Branch -632 cfs
Lower East Branch -1510 cfs.
West Branch - 2020 cfs.
Main Stem -4160 cfs.
The INSECTS
Currently there are Yellow Drakes, Olives, Isonychia, Steno's, Sulfurs, Stoneflies, Caddisflies and more emerging from all Upper Delaware Rivers. There is good spinner activity most nights. Anglers should now target the areas around the faster riffles and pocket water. Most of the insects that are emerging now are fast water dwellers and all of the late day spinner activity will happen in these same areas.
The Sulfurs and Olives are now the Main Staple in the Trout's diet. The larger insects are only on the water at times and rarely in large numbers
THE FLIES
Today's Upper Delaware Fly Selection- Isonychia Cripples, Isonychia Duns, Olives,Olive Knock Down Duns, Sulfur Knock Down Duns, Baxter House Hackle Wing Spinners, Iso Spinner, Hackle WIng Rusty Spinners, Sulfurs,Sulfur Cripples, Elk Over CDC Caddis, X Caddis, Peacock Klinkhammers BH Copper Johns, BH Pheasant Tails, Ice Caddis, KT Pupas, BH Stoneflies, Flash Back Pheasant Tails, Cased Caddis Small Zonkers, BH Wooly Buggers , Sculpins, Bottom Wigglers, Muddlers, Small Articulated Flies, Streamers of 3" or less will be most effective at this time.
The Smallmouth Bass action is now heating up in the Main Stem Delaware. We have been taking some nice Bass recently. Most of the larger bass have come on Woolly Buggers and small Atriculated Sculpin type patterns. We are now booking both full and half day floats for Smallies. The nice smallie took a 4" woolly buggers fished in a slow eddy.
We are now taking reservations for Guided Smallmout Bass and Evening Hatch Trout trips. The Bass trips are full or half day. This year we are also offering evening smallie trips that will focus on taking smallies on the DRY FLY and on POPPERS.
The Trout trips are are still full or half day. Our half day trips are at dawn which is a combo of Streamer and Dry Fly or in the evening which is one of our most popular trips. Our guides have been doing these evening trips for over 15 years. They are experts at choosing the best sections of river on any given day. These trips put you on the water from 5:00pm until dark and offer you the best dry fly action of the day. Give us a call today to book your next fishing adventure at 607-290-4022
